social work phd ucla

University of California at Los Angeles

Ucla luskin school of public affairs.

The mission of the UCLA Social Welfare Doctoral Program is to train research oriented scholars to advance the field of social welfare and social work practice through research and knowledge development. The purpose of the program is to provide the students with the necessary expertise, both substantive and methodological, that will enable them to assume leadership roles in academic, social welfare policy and social work practice settings.

Our approach to coursework is interdisciplinary and applied. During their time at UCLA, students take advantage of the rich learning resources in the Social Welfare Department and other departments within the Luskin School. A distinct advantage of our program is its connection to the larger UCLA campus – each year students can take courses in allied disciplines, including medicine, nursing, public health, education, psychology and sociology. The purpose of this interdisciplinary approach is to enable our students to develop substantive and methodological knowledge consonant with cutting-edge scholarship in their area of specialization. Funding packages include full tuition plus stipends in the first two years, as well as university fellowships and paid teaching and research assistantships in years three through five.

• Where: Los Angeles, California
• Type: Public
• Degree Offered: PhD in Social Work
• Program Type: In-Person Program Only
• Students: Full-time Enrollment Only
• Average Enrolled Students Yearly: 3-5 Students
• GRE Requirement: No
• TOEFL Requirement: Yes, with a cut-off score
• MSW Requirement: Yes, MSW or other master's degree required
• Two Years Post-MSW Experience Required: No
• Joint MSW/PhD Program: Yes

Substantive Research Areas of Faculty

• Addiction/Substance Use
• Adolescent and Youth Development
• Aging/Gerontology
• Child Welfare
• Children & Families
• Community Practice/Macro Practice
• Corrections/Criminal Justice/Restorative Justice
• Housing/Homelessness
• Immigrants, Refugees & Displaced Persons
• International Social Work & Global Development
• LGBT Issues & Services
• Mental Health
• Poverty/Disadvantaged Populations
• Race and Ethnicity
• School Social Work
• Social/Economic Justice
• Social Welfare Policy

For more information visit University of California at Los Angeles .

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General Catalog

Social welfare phd.

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UCLA Graduate Programs

Program Requirements for Social Welfare

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2011-2012 academic year.

Social Welfare

UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Social Welfare offers the Master of Social Welfare (M.S.W.) degree and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree.

Program Name

3250 Public Affairs Building Box 951656 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1656 

(310) 825-7737 

[email protected]  

Leading to the degree of

M.S.W., Ph.D. 

Admission Limited to

Deadline to apply

M.S.W.: January 15th Ph.D.: January 10th

Applicants who wish to be considered for graduate fellowships must submit completed applications by December 15th.  

GRE (General and/or Subject)

GRE: General 

Letters of Recommendation 

Other Requirements

In addition to the University’s minimum requirements and those listed above, all applicants are expected to submit the departmental application, official transcripts from every school attended since high school, and a statement of purpose.

M.S.W.: An autobiographical statement and a professional concepts and goals statement must accompany the application. Although a personal interview is not normally required as part of the application procedure, whenever possible a meeting with a member of the faculty is arranged for the applicant.

The department applies the following criteria in the selection of candidates: personal suitability for professional education and a potential for successful social work practice, a satisfactory state of health, and an adequate financial and personal plan to permit completion of degree requirements.

Applicants are required to have taken a minimum of seven courses in the liberal arts, including three in the sociobehavioral sciences, or a combination of liberal arts and social welfare subjects as prerequisite undergraduate preparation for graduate study in the field of social work. An elementary statistics course with a grade of B or better and one course with human biology content are also required.

Social Welfare, M.S.W./Law, J.D.

The Department of Social Welfare and the School of Law offer a concurrent degree program whereby students may pursue the Master of Social Work and the Juris Doctor degrees at the same time. For admission, applicants are required to satisfy the regular admission requirements of both schools. Students complete their first year of law study in the first of a four year program. Students complete their first year of social welfare study in the second year of this four year program. In the third and fourth years, students meet the other requirements for both programs. Applicants interested in the program should contact the Department of Social Welfare or the School of Law.

Social Welfare, M.S.W./Asian American Studies, M.A.

