USC Catalogue 2024-2025
USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work
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The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work is a leader in social work and nursing education, training and research. These MSW graduates celebrate in front of Tommy Trojan.
Photos by Wallis Photo LLC.
The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work champions social justice for the well-being of individuals, families and communities through innovative teaching of evidence-informed and practice-based skills, pioneering transformative research and cultivating leadership for social change.
The school’s programs equip students with a broad background of knowledge about health and social welfare problems, programs, services and policies designed to prevent and address those problems and existing and emergent trends and issues. Across all programs, students are professionalized and encouraged to develop professional philosophies and approaches that are in harmony with the basic tenets of their chosen professions. At the same time, students share the desire and calling to prevent and mitigate severe social and health 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
dworakpeck.usc.edu
Administration
Vassilios Papadopoulos, PhD, Interim Dean
Devon Brooks, PhD, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
Michael Hurlburt, PhD, Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs
Ruth Supranovich, EdD, Associate Dean of Community and Clinical Programs
Kim Price, Associate Dean for Finance and Administration
Suzanne Wenzel, PhD, Associate Dean for Research
Anne Marie Yamada, PhD, Associate Dean of Inclusion and Diversity
Omar Lopez, MSW, Assistant Dean for Recruitment and Workforce Development
Joshua Watson, EdD, Assistant Dean, Student Services
Jungeun Olivia Lee, PhD, Director, PhD Program
Jennifer Lewis, PhD, Director, MSW and DSW Programs
Michelle Zappas, Director, MSN Program
Faculty
Margaret W. Driscoll/Louise M. Clevenger Professor in Social Policy and Administration: María P. Aranda, PhD
Frances L. and Albert G. Feldman Professor of Social Policy and Health: Benjamin Henwood, PhD
Dean’s Professor of Social Work and Business: Michàlle E. Mor Barak, PhD
Cleofas and Victor Ramirez Professor of Practice, Policy, Research and Advocacy for the Latino Population: Avelardo Valdez, PhD
Richard M. and Ann L. Thor Professor in Urban Social Development: Suzanne Wenzel, PhD
Lenore Stein-Wood and William S. Wood Professor of School Behavioral Health: John Clapp, PhD
Professors: Carl Castro, PhD; Alice Cepeda, PhD; Yuri Jang, PhD; Eric Rice, PhD
Associate Professors: Concepcion Barrio, PhD; Devon Brooks, PhD; Julie Cederbaum, PhD; Daniel Hackman, PhD; Michael Hurlburt, PhD; Jungeun Olivia Lee, PhD; Shinyi Wu, PhD; Ann Marie Yamada, PhD
Assistant Professors: John Blosnich, PhD; Hans Oh, PhD
Teaching and Practicum Education Professors: Rafael Angulo, MSW; Juan Araque, PhD; Margarita Artavia, MSW; Annalisa Enrile, PhD; Stephen Hydon, EdD; Dawn Joosten-Hagye, PhD; Omar Lopez, MSW; Tyan Parker Dominguez, PhD; Renee Smith-Maddox, PhD; Ruth Supranovich, EdD
Teaching and Practicum Education Associate Professors: Rosamaria Alamo, PhD; Estela Andujo, MSW; Karra Bikson, PhD; David Bringhurst, PhD; Danielle Brown, MSW; Sarah Caliboso-Soto, EdD; Ruth Cislowski, MSW; Kerry Doyle, MSW; Umeka Franklin, EdD; Kim Goodman, MSW; Susan Hess, MSW; Janett Hildebrand, PhD; Suh Chen Hsiao, DPPD; Harry Hunter, Jr., PhD; Jane James, JD; Tracie Kirkland, DNP; Terri Lee, MSW; Jenebah Lewis, MSW; Jennifer Lewis, PhD; Kelley Macmillan, PhD; Renee Michelsen, MSS; Sam Mistrano, JD; Ricardo Ornelas, MSW; Christina Paddock, MSW; Jennifer Parga, MSW; Michael Rank, PhD; Cynthia Sanchez, DNP; Sara Schwartz, PhD; Michal Sela-Amit, PhD; Melissa Singh, EdD; Holly Priebe Sotelo, MSW; Vivien Villaverde, MSW; Benita Walton-Moss, PhD; Deborah Waters-Roman, EdD; June Wiley, PhD; Lisa Wobbe-Veit, MSW; Kathleen Woodruff, DNP; Michelle Zappas, DNP
Teaching and Practicum Education Assistant Professors: Alison Cole-Kelley, MSW; Marco Formigoni, MSW; Laura Gale, EdD; Robert Hernandez, DSW; Aimee Odette, DSW; LaTesha Reed, DNP; Lily Ross, EdD; Audrey Shelby, MSW; Jennifer Tran, MSN
Senior Lecturers and Lecturers: Cassandra Fatouros, MSW/MBA; Iris Gonzalez-Thrash, MSW; Sara Jimenez McSweyn, MSW; Richard Newmyer, MSW; Dorothy Nieto Manzer, MSW; Cynthia Rollo-Carlson, MSW
Research Associate Professors: Hazel Atuel, PhD; Sara Kintzle, PhD; John Prindle, PhD
Research Assistant Professor: Andrea Eastman, PhD
Emeritus Professors: John Brekke, PhD; Iris Chi, DSW; Helen Land, PhD; Jacqueline McCroskey, DSW, MSW; Janet Schneiderman, PhD; Barbara Solomon, DSW
Emeritus Professors of Clinical Education: Anne Katz, PhD; Paul Maiden, PhD; Doni Whitsett, PhD
Emeritus Professor of Practicum Education: Marleen Wong, PhD
Degree and Minor Programs
The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work offers a new Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and various degree programs that lead to a Master of Social Work (MSW), Doctor of Social Work (DSW), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Work, or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), as well as a number of graduate certificates. The school also offers a Social Work and Juvenile Justice undergraduate minor.
