Career Opportunities

Graduates of the MSW program are prepared to work with individuals, families, groups and organizations in both public and non-profit practice. The State of California is experiencing an acute shortageof individuals prepared for leadership roles in social work practice. The State also has a critical shortage of social workers trained at the master's level and this is expected to increase well into the 21st century. In child welfare alone, it is estimated that the ten largest county child welfare agencies have an immediate need for 3,400 social workers. The need is greatest in mental health, in agencies dealing with the aged, and in the juvenile justice system. Both the Alameda County and the Contra Costa County social service agencies all report a shortage of MSW-level social workers.

Suggested Reading:

• Days in the Lives of Social Workers: 54 Professionals Tell "Real-Life" Stories from Scoial Work Practice (2005) (3rd ed.). Edited by Linda May Grobman. The New Social Worker. ISBN: 1-929109-15-6
• More Days in the Lives of Social Workers: 35 "Real-Life": Stories of Advocacy, Outreach, and Other Intriguing Roles in Social Work Practice (2005). Edited by Linda May Grobman. The New Social Worker. ISBN: 1-929109-16-4
• From the Eye of the Storm: The Experiences of a Child Welfare Worker (2002). Authored by Cynthia Crosson-Tower. Allyn & Bacon. ISBN: 0205323154