The Department of Social Welfare and the Asian American Studies Program offer a concurrent program whereby students may pursue the Master of Social Welfare and the M.A. in Asian American Studies at the same time. Applicants are required to satisfy the regular admission requirements of both programs. Students complete the Asian American Studies courses in the first year and the Social Welfare courses in the second and third years. Asian American Studies requires a thesis to be completed by the third year. Students must complete the program requirements for both degrees. Applicants may submit the same statement of purpose to each program but all other parts of the application process are separate to each graduate program. Applicants interested in the concurrent degree program should contact the Asian American Studies Program or the Department of Social Welfare.

Social Welfare, M.S.W./Public Health, M.P.H.

The Department of Social Welfare and the Department of Community Health Sciences (Public Health) offer a concurrent program whereby students pursue the Master of Social Welfare and the Master of Public Health at the same time. Applicants are required to satisfy the regular admission requirements of each program. Studentsin the three-year concurrent program complete their first year curriculum in either Social Welfare or Public Health. During the second year, students complete the first-year core courses in the other department along with certain electives. In the third year, students complete the advanced practice methods and field internship course sequences in Social Welfare, complete requirements and electives in Public Health, and meet remaining requirements for both programs. Students must meet requirements for graduation in both programs to be awarded either degree. Applicants interested in the program should contact the department of Social Welfare or the department of Community Health Sciences .

Social Welfare, M.S.W./Public Policy, M.P.P.

The Department of Social Welfare and the Department of Policy Studies offer a concurrent program whereby students pursue the Master of Social Welfare and the Master of Public Policy at the same time. Applicants are required to satisfy the regular admission requirements of both programs. Students in the three-year concurent program complete their first year curriculum in Social Welfare. During the second year, students complete the first-year core courses in Public Policy as well as their social work practice methods course sequence. In the third year, students meet the remaining requirements for both programs and must meet requirements for graduation in both programs to receive either degree. Applicants interested in the program should contact the Department of Policy Studies or the Department of Social Welfare.

Ph.D.: Applicants are expected to hold a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) degree from an accredited school of social work with a superior academic record. Students who possess a master’s degree in social science and professional experience in a related field may also be admitted under one of the following plans:

(1) Applicants who wish to obtain an M.S.W. are required to complete the first-year M.S.W. program. Students can be exempted from some second-year M.S.W. Requirements via examinations on the basis of preparation received in doctoral courses. This plan is also available to applicants with a BA degree who possess an outstanding academic record.

(2) Applicants who do not wish to obtain an M.S.W. may be required to take certain M.S.W. courses as prerequisites to doctoral courses.

A typewritten statement of professional and educational objectives is required. To exemplify communication skills, applicants may submit any of the following: published articles, a master’s thesis, unpublished papers, or term papers written in graduate courses.

Admission criteria include quality of performance in previous undergraduate and graduate study, capacity for doctoral-level scholarship, ability to express oneself clearly in writing, success in professional employment and other pertinent experiences, results of the GRE, and other qualifications indicating eligibility for advanced study and research. 

Master’s Degree

On entering the program, students are assigned an academic adviser whose responsibility is to counsel them concerning their program of study and progress toward the fulfillment of the degree requirements. Students may request a change in advisers at any time during the course of study by submitting a request directly to the chair, or to the chair through the current adviser.

Each quarter, a written summary of the student’s grades in Social Welfare is provided by the Graduate Adviser. Since no official grade is entered for the practicum course until Spring Quarter each year, an unofficial in-progress grade of satisfactory or unsatisfactory is maintained within the department to effect action to help achieve graduate standards. The overall assessment of progress is monitored by the Graduate Adviser.

Students are expected to meet with advisers twice each quarter and more frequently if they are experiencing difficulties in their coursework or if situations in their personal life are affecting their studies. Faculty working with the student may enter in the student’s departmental academic file written evaluations or other information relevant to the student’s academic progress, including specific recommendations for advising or remedial action. For students whose grade-point average falls below the 3.00 required by the University to be in good academic standing, a faculty committee consisting of the student’s adviser and at least two other faculty members is convened to recommend appropriate action to the dean.

