Meyer and Renee Luskin School of Public Affairs

3357 Public Affairs Building
Box 951656
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1656

Social Welfare
310-825-2892

Laura S. Abrams, PhD, Chair; Director, MSW Program

Todd M. Franke, PhD, Chair, Doctoral Program

Gerardo P. Laviña, LCSW, MSW, Director, Field Education

The primary objectives of the Department of Social Welfare graduate program are to prepare leaders for the profession of social work and to develop the empirical base for all facets of practice. In response to changing demographic trends and the emergence of new social problems, the department provides leadership in the areas of policy, practice, and research and in the development of an innovative curriculum for training students and professionals to meet the service needs of a multicultural clientele.

The educational program is based on the premise that all students need to acquire a common body of knowledge and basic skills, and a common understanding of the philosophy and values of the profession. These then form a sound foundation for the development of more specialized knowledge and skills along the lines of each student’s interests and the needs of the field.

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the resources within UCLA by selecting elective courses in related disciplines. In addition, as a department within the Luskin School of Public Affairs, the program affords students instructional opportunities in the other affiliated departments—Public Policy and Urban Planning.

Beyond national opportunities in the profession of social work, there is increasing demand for qualified and experienced social workers to serve in the international field, where many social service programs are conducted under the auspices of the United Nations, the U.S. government, and national sectarian organizations. Graduates of the doctoral program generally secure appointments at major universities or research centers.

The challenge to the department, the profession, and those who join us as students is to prepare to forge the paths, build the bridges, and shape the future to ensure that all individuals, families, and communities enjoy better education, better health care, better job training, and better economic futures.