The USC School of Social Work is celebrated for its rigorous career preparation and scientific contributions. Here, a School of Social Work intern helps a an older veteran as part of a community gardening project at Veterans Villages Recovery Center in Long Beach, California. Photo by David Ahntholz and Tracy Boulian, Two Point Pictures.
The USC School of Social Work offers programs of study leading to the Master of Social Work (MSW) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in social work. These programs provide the student a broad background of knowledge about health and welfare problems, the meaning of programs past and present that have been established to meet them, and current issues and policy trends in the field.
At the same time, the student is helped to become a professional person through development of a philosophy in harmony with that of the profession: to prevent and mitigate severe social problems that challenge the viability of culturally diverse and complex urban settings; to build on the strengths of individuals, families and communities; and to lead the scholarly search for innovative, efficacious and just solutions.
Montgomery Ross Fisher
Building 214
Main: (213) 740-2711
Admissions: (213) 740-2013
FAX: (213) 740-0789
Email: sswadm@usc.edu
usc.edu/socialwork
Administration
Marilyn L. Flynn, PhD, Dean, 2U Endowed Chair in Educational Innovation and Social Work
R. Paul Maiden, PhD, Vice Dean, Academic and Student Affairs
Judy Axonovitz, MS, Director, Skirball Academic Center
Janine Braun, EMBA, MEd., Assistant Dean, Admissions and Scholarship Programs
Paul Carlo, PhD, Director, USC Center on Child Welfare
Monica Ellis, MA, Assistant Dean, Student Services
Carmen Frierson, Vice Dean, Administration
John Gaspari, MSW, Executive Director, USC Center for Work and Family Life
Eugenia Weiss, PsyD, Interim Director, San Diego Academic Center
Anthony Hassan, EdD, Director, Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families
Dan Hester, Director, International Programs
Steve Hong, BS, Director, Management Information Systems
Jehoon Lee, PhD, Director, Center for Asian-Pacific Leadership
Carrie Lew, EdD, Assistant Dean, Professional Development and Alumni Relations
Cindy Monticue, MA, Director, Marketing Communications
Michàlle Mor Barak, PhD, Director, PhD Program
Scarlett Powers Osterling, MSW, Senior Associate Dean, External Relations
Elizabeth Pringle-Hornsby, EdD, Director, Orange County Academic Center
Cherry Short, MSc, Associate Dean, Global and Community Initiatives
Wendy Smith, PhD, Associate Dean, Faculty Development
Haluk Soydan, PhD, Director, Hamovitch Center for Science in the Human Services
Donna Toulmin, JD, Director, USC/DCFS Training Program, USC Center on Child Welfare
William Vega, PhD, Executive Director, USC Roybal Institute on Aging
Joshua Watson, EdD, Director, Student Services
June Wiley, PhD, Director, Virtual Academic Center
Leslie Wind, PhD, Associate Dean for Academic Programs
Terris Wolff, MBA, MSBA, Chief Technology Officer, Information Technology
Marleen Wong, PhD, Associate Dean, Field Education
Faculty
Chinese-American Golden Age Association/Dr. Frances Wu Endowed Chair: Iris Chi, DSW
Dean’s Professor of Social Work and Preventive Medicine: Hortensia Amaro, PhD
Margaret W. Driscoll/Louise M. Clevenger Professorship in Social Policy and Administration: Bruce Jansson, PhD*
Dean’s Professor of Social Work and Business: Michàlle E. Mor Barak, PhD*
Frances L. and Albert G. Feldman Endowed Professorship in Social Policy and Health: Lawrence Palinkas, PhD
Ernest P. Larson Professor of Health, Ethnicity and Poverty: Kathleen Ell, DSW
Frances G. Larson Professor of Social Work Research: John Brekke, PhD*
John Milner Professor of Child Welfare: Jacquelyn McCroskey, DSW*
Provost’s Professor of Social Work, Preventive Medicine, Psychiatry, Family Medicine and Gerontology: William Vega, PhD
Cleofas and Victor Ramirez Professor of Practice, Policy, Research and Advocacy for the Latino Population: William Vega, PhD
David Lawrence Stein/Violet Goldberg Sachs Professor: Penelope K. Trickett, PhD*
