About

History

Founded in 1963, the SDSU School of Social Work was the first school of social work in what is now the 23 campus California State University System. The School of Social Work emerged in response to a need for more professionally educated social workers for the public welfare sector of the state of California.

The School, with over 600 students, is one of the largest professional schools on campus. The School of Social Work has graduated over 7,000 social workers who carry professional leadership responsibilities in the social service arena not only in California but also around the world. While most graduates have earned a license in social work (Licensed Clinical Social Worker – LCSW), many are executive administrators in social service organizations.  The Department of Gerontology joined the School of Social Work in 2011.

Mission 

“The mission of San Diego State University’s School of Social Work is to provide superior education to undergraduate and graduate students; produce competent and effective practitioners, leaders and scholars grounded in evidence-based practice; deliver quality training and organizational support to the health and human services community; and disseminate quality research with practical applications that impact diverse communities, particularly with the vulnerable populations in the Southern California border region.”

Vision

“The vision of San Diego State University’s School of Social Work is to become one of the premier schools of social work with an interdisciplinary focus that is recognized at the regional, state, national and international levels for its excellence in education, research and service.”