Graduate Project
Graduate Project Resources
Important Forms
The urban setting of CSUN's graduate-level Social Work program supports its focus on urban community practice. Based in the heart of Los Angeles County’s San Fernando Valley, our program gives students the opportunity to work with vulnerable and at-risk populations and cultivates an appreciation of the planned-change process.
Unlike many Social Work programs, CSUN’s Master of Social Work expands students' career possibilities by offering a generalist approach. The curriculum also enables students to gain the skills and perspective to work at any level: individual/family (micro); group/community (mezzo); and societal/policy (macro).
Capstone Q & A’s for MSW Interns
Not typically. Your field placement agency should not be used for the recruitment of research participants, unless a special arrangement has been made with your internship supervisor. During your interviews to find a field placement, you may mention your interest in recruiting research subjects for your Capstone study. However, it is not the agency’s responsibility to facilitate the completion of your Capstone research project. There is an inherent conflict of interest in the dual role of student clinician, and student researcher. As a result, only your field internship supervisor can determine if it is appropriate for you to collect data at your placement site for the purposes of research.
NO. You MUST speak directly with your internship supervisor to make arrangements to recruit research subjects from your placement site. Only your internship supervisor may consult with HR, or any other person at your placement setting regarding the appropriateness of recruiting research subjects.
Ask early! If you anticipate that you will no longer be completing field placement hours, ask your field internship supervisor if you may return at a later date to collect information for your Capstone project. Internship supervisors have no obligation to help you complete this component of your MSW degree. Be respectful of their position, and consider the many other ways data may be collected.
Capstone Q & A’s for Practicum Supervisors
You are in no way obligated to allow a CSUN MSW intern to collect data from agency service users or professionals. While some field placement sites have historically allowed CSUN MSW interns to collect data for the purpose of their Capstone study, every agency has its own set of priorities, and may not be able to make accommodations for the collection of research data.
Typically, yes. Each MSW student will have a Capstone instructor, who will evaluate the merit of each project to determine if it meets the learning objectives of the Capstone course. Your MSW intern will inform you of the appropriateness of the agency research project. If deemed appropriate, a letter from you or a person in authority at your agency will be required in order for the student to meet the requirements of the CSUN Institutional Review Board (IRB). The student will inform you of the content required to be included in this agency approval letter. The agency approval letter must be on letterhead and must be signed. Every Capstone project involving “human subjects” must be approved by the CSUN IRB. If your agency has its own internal IRB, it is unlikely that the CSUN MSW intern will be in a position to conduct your suggested study. CSUNMSW interns have only 4 months to design their study, recruit participants, analyze their data, and present their findings. As such, it is not feasible to meet the requirements of two IRB procedures.
The CSUN intern will require that each study participant sign a CSUN approved informed consent document. MSW students are required to ensure that the confidentiality of each subject is maintained. 4In addition ,they have been advised to avoid recruiting vulnerable populations such as children, incarcerated persons, or persons who may not have the capacity to provide informed consent. The CSUN MSW student will require a confidential physical space to interview research participants, if this is part of the research protocol. It is critical that the CSUN MSW student meet with you to determine the most appropriate procedures to collect data ensuring that the procedures meet the unique needs of your agency.
CSUN MSW interns are not obligated to provide the field agency with a copy of the final report. Field supervisors are encouraged to broach this subject directly with the CSUN intern prior to providing approval for the collection of data.