Richard M. and Ann L. Thor Professor in Urban Social Development: Suzanne Wenzel, PhD
Lenore Stein-Wood and Williams S. Wood Professor of School Behavioral Health: Ron Avi Astor, PhD
2U Endowed Chair in Educational Innovation and Social Work: Marilyn Flynn, PhD
Professors: Hortensia Amaro, PhD; Ron Avi Astor, PhD; John Brekke, PhD*; Iris Chi, DSW; Kathleen Ell, DSW; Marilyn L. Flynn, PhD; Bruce Jansson, PhD*; R. Paul Maiden, PhD; Jacquelyn McCroskey, DSW*; Michàlle E. Mor Barak, PhD*; Lawrence Palinkas, PhD; Penelope K. Trickett, PhD*; Avelardo Valdez, PhD; William Vega, PhD; Wynne Waugaman, PhD; Suzanne Wenzel, PhD
Associate Professors: Maria Aranda, PhD*; Concepcion Barrio, PhD; Devon Brooks, PhD; Maryalice Jordan- Marsh, PhD; Helen Land, PhD*; Karen Lincoln, PhD; Ferol Mennen, DSW*; Dorian Traube, PhD; Shinyi Wu, PhD; Ann Marie Yamada, PhD
Assistant Professors: Carl Castro, PhD; Julie Cederbaum, PhD; Alice Cepeda, PhD; Tamika Gilreath, PhD; Jeremy Goldbach, PhD; Erick Guerrero, PhD; Benjamin Henwood, PhD; Michael Hurlburt, PhD; Seth Kurzban, PhD; Jungeun Olivia Lee, PhD; Emily Putnam-Hornstein, PhD; Eric Rice, PhD
Clinical Professors: Eileen Abel, PhD; Rafael Angulo, MSW; Margarita Artavia, MSW; Judith Axonovitz, MSW; Ralph Fertig, JD; Anthony Hassan, EdD; Stephen Hydon, MSW; Anne Katz, PhD; Murali Nair, PhD; Jolene Swain, MSW; Doni Whitsett, PhD; Marleen Wong, PhD
Clinical Associate Professors: Jane Allgood, PhD; Estela Andujo, MSW; Juan Araque, PhD; Michelle Bell, EdD; Karra Bikson, PhD; Ruth Cislowski, MSW; Tory Cox, MSW; Laurel Davis, MSW; Annalisa Enrile, PhD; Kimberly Finney, PhD; Pamela Franzwa, MSW; Conrad Fuentes, MSW; Kim Goodman, MSW; Mary Beth Harris, PhD; Suh Chen Hsiao, MSW; Dawn Joosten, PhD; Seth Kurzban, PhD; Terri Lee, MSW; Shelley Levin, PhD; Omar Lopez, MSW; Martha Lyon-Levine, PhD; Gokul Mandayam, PhD; Shannon Mayeda, PhD; Renee Michelsen, MSS; Sam Mistrano, JD; Tyan Parker Dominguez, PhD; Elizabeth Phillips, PhD; Elizabeth Pringle-Hornsby, MSW; Michael Rank, PhD; Russana Rowles; Michal Sela-Amit, PhD; Renee Smith-Maddox, PhD; Candace Smith, EdD; Wendy Smith, PhD; Fred Stone, PhD; Vivien Villaverde, MSW; Eugenia Weiss, PsyD; Ruth White, PhD; June Wiley, PhD; Leslie Wind, PhD; Deborah Winters, MSW; Lisa Wobbe-Veit, MSW; Darlene Woo, MSW; Beverly Younger, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professors: Rosamaria Alamo, MSW; David Bringhurst, PhD; Nikki Cavalier, LCSW; Susan Edwards, MSW; Terence Fitzgerald, PhD; Amber Ford, MSW; Stephanie George; Bianca Harper, DSW; Leroy Curtis Johnson, MSW; Jennifer Lewis, PhD; Marsalee Malatesta; Rick Newmyer, MSW; Amber Ramirez; Erik Schott, EdD; Melissa Singh, MSW; Ruth Supranovich, MSW; Kristen Zaleski, PhD
Adjunct Professors: Lucia Aparicio, MSW; Vern Bengtson, PhD; Margaret Fetting, PhD; Michael Jackson, PhD; Wanda Jewell, MSW; Sheri Kelfer, MSW; Diane Meadow, PhD; Rose Monteiro, MSW; Carlos Sosa, MSW; Monika White, PhD; Jeff Wilkins, MD; Marcia Wilson, PhD
Adjunct Associate Professors: Rita Davis, MSW; Nancy Flax-Plaza, MSW; Herbert Hatanaka, DSW; Heather Halperin, MSW; Kristie Holmes, PhD; CarolAnn Peterson, PhD; Mara Ziegler, MSW
Adjunct Assistant Professors: Steven Bush, MSW; Stephanie Carter, MSW; Linda Cox, MSW; Susan Lindau, MSW; Leigh Miller, MSW
Research Professors: Charles Kaplan, PhD; Haluk Soydan, PhD
Research Associate Professors: Jehoon Lee, PhD; Donald Lloyd, PhD; Janet Schneiderman, PhD
Research Assistant Professors: Hazel Atuel, PhD; Sara Kintzle, PhD; Sonya Negriff, PhD; Harmony Rhoades, PhD; Sherrie Wilcox, PhD, Hsin Yi Hsiao, PhD
Emeritus Professors: Howard J. Parad, DSW*; Rino Patti, DSW*; Barbara Solomon, DSW*
Emeritus Field Education Faculty: Rhoda G. Sarnat, MA
*Recipient of university-wide or school teaching award.
Degree Programs
The School of Social Work offers the Master of Social Work (MSW), the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and the dual Master of Social Work/Doctor of Philosophy, Social Work (MSW/PhD) degrees. In addition, the school offers dual degrees with the schools of business; gerontology; law; medicine; public policy; and Hebrew Union College.