Areas of Study

Social work practice in organizations, communities, and policy settings (SWOCPS), and social work practice with individuals, families, and groups (SWIFG) are offered as social work methods concentrations. Specializations (subconcentrations) are available in gerontology, children and youth services, health services, mental health services, and nonprofit sector services.

Foreign Language Requirement

Course Requirements

A total of 76 units of coursework in the department is required, including two courses in the sequence of social welfare policy and services, three courses in the human behavior and social environment sequence, eight courses in methods of social work practice, two courses in social welfare research, and six quarters of field practicum. Appropriate substitutions or waivers may be requested. With the consent of the chair, students may take courses in other professional graduate schools or academic programs of the University in fulfillment of course requirements for the degree.

With the consent of the instructor and chair, tutorial studies of comparable material in the 500 series may be substituted for either required or elective courses. A maximum of nine units of 500-series courses may be applied toward the entire graduate course requirement for the degree.

While no University-approved specific thesis is required for the M.S.W. degree, the curriculum requires theoretical courses in research methodology. Students have the option of substituting the second-year required substantive social welfare research course with the satisfactory completion of an individual research project, or participation in a group research project concerned with a social welfare problem. This research option requires approval of the departmental chair and faculty research adviser.

The equivalent of 10 quarter units of law coursework may be applied to the M.S.W degree. The equivalent of 12 semester units of Social Welfare coursework may be applied to the J.D. degree.

Students complete a total of 66 quarter units in Social Welfare and 75 semester units in Law to achieve both M.S.W and J.D. degrees. Students must qualify for graduation in both Law and Social Welfare to get either degree.

A maximum of eight units of coursework in Social Welfare may be applied toward both the M.A. degree in Asian American Studies and the M.S.W. degree.

Students who pursue the concurrent degree program with the Department of Community Health Sciences must complete a total of 67 quarter units of Social Welfare coursework and 52 units of Public Health coursework. The remaining nine units of the regular 76-unit requirement for the M.S.W. degree are fulfilled through research and policy courses taken for the M.P.H. degree and are applied toward the M.S.W. program through a pro forma petition to the Graduate Division upon application for advancement to candidacy. A maximum of eight units of Social Welfare coursework may be applied to the M.P.H. degree.

Students who pursue the concurrent degree program with the Department of Public Policy complete two courses in the sequence of social welfare policy and services, two courses in the human behavior and social environment sequence, nine course in methods of social work practice, and six quarters of field practicum for a total of 67 units. The remaining nine units of course requirements are fulfilled through policy studies courses taken for the M.P.P. program and are applied toward the M.S.W. degree through a pro forma petition to the Graduate Division upon application for advancement to candidacy.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Practicum Requirements: There is a concurrent field placement in each of the two years. Time spent in placement may vary according to guidelines established by the program. The overall time requirement is approximately 1,300 hours.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

All M.S.W. candidates must pass a comprehensive examination in Spring Quarter of the second year of study. The examination covers the entire range of the student’s program of study.

Thesis Plan

Time-to-Degree

Students are expected to be in full-time attendance and to work without interruption toward the degree. The requirements for the M.S.W. degree should be met ordinarily within two consecutive academic years (six quarters). Course scheduling is predicated on this understanding. In special cases, students may be admitted for study on a part-time basis which permits completion of the academic courses and field instruction over a period of three academic years.

Doctoral Degree

On entering the program, students are assigned an individual adviser. To the extent possible, the student’s interest and background are considered in the assignment of the adviser. The assignment is made by the chair, in consultation with the doctoral program committee. Students are sent written notification of their assignment of adviser prior to entering the program. Students ordinarily continue with the initial adviser until successful completion of the written qualifying examinations and until they choose a dissertation chair, usually in the second year. Students may request a change in advisers at any time during the course of study by submitting a request directly to the chair, or to the chair through the current adviser. Once the doctoral committee has been appointed by the Graduate Division, consent and approval of the committee, department, and Graduate Division are necessary for any change in committee structure, including a change in chair.

