Department Resources

Professional advising is provided by the academic advisor, the faculty field liaison and the Luskin Office of Student Affairs and Alumni Relations (OSAAR).

Although academic advisors primary focus is the student’s MSW journey, they also provide professional guidance in their meetings with their advisees. This is especially the case in the student’s second year of the program when questions about job search and readiness for certain social work settings are often initiated by the student.  Academic advisors also may act as advocates in meetings where students are experiencing issues related to professional conduct in class or in field. For example, if a student is facing removal from their field site, the academic advisor, in addition to the field liaison, can provide more support and advocacy to create opportunities for learning and correction.

Field liaisons are often more connected to community organizations and to the professional community. As such, they provide mentorship to students that is specific to the professional settings of interest to students post-graduation. Field seminars, field events, and informal mentorship through office hours are the primary modes for professional advising by the field liaison. Field events include the annual job fair, mock interview sessions and licensure workshops. Additional resources are provided at the student’s request, for instance, a financial planning workshop to assist students in tax preparation, money management and lessons on how to set up a private practice and/or consulting business upon graduation.

Through OSAAR, students can receive 1-1 career counseling, a public affairs specific job board and newsletter and career development workshops.  The Senior Fellows Program is the school’s premier mentorship program, which provides selected students access to community and civic leaders for individualized professional guidance.

Student Organizations

The UCLA MSW Student Alliance is a graduate student organization that welcomes Social Welfare students of all cultures and ethnic backgrounds. The Student Alliance provides leadership for the Social Welfare department and serves as a channel of communication between students and faculty. We encourage student organizations to host events through inter- and intra-depart- ment gatherings, to network, make social and professional connections, by providing small grants that allow student organizations to plan and implement their unique events. The Student Alliance is a student-driven organization that encourages students to share their knowledge, experiences, and connections.

Co-Chairs: 
Treasurer: 
Curriculum Representative: 
Cohort Liaison: 
Caucus Liaison: 
Campus Liaisons: 
Career Center Liaison: 
Communications Chair: 
Social Chairs:

Email: mswbulletin@gmail.com

The AAPI Caucus strives to bring awareness to the social issues faced by the diverse communities represented in the Asian (American) Pacific Islander population. These issues include, and are not limited to AAPIs in mental health, immigration, education, and so forth. We hope to foster community coalition building amongst all AAPI students within the three departments of the Luskin School of Public Affairs, and additionally open our caucus to other students of different cultural and ethnic identities. We hope that unity amongst AAPI students and allies within Luskin can foster an intersectional community to engage in social transformation happening all around SoCal and across the nation. Come learn more about the AAPI community!

Contact them @: uclaapi@gmail.com

The Luskin Black Caucus is a student organization established to serve as a network of support for Black students in the Social Welfare, Public Policy, and Urban Planning masters programs in the School of Public Policy. Luskin Black Caucus will act as a service oriented resource, providing both information and a forum where all students can dialog about issues in social welfare, public policy, and urban planning  as they pertain to the Black community.

Co-Chairs: Tyrone Carter & Elliot Woods

Email: uclaluskinblackcaucus19@gmail.com

We are a culturally diverse group of UCLA undergraduates, graduates, staff, faculty, and alumni who have come together to fight the stigma of behavioral, drug, and alcohol addiction and to create a safe, sober environment in which UCLA students can flourish.

bruins4recovery.org

Our members include students who:

  • Are in long-term recovery from alcohol, drugs, or behavioral addictions
  • Choose not to drink or use drugs, for any reason (e.g., personal preference, religious reasons, etc.)
  • Drink but want to support a healthy campus environment
  • Have friends or family members who struggle with or are in long-term recovery from alcohol or drug addictions
  • Use alcohol or drugs but might want to stop
  • Use harm reduction with an outside medical provider or therapist
  • Just want to make a difference on campus and show their support

email: bruins4recovery@gmail.com

The UCLA MSW Christian Caucus holds a commitment to represent Christ through education, community, and service. Our aim is to glorify God through our words and actions as a caucus. We plan to meet through- out the year for bible study, prayer meetings and social gatherings, as well as present events focused on religion in social work. We hope to collaborate with other caucuses, students and faculty. People of all religious backgrounds and spiritual walks are welcome.

Find us on Facebook: UCLA MSW Christian Caucus

Email: mswcc.ucla@gmail.com

This group was born out of student efforts to enhance their intergroup dialogue facilitation skills. Inter- group dialogue facilitation skills are tools that can be utilized to increase the communication, efficacy, and feelings of safety during discussions around privilege, race, religion, ability, gender, sexuality, and other points of orientation. These challenging discussions prove to be of continuous importance and priority in our world, and with students who participate in IGR efforts (intergroup relations) and/or with students who are just interested in participating in a dialogue, trainings will hopefully be offered and com- munity will most likely be built. To be the best social workers, it is ethical to engage in these discussions and to learn how to do so respectful- ly and openly.

The goal of the Disability Caucus is to increase awareness of issues and concerns that affect the disabled population. Our mission is to support and encourage stu- dents with a disability to obtain their education- al goals, as well as to promote and implement activities/projects that help bring awareness to this population.

