College of Social and Behavioral Sciences & Business and Public Administration

School of Social Work, Social & Behavioral Sciences Building, Room 423 (909) 537-5501
Department of Public Administration, Jack Brown Hall, Room 456 (909) 537-5758

The Department of Public Administration and the School of Social Work offer a graduate program leading to Master of Social Work/Master of Public Administration Concurrent Degrees. The degrees are intended for those with an interest in and promise for a career in social services that will lead to top administrative roles. Degree holders will have skills and knowledge to facilitate well-being and change at all system levels. 

Prospective concurrent degrees students must be accepted under the admission procedures of each program. The MSW program requires a separate application available through the School of Social Work which will include the additional statement instructions and the Plan of Study form for the concurrent MSW/MPA degrees.

No degree will be conferred until the requirements of the both degrees are fulfilled.  

Admission to the Program

To be considered for the concurrent MSW/MPA degrees, prospective students must select the concurrent MSW/MPA degrees in CSU Apply and be accepted to both the MSW and MPA programs. Prospective students must submit a copy an additional application statement with their MSW applications as directed in CSU Apply. 

Advancement to Candidacy

Students must complete advancement to candidacy forms in both the MSW and MPA programs.

To be advanced to candidacy, a student must have:

1. Achieved classified status;
2. Satisfied the general university requirements for advancement to candidacy;
3. Selected a thesis committee and gained approval of the thesis topic by the thesis committee if a thesis is chosen;
4. Completed with a grade point average of 3.0 (“B”) at least 30 semester units of course work in the MSW and 15 semester units in the MPA;
5. Demonstrated academic and professional competence in field and classroom;

Requirements for Graduation

1. A minimum of 73 semester units, 52 units must be completed at this university;
2. Fulfilment of all degree requirements;
3. A grade point average of at least 3.0 (“B”) in both the MSW and the MPA courses; Completion of culminating research project or thesis (SW 6014   completed);
4. Complete PA 6550 Public Administration Capstone with a B or better;
5. Successful passing of the MPA Comprehensive Exam PA 6980;
6. the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement is met upon successful completion of SW 6042.

Concurrent Degrees Requirements (73 units)

(Program Codes: SWPA and PASW)

PA 6110	Public Administration Theory and Practice	3
PA 5140	Nonprofit Management and Leadership	3
PA 6620	Human Resource Management in the Public Sector	3
PA 6630	Public Budgeting and Finance	3
PA 6640	Management of Public Organizations	3
PA 6720	Administrative Regulation	3
SW 6041	Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Lifespan Development	3
SW 6042	Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Critical Topics	3
SW 6011	Social Work Research I	3
SW 6012	Social Work Research II	2
SW 6013	Research Project I	1
SW 6021	Generalist Micro Practice I	3
SW 6022	Generalist Micro Practice II	3
SW 6023	Advanced Generalist Micro Practice I	3
SW 6024	Advanced Generalist Micro Practice II	3
SW 6061	Generalist Macro Practice I	3
SW 6062	Generalist Macro Practice II	3
SW 6064	Advanced Generalist Macro Practice II	3
SW 6081	Generalist Field Work I	3
SW 6082	Generalist Field Work II	3
SW 6083	Advanced Generalist Field Work I	4
SW 6084	Advanced Generalist Field Work II	4
SW 6777	Social Work Advanced Generalist Leadership and Capstone	3
Culminating Experience (5)		5
Total Units		73

Culminating Experience (5 units)

MSW Culminating Experience (2 units)

The research project represents the culminating MSW graduate experience. The research project is developed in SW 6012 and is carried out in the field setting under individual supervision in SW 6013 and completed in SW 6014. It must be on a social work practice topic, must use objective analysis and will be presented to faculty and field personnel orally and in writing. A thesis (SW 6971) may be done as an alternative of the research project with additional expectations, but is optional. 

SW 6014	Research Project II	2
Total Units		2

MPA Culminating Experience (3 units)

The culminating experience for the MPA consists of two parts: PA 6980 is the Comprehensive Exam which addresses core course competencies. PA 6550 addresses public administration from a strategic perspective.

PA 6550	Capstone: Strategic Planning for Government and Nonprofit Organizations	3
PA 6980	Comprehensive Examination	0
Total Units		3