MSW Comprehensive Case Review

California State University, School of Social Work

Master’s in Social Work Comprehensive Case Review

Spring 2024

Comprehensive Case Review Due Date: February 19, 2024

Workshop I: September 21, 2023 (visit our workshop page for details)

Workshop II: January 11th, 2024 (visit our workshop page for details)

The Master’s of Social Work program requires students to satisfactorily complete a culminating activity: a thesis, a community-based project, or a comprehensive case review as a condition of graduation. The culminating activity serves as an integrative experience in graduate education.

The following information can also be found in the MSW Student Handbook (Google Doc) (Google Doc) (Google Doc) on pages 38-41.

This comprehensive case review is structured as an integrative paper (written) or poster presentation (oral) incorporating the student’s best work. The comprehensive case review must be completed during the student’s last academic term. It should reflect advanced practice knowledge, skills and values applied to a micro, mezzo, or macro level case in the concentration-year practicum.  Students should choose a case with which they have worked/shadowed extensively. Students should look at the case retrospectively, discussing not only what was actually done on the case, but what could have been done given what the student knows about the population, problem and intervention from course material, practice experience and the relevant literature.  

Students who choose the Comprehensive Case Review option are required to also complete two social work electives. The Comprehensive Case Review allows students the opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge from MSW courses and the practicum. The Comprehensive Case Review reflects advanced generalist practice understanding, values, and skills gained during the MSW Program. The Comprehensive Case Review Committee Chair meets with the Concentration Year students in the fall semester to provide detailed information and guidelines for the Comprehensive Case Review. Please note that the exact content and format for the Comprehensive Case Review may vary each year.

All students planning to complete a comprehensive case review are invited to attend the comprehensive case review workshops. These workshops are designed to help you formulate your case key elements and discuss the integrated learning process.