The Diversity Caucus seeks to work with the Department of Social Welfare in finding solutions to overcome barriers that make it challenging to enroll diverse groups of incom- ing students into the Social Welfare program, and to promote the incorporation of diversity throughout the MSW curriculum and program. In addition to fostering an inclusive and collab- orative community among students from all backgrounds, the Diversity Caucus organizes an annual Diversity Fair in efforts to recruit individuals from numerous diverse backgrounds into UCLA’s MSW program.

Facebook: UCLA Diversity Caucus

Email: diversitycaucus@gmail.com

The Feminist Caucus is a non-hierarchical student run organization that seeks to empower students to cultivate and nourish their feminisms. As an organization we intend: To promote an inclusive academic community that is supportive of feminist thinking, scholarship, and practice. To advocate for social justice for marginalized populations; acknowledging the complexities of gender, social identity, privilege, oppression, and power on womens’ and girls’ experiences. To contribute to building a politically, socially, environmentally, economically just world through feminist scholarship, and activism.

Contact: UCLAfeministcaucus@gmail.com

Gerontology Caucus: Older adults are a severely underserved population with unique strengths and needs. The Gerontology Caucus will open a dialogue between students and professionals currently working in the field to  increase interest in and raise awareness about the issues and  opportunities in this growing and changing field.

The purpose of the International Social Welfare Caucus is to: Create understanding on the role of social welfare in the international community. Raise awareness of areas of social concern and interest impacting the world. Explore overseas social work services and development activities. Promote international experiences for social welfare students. Provide information to social welfare students on volunteer opportunities for international social work locally and abroad.

For more information, please email: ucla.iswc@gmail.com

The mission of the UCLA Department of Social Welfare Latina/o Caucus is to support and supplement the edu- cation of social workers interested in working with Latino populations. We fulfill our mission through social, educational and political activities. Some of the activities we engage in include: The Social Services in the Latina/o Community Conference. Informational sessions on topics relevant to the Latino population and social services field. Workshops facilitated by social work profession- als and leaders in the community. Fundraisers. Social gatherings and many more activities. Also, the caucus provides a safe and welcoming environment where students can receive support and resources in their journey to becoming great social workers.

Email: LatinosdeUCLA@gmail.com

The mission of the MSW Macro Caucus is to provide 3 pillars of support to MSW and dual degree students seeking to pursue macro level education. These pillars include:

1) Peer Support: Allow students to find similar minded individuals that can provide deeper insights and encouragements within the program, increase and encourage peer to peer networking, and exchange of knowledge and best practices

2) Career Connections: Provide guest speakers and career panels to explore post-graduate career options, aid students in identifying useful and applicable macro related skills to take to the job market, and explore difference in licensures/ other relevant job certifications

3) Academic Enhancement: Raise visibility of macro studies within the department, explore how macro studies fit within different disciplines and create specific recommended courses based on various discipline focuses, advise the depart- ment on best practices relating to macro studies and curriculum options, and provide workshops or other lunchtime or after hours learning opportunities.

Email: LuskinMacro@gmail.com

PRIDE at UCLA Luskin serves to encourage education, social justice, and activism around issues affecting the LGBTQI community. The student organization also exists to provide a welcoming and inclusive community for LGBTQI students and allies in the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.

Find us on facebook: UCLA LuskinPRIDE

Contact email: PrideLuskin@gmail.com

The School Social Work Caucus aims to support students who are interested in pursuing a social work career in a school-based setting. The caucus will guide students through the process of obtaining their PPS credential, review the required coursework, and provide a platform for members to share ideas with one another in a fun and supportive environment.

This caucus helps promote self care among MSW students through various events and activities. Our goal is to remind students to take time for themselves to enjoy and relax. We aim to promote wellness through tips and workshops and by connecting students to others who share interests and self care activities. We also encourage using the skills and habits we learn to care for ourselves in working with our clients. We are here to motivate and remind each other that we need to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others.

Co-Chairs: Naaz Mirreghabie, Taylor Lambert

The Social Justice/Community Action Caucus connects graduate students at the Luskin School of Public Affairs to social justice issues at UCLA and in the greater Southern California communi- ty. The Social Justice/Community Action Caucus will create a space for collaborative dialogue and learning about social justice through educational opportunities, volunteer experiences and com- munity actions.

Email: sjca.ucla@gmail.com

The Spirituality Caucus provides an opportunity for MSW students to discuss and share the role of spirituality in our lives and how it influences our approaches to social work. The caucus will also serve to inform students about the place of spirituality in clients’ lives by inviting speakers from various spiritual traditions to talk about their traditions and the implications for social work practice with clients within those traditions.

The Underground Scholars Initiative creates a pathway for formerly incarcerated, system-impacted individuals into higher education. We are building a prison-to-school pipeline through recruitment, retention, and advocacy. Through our student-led initiatives, our continued success challenges the stigmas associated with our population.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USI.UCLA/

Email: undergroundscholarsucla@gmail.com; vazquezrodrigo22@gmail.com