Dual Degree Programs
The School of Social Work currently offers dual degree programs with a number of other USC professional schools. In addition, the school maintains a dual degree program at Hebrew Union College located adjacent to the USC campus.
The goal of these programs is to encourage graduate students to gain a recognized competence in another discipline which has direct relevance to the roles filled by social workers in society. Dual degree programs are based on the premise that some topics covered in the school are also addressed in the curricula of other departments, so that some credit toward an MSW degree may be given for specific courses in the cooperating department. Similarly, these departments have recognized that some credit toward their corresponding degree may be awarded for work completed in the School of Social Work. For this reason, students enrolled in dual degree programs can obtain both degrees with a reduced number of total units. Students wishing to enroll in dual degree programs must apply for and be admitted to both schools.
Master of Social Work/Master of Science, Gerontology
The MS/MSW dual degree offers the student interested in direct service or community organization the credentials most valued in clinical and therapeutic practice. Students enrolled in this dual degree receive an MSW as well as an MS in Gerontology. This dual degree requires completion of 73 units: 32 units of work in the Davis School of Gerontology and 41 units in the School of Social Work. The course work is usually completed over a 24-month period for full-time students.
Students must complete MSW course work in foundation, foundation field instruction and core courses specific to the AHA or COBI departments.
See the Social Work and Gerontology (MSW/MS) in the Davis School of Gerontology for course requirements.
Master of Social Work/Master of Public Administration, Public Policy
The Master of Public Administration/Master of Social Work (MPA/MSW) dual degree program provides those students interested in careers as administrators of social service agencies the opportunity to combine preparation in the substantive field of social work with the acquisition of the administrative capabilities necessary in the public sector. Students must complete 82 units: 54 units in social work and 28 units in public administration.
Dual degree students must complete MSW course work in foundation, field and core courses specific to the AHA, COBI or CYF departments.
Most students complete both program requirements over a 24-month period for full-time students. See the USC Price School of Public Policy for course requirements.
Master of Social Work/Juris Doctor, Law
The Juris Doctor and Master of Social Work (JD/MSW) dual degree program with the USC Gould School of Law is a four-year program in which students complete a total of 121 units. This includes 45 units in social work and 76 units in law.
To earn the JD, all students (including dual degree students) must complete 35 numerically graded law units at USC after the first year. The associate dean may make exceptions to this rule for students enrolled in law school honors programs. Students must apply to both programs prior to matriculation. The program of study is as follows:
First and Second Years: Complete both the first year JD program of study and MSW course work in foundation, field and core courses specific to the AHA, COBI or CYF departments.
Third Year: Complete the second year JD program.
Fourth Year: Complete the remaining required core department and field courses and one semester of field instruction and the final semester of the JD program in the spring.
The law school gives credit for the third semester in the School of Social Work, while the latter recognizes law courses as substitutions for a one-semester practice course, special topics courses, a third semester of social policy and one semester of field instruction (for which a clinical law semester is substituted).
Master of Social Work/Master of Business Administration, Business
The MSW/MBA dual degree develops knowledge and skills in working with individuals, families and groups, as well as organizational dynamics, marketing, decision sciences, accounting and human relations. Students interested in working in the management of human services and not-for-profit organizations will develop knowledge of human resources, philanthropic and corporate social responsibility, organizational development and information management.
Prospective students must apply to both the School of Social Work and the USC Marshall School of Business .
The MSW/MBA requires completion of a total of 96 units: 48 in the Marshall School of Business and 48 in the School of Social Work.
Students must select Department of Community, Organization, and Business Innovation (COBI). Dual degree students must complete MSW course work in foundation, field and core courses specific to the COBI department.
Course requirements in the Marshall School of Business include all required courses in an MBA program and graduate business electives sufficient to bring the total units completed in the Marshall School of Business to at least 48. Dual degree students may not count courses taken outside the Marshall School of Business toward the 48 units. For MBA admission and degree requirements, visit USC Marshall School of Business .
The MBA and the MSW degrees are awarded simultaneously upon completion of all program requirements.
Hamovitch Center for Science in the Human Services
The Hamovitch Center for Science in the Human Services, located in the School of Social Work, serves as the administrative umbrella for the school’s centers of research excellence. These centers of interdisciplinary research include the areas of mental health, health, corporate and industrial social work, child abuse, interpersonal violence and other projects of interest to individual faculty. The center hosts seminars and colloquia which are open to the university and community.
Research projects are supported by federal, state, county and school resources. The center engages faculty in research, demonstration and application in building and testing theory, developing research instruments, testing models of service and treatment modalities, evaluating programs and service policy. The center also provides opportunities for doctoral students to acquire research training through ongoing and newly initiated faculty research projects. Doctoral students are encouraged to apply to participate in such projects which often lead to dissertation possibilities. Predoctoral fellowships and/or research assistantships for projects conducted at the center are sometimes available to incoming and ongoing doctoral students. The center also enables doctoral students to conduct their own research through the auspices of the center, including their dissertation research. All doctoral students are encouraged to attend and participate in the center’s colloquia and programs to enhance their involvement with and skills in research and knowledge development.
Master’s Degree
Dual Degree
Doctoral Degree
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