The student and the adviser establish a schedule of meetings that includes a conference at the beginning of each quarter regarding the student’s program of courses. The adviser’s written approval is prerequisite to enrollment in all courses. The student and the adviser are expected to meet regularly to review the student’s progress.

Each quarter, a written summary of the student’s grades in Social Welfare is provided by the Graduate Adviser. In addition, the adviser or instructors may present a written report to the student, if necessary. Overall progress of doctoral students is reviewed regularly by the doctoral program committee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The program trains research-oriented scholars to advance the field of social welfare through research and knowledge development, and to assume leadership roles in academic, policy, and practice settings. The curriculum is organized into three major areas: (1) specialization in a substantive area of social welfare, (2) integration of social and behavioral science knowledge into social welfare, and (3) research methods. Programs of study are planned in relation to the special and individual needs and interests of students.

There is a minimum core of required courses which includes: a three-quarter sequence of seminars on on the craft of social welfare scholarship; a three-quarter sequence of seminars on the foundations of scientific inquiry; and two graduate-level courses in statistics. In addition, students are required to take (1) at least three graduate-level courses in the social and behavioral sciences outside the department related to their specialization in social welfare; (2) a combination of at least four additional courses in advanced research methods and statistics; and (3) three quarters of research internship and a two-quarter dissertation seminar.

Every effort is made to individualize the curriculum around a student’s area of interest and plans for the dissertation. In order to achieve this goal, a variety of patterns is utilized, including tutorials, small seminar groups, special courses in the M.S.W. program, and courses in other departments and schools of the University.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass University written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations the University oral qualifying examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to University requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

The written qualifying examinations consist of two sections:

(1) An examination in social welfare policy and practice, reviewing current theory and research. The examination is given at the end of the third quarter of the first year.

(2) A major publishable scholarly paper on a social welfare topic, demonstrating the student’s mastery of social science theory and methods of scientific inquiry. The paper will be evaluated by a three-member committee appointed by the chair of the doctoral committee.

The qualifying examinations are graded on a pass/fail basis, and passing them is prerequisite for pursuing the dissertation. Students who fail both sections of the examinations are reviewed by the departmental Doctoral Committee, which makes a decision about whether the student is allowed to continue in the program and retake the examination. Students who fail one section of the examinations will be allowed to retake that section. Students permitted to retake the examinations must develop a written remedial work plan with their adviser and have it approved by the chair of the doctoral program. The examinations must be taken no later than the end of Fall Quarter of the following academic year.

Advancement to doctoral candidacy follows successful completion of both the written qualifying examination and subsequently the University Oral Qualifying Examination, which covers the dissertation proposal and related areas. It is administered by a doctoral committee which consists of three members from the department and at least one faculty member from another department of the University.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Not required for all students in the program. The decision as to whether a defense is required is made by the doctoral committee.

Normative time-to-degree is between four and five years (12 to 15 quarters). Time for completion of the degree cannot exceed seven years (21 quarters). Students are expected to complete all course requirements, defend their dissertation proposal and be advanced to candidacy within three years (nine quarters). Time for completion of the dissertation varies from two to six quarters after advancement to candidacy. A student who has not completed the degree requirements within the maximum seven-year (21-quarter) limit is not allowed to continue in the program without the permission of the departmental Doctoral Committee.

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA .

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination for failure to demonstrate in course work, field instruction and professional relations, those standards essential to the responsible practice of social work, even if the student’s academic work is satisfactory. Such action is taken by the chair, only on the recommendation of a committee composed of at least three members of the faculty. A student is permitted to appear before this committee. A student may appeal a recommendation for termination to the chair.

Master of Public Health in Community Health Sciences/Master of Social Welfare

The Department of Social Welfare at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and the Department of Community Health Sciences at UCLA Fielding offer a concurrent program whereby students pursue the Master of Social Welfare and the Master of Public Health at the same time. Applicants are required to satisfy the regular admission requirements of each program. Students in the three-year concurrent program complete their first year curriculum in either Social Welfare or Public Health. During the second year, students complete the first-year core courses in the other department along with certain electives. In the third year, students complete the advanced practice methods and field internship course sequences in Social Welfare, complete requirements