“Do you feel a calling to be a beacon of hope in others’ darkest hours, to speak for those without a voice, and to drive positive change in our communities? Are you ready to embrace the privilege of aiding others through life’s toughest challenges, empowering them to create brighter futures? Our faculty and staff are committed to providing the education, training, connections, and support you need to fulfill your purpose and make a difference. Our diverse community shares a deep commitment to our Christian values and excellence in our professions. It is through that lens we strive to imbue within our students a deeper cultural understanding and global perspective.”
Wayne Fletcher, EdD Dean, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Program Distinctives
Online Classes for the Working Professional
CBU’s DSW program is designed with the working professional in mind, thereby employing a virtual learning model, aiding students who are balancing a busy career, family and personal life while pursuing an advanced professional degree. 01
Learn in a Cohort
Candidates will be placed in cohorts of 12-17 students in order to keep the learning community small enough for students and faculty to maximize engagement and enhance the doctoral learning experience. Smaller cohorts will enable faculty to ensure all students are developing the necessary skills to become experts in the field.
Study Social Work from a Biblical Perspective
The church played an important role in the birth of the social work profession and is still important and relevant today in addressing the myriad of social issues facing local and global communities. The DSW program will provide purposeful and directed instruction, training and skills for candidates to build the capacity of organizations to advance community change in their respective locales.
Program Details at a Glance
Program Length
48 units
2 years
Program Cost*
$51,424
$988 per unit
$4,000 residency fees
Program Start Term
Fall (September)
Class Format
Online synchronous classes Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday evenings
4-day, in-person residencies each December and June (virtual orientation in August)
*Based on current academic year. Subject to change.
Accreditation
WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Be the difference one culture, one community, and one person at a time.
About the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (CBSS) is widely recognized and highly respected by public, private and faith-based agencies throughout the Inland Empire community.
As one of the oldest and largest colleges at California Baptist University, the CBSS is well known for its variety of program offerings, research and scholarship, practicum and training sites and service to the community.
The vision of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences is to develop quality graduates that are equipped to face the challenges of the world and serve at the highest caliber in their fields. Our distinct philosophy includes a significant student-professor interaction, an intentional integration of a mature, biblical worldview, a holistic, interdisciplinary approach and an emphasis on sound academic instruction to prepare students to compete with others in academia and in the job market.
As a faculty, we strive to exemplify the cooperative, relational aspect of our field as behavioral scientists in order to best model successful integration and cross-disciplinary partnership. Our vision is to graduate students of strong, mature faith who are academically and professionally prepared for real-world application of their skills. One of the greatest advantages of training
at the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences is undoubtedly the holistic method with which we approach learning and application.
While theoretical frameworks are explored alongside historical perspectives of each discipline, it is the direct application of knowledge that sets us apart from other programs. The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences offers students many opportunities to put their skills into practice in a setting that provides individual attention and faculty guidance.
Faculty Spotlight
Krystal Hays, PhD Director, Doctor of Social Work
I fell in love with the field of social work during my senior year of my undergraduate program. I took an introduction to social work class and was intrigued by the possibility of engaging in a career that felt so consistent with my values and desire to serve others.
Social work is focused on advocating for others, helping those with few resources, and pursing justice for those who have been marginalized. These are all things that I am dedicated to and it is a privilege to make a career out of my purpose and calling.
Throughout my journey in social work, I grew to love the mental health field and I have worked as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing therapy in community settings. It has been so fulfilling to help
clients realize their potential and encourage them to take care of their health and wellbeing. I have also worked at the mezzo level as a community organizer and the macro level as a researcher and scholar. My research centers around promoting mental health, particularly for African Americans in church settings. Now as an instructor I am grateful for the opportunity to help students discover all social work has to offer in hopes that they will fall in love like I did. It is a blessing to see doctoral students develop their skills, competence and confidence to lead our profession by developing innovations that will solve problems.
Admissions Requirements
$45 non-refundable application fee.
Completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Completion of a master’s degree in social work (MSW) from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or related master’s degree (e.g. Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Health, Master of Public Policy, Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, Master of Marriage and Family Therapy, Master of Forensic Psychology, Master of Industrial and Organizational Psychology).
Professional essay, 3–4 pages in length, answering the following specific questions:
• Describe your decision to pursue a doctoral degree in social work, including the reasons for this pursuit, important life decisions that have led you to the field and why you believe you would be a good fit for the CBU DSW program.
• Identify some of the challenges you anticipate facing in the DSW program, including how you expect to overcome these challenges. The expectation is that students will spend about 28 hours a week engaged in doctoral content/work. How will you adjust your current work, family and other personal/ professional obligations to accommodate doctoral coursework?
• Identify your interest in addressing a social problem that requires additional scholarship, clinical expertise and/or leadership to meet the needs of one or more marginalized populations. You should also include the reason for your interest in this topic as a potential project and how doctoral education is necessary for you to address this problem.
• A DSW degree is designed for experienced practitioners. Describe your past and current professional experiences in the field and how that experience aligns with your scholarly interests.
• Describe your views on faith and how you can integrate Christian ethics and values as a doctoral level social work leader.
• Discuss how you will integrate your doctoral education into your future and professional goals.
Successful interview with the Doctor of Social Work program director.
Prerequisites*
• Research Methods
• Human Behavior Theory
• Social Work Practice, Clinical Practice, Counseling or equivalent practice course
• Diversity, Cultural Competence, Marginalization or equivalent
Social Justice course
*Must be completed with a “C” or better.
Transfer Requirements
Students may transfer up to six (6) units of doctoral coursework from another institution toward the CBU doctor of social work degree. Coursework must have been completed with a grade of “B” or better in the last five years, given that much scientific literature evolves and changes yearly. Transferable doctoral coursework may only count toward the following designated content areas:
• Direct practice, clinical practice, or psychotherapy (equivalent to one course)
• Leadership and management (equivalent to one course)
• Research methods, statistics, and data analysis (equivalent to one course)
How to Apply
01
Submit a Graduate Application at calbaptist.edu/gradapp
Application
Deadline
02
Send official college or university transcripts.
Fall
Priority Standard March 15 June 6
03
Provide any supplemental documents required.
Ready to take the next step? Follow this QR code to start your application!