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is designed to cultivate a diverse workforce comprising culturally competent, ethical, service-oriented, generalist social workers.
To earn the BSW degree, students must successfully complete a total of 128 units, with 48 units specifically allocated to courses in the social work major.
Master of Social Work (MSW)
The Master of Social Work degree requires 48 semester units of course work. The program of study leads to the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree with a specialization in an area of advanced practice. Course requirements are organized into a generalist curriculum and a specialized practice curriculum. The generalist curriculum provides students with knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes that prepare them for professional practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. The specialized practice curriculum involves integration of social work knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes and demonstrated ability to engage, assess, intervene and evaluate across or within client populations, problems areas, and methods of intervention. Additional tracks available to students are: Adult Mental Health and Wellness; Children, Youth and Families; Military Populations and Settings; School and Educational Settings; or Social Change and Innovation.
Adult Mental Health and Wellness (AMHW)
This curriculum prepares students to address the health and well-being of younger and older adults within families, agencies, institutions, communities, and other environments, and to eliminate disparities. Course work focuses on mental health and substance use, integrated primary and behavioral health care, wellness and recovery, promotion of healthy aging, social welfare policy, and program and policy evaluation and analysis.
Children, Youth and Families (CYF)
This curriculum prepares students to address the needs of vulnerable children, youth and families from the earliest years of childhood through adolescence and the transition to adulthood. Course work focuses on promoting wellness and preventing trauma, as well as which kinds of service programs are showing the best results for families with different makeups from a variety of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Students are trained to serve families in a variety of service settings, including health, mental health, early education, schools, child welfare and juvenile justice.
Military Populations and Settings
This curriculum targeting military personnel, spouses and other military dependents and military retirees who wish to maintain a post-military career affiliation with the armed forces; military veterans who wish to provide professional services to their military comrades; and civilian personnel who are committed to assisting military personnel, their families, and military veterans with adapting, coping, and managing the stresses and strains of military life and post-military life. The curriculum offers courses focusing on the needs of military personnel, veterans and their families.
School and Educational Settings
This curriculum prepares students to practice in TK-12th grade settings across micro, mezzo and macro levels. Students learn about development as well as theoretical concepts related to working with children and adolescents in educational settings. They also learn various roles a social worker encompasses in the school setting to include leadership and system wide intervention. Course work additionally focuses on mental health service delivery and practice to include awareness of trauma informed schools, social and emotional learning, and polices that impact educational systems locally and nationally. Students have opportunities through practicum education to apply these concepts in school settings.
Social Change and Innovation (SCI)
This curriculum prepares students to lead bold, large-scale solutions to social problems and drive positive change in organizations, businesses, and government agencies. Course work focuses on community organization, organizational planning and development, workplace interventions, and advocacy.
Practicum Education
Practicum education is the signature pedagogy for social work. Practicum education typically takes place over four semesters through a combination of community-based placement, classroom instruction, and training with simulated clients. The school works closely with thousands of community agencies, organizations, businesses and other practicum partners to ensure students receive valuable hands-on practice experience and training that complements their classroom learning. Depending on the program selected, students generally complete a minimum of either 1,000 or 1,300 practicum hours in order to be awarded the Master of Social Work degree. Students usually spend 16-24 hours/week in practicum placement and two hours weekly/biweekly in the classroom seminar. During their time in “practicum,” students are trained to apply three evidence-based interventions: motivational interviewing, problem-solving therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Community-based placement occurs in selected agencies and centers representing a broad range of social services. Placements are approved on the basis of the quality of their professional practice, commitment to social justice and to addressing social work problems, interest in participating in professional education, and ability to make personnel and other resources available. Practicum instructors, MSWs who are employed by either the agency or the school, are responsible for teaching students in their practicum placements.
Each placement in practicum education is made on an individual basis, taking into consideration the following: geographic location, previous experiences, future goals, professional interests, special needs and stipend requirements. Students are responsible for transportation to their practicum placements and are encouraged to have access to a car.
Doctor of Social Work (DSW) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Work
The Doctor of Social Work
The Doctor of Social Work is a fully online, nine semester (36 months) program, that offers an advanced practice degree in social change and innovation for agency and community leaders and entrepreneurs. Prospective DSW students must hold a master’s degree. This may include an MSW from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited program, any master’s degree from a regionally accredited program or any professional doctoral program.
The PhD in Social Work
The PhD program prepares academics and scientists focused on the discovery of new knowledge through research. PhD candidates are interested in a career in academia, teaching or other research-intensive environments. A PhD program is centered around pursuing an original research project that culminates in a dissertation based on the original research and contribution to social work theory. The PhD program is located at the University Park Campus in Los Angeles and is full time. It requires a minimum of 45 units beyond the master’s degree and successful completion of written and oral qualifying exams and the doctoral dissertation. It typically takes four to five years to complete the doctoral program. Candidates must have a master’s degree in social work or a related program, excellent undergraduate and graduate academic records and participation in independent research. International applicants must also have a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
The Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner program is 50-credit hour curriculum. The program prepares bachelor’s-level registered nurses to treat patients across the life span in primary care settings. The program is delivered primarily in a virtual face-to-face setting and is available to nurses across the country. It also features a virtual campus that facilitates an engaging online learning experience. Students attend live classes that are kept small to encourage collaboration and connection with peers and faculty. Students apply what they learn in class during in-person clinical placements and feature two on-campus intensives (OCI) providing students with opportunities for hands-on learning and patient. Clinical placement coordinators work with students to find placements in or near their own communities. The program can be completed in 21 to 33 months, depending on whether you attend as a full-time (five semesters) or part-time (eight semesters) student. Candidates must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from an accredited college or university. Admissions requirements include a minimum 3.0 grade point average in the student’s BSN program, a U.S. registered nurse (RN) license and residency within the United States upon application, throughout the duration of the entire program and for one year of clinical experience.
Master of Addiction Science (MAS)
The Master of Addiction Science exposes students to the biological, psychological and social aspects of substance use and addictive behaviors. Students study emerging trends in addiction studies with an emphasis on evidence-based transdisciplinary approaches to addiction science and practice addressing epidemiology, etiology, prevention, treatment, policy and harm reduction, as well as sociocultural and healthcare contexts that intersect with addiction. The MAS equips students with a solid foundation and prepares them to enter a number of fields, from treatment to recovery and research to policy work, representing critical areas of support among diverse communities in need. For program requirements, see Addiction Science (MS) .
Graduate Certificate in Law, Social Justice and Diversity
The graduate certificate in Law, Social Justice and Diversity is offered in conjunction with the Gould School of Law. For more information, see Law, Social Justice and Diversity Certificate .
Graduate Certificate in Social Work Administration
The graduate certificate in Social Work Administration is offered in conjunction with the Gould School of Law. For more information, see Social Work Administration Graduate Certificate .
Social Work and Juvenile Justice Undergraduate Minor
The Social Work and Juvenile Justice undergraduate minor is designed for students who want to increase their knowledge of the juvenile justice system and service environments for diverse youth populations. This 16-unit minor completed across three semesters is fit for students in the behavioral and social sciences and any student interested in developing a broad knowledge of issues in the field of juvenile justice.
ProgramsBachelor’s DegreeMinorMaster’s DegreeDual DegreeGraduate CertificateDoctoral DegreeCoursesNursingSocial Work- SOWK 200xm Institutional Inequality in American Political and Social Policy
- SOWK 300 Introduction to Social Work
- SOWK 306 Intro to Human Behavior and the Social Environment
- SOWK 310 Technology for Global Social Justice and Sustainability
- SOWK 324 Juvenile Justice in America
- SOWK 330 Social Work for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- SOWK 336 Social Work Policy Advocacy for Equity and Justice
- SOWK 350 Adolescent Gang Intervention
- SOWK 390 Special Problems
- SOWK 417 Introduction to Substance Use Disorders and Recovery
- SOWK 423a Macro Social Work Practice
- SOWK 423b Macro Social Work Practice
- SOWK 424 Community Experience in Juvenile Justice Environments
- SOWK 425a Micro and Mezzo Social Work Practice
- SOWK 425b Micro and Mezzo Social Work Practice
- SOWK 491 Social Work Integrative Practicum
- SOWK 499 Special Topics
- SOWK 506 Human Behavior and the Social Environment
- SOWK 507 Interprofessional Education and Collaboration for Geriatrics
- SOWK 510 Professional Self-Care in Integrative Social Work Practice
- SOWK 511 Critical Decision Making in Integrative Social Work Practice
- SOWK 523 Foundations of Integrative Social Work Practice I
- SOWK 525 Foundations of Integrative Social Work Practice II
- SOWK 535 Social Welfare
- SOWK 536 Policy and Advocacy in Professional Social Work
- SOWK 544 Social Work Practice With Individuals, Families, and Groups
- SOWK 546 Science of Social Work
- SOWK 588 Integrative Learning for Social Work Practice
- SOWK 589a Applied Learning in Practicum Education
- SOWK 589b Applied Learning in Practicum Education
- SOWK 590 Directed Research
- SOWK 591 Applied Learning in Practicum Education I
- SOWK 593 Applied Learning in Practicum Education II
- SOWK 599 Special Topics
- SOWK 600 Practice with Service Members, Veterans and Families
- SOWK 601 Advanced Theories and Interventions with Children and Adolescents
- SOWK 602 Advanced Theories and Clinical Interventions with Families
- SOWK 603 The Transforming Power of Social Work and Sports
- SOWK 604 Social Work Perspectives on Contemporary Challenges in Education
- SOWK 605 Human Development and Mental Health
- SOWK 606 Trauma-Informed Interventions in Education
- SOWK 607 Feminist Theory, Social Action, and Social Work: Philippines
- SOWK 608 Research and Evaluation in Integrative Social Work Practice
- SOWK 609 Social Work in Schools: Interventions Across Developmental Stages
- SOWK 610 Social Work Practice with Children and Families Across Settings
- SOWK 611 Leadership and Management in Social Work
- SOWK 612 Assessment and Diagnosis of Mental Disorder
- SOWK 613 Social Work Practice with Children and Families in Early and Middle Childhood
- SOWK 614 Social Work Practice in School Settings
- SOWK 615 Brief Therapy and Crisis Intervention
- SOWK 616 Clinical Practice with Older Adults
- SOWK 617 Substance Related and Behavioral Addictive Disorders and Recovery
- SOWK 618 Systems of Recovery from Mental Illness in Adults
- SOWK 619 Social Work in Public Child Welfare Settings
- SOWK 620 Social Work Practice With Transitional Youth
- SOWK 621 Integrative Social Work Practice with Adolescents, Young Adults and Families
- SOWK 622 Threat Assessment and Management
- SOWK 623 Social Work in Early Care and Education Settings
- SOWK 624 Social Work in Juvenile Justice Settings
- SOWK 625 Evaluation of Research: Mental Health
- SOWK 626 Social Conflict, Empowerment and Creative Practice in Israel
- SOWK 627 Practice and Policy with Children and Families Across Settings
- SOWK 628 Visual Social Work
- SOWK 629 Research and Evaluation for Community, Organization and Business Environments
- SOWK 630 Diversity, Social Justice and Interculturally Competent Social Work Practice
- SOWK 631 Advanced Theories and Clinical Interventions in Health Care
- SOWK 633 Life in the US Military: Foundations of Practice in Military Social Work
- SOWK 634 Violence Against Women: A Transnational Perspective
- SOWK 635 Research and Evaluation for Social Work with Adults and Older Adults
- SOWK 637 Assessing Wellness to Improve Recovery in Integrated Care
- SOWK 638 Policy in Integrated Care
- SOWK 639 Policy Advocacy and Social Change
- SOWK 640 Clinical Practice with the Military Family
- SOWK 641 Clinical Practice with Service Members and Veterans
- SOWK 642 Integrative Interventions with Children, Youth and Families
- SOWK 643 Social Work Practice in Integrated Care Settings
- SOWK 644 Explanatory Theories of Health and Mental Health
- SOWK 645 Clinical Interventions: Evidence Based Practice in Health and Mental Health Settings
- SOWK 647 Advanced Practice with Complex Social Work Cases
- SOWK 648 Management and Organizational Development for Social Workers
- SOWK 649 Promoting Sustainability through Social Work
- SOWK 650 Military and Veteran Policy and Program Management
- SOWK 651 Clinical Psychopharmacology for Social Workers
- SOWK 652 Social Work Practice in Workplace Settings
- SOWK 653 Social Work with Older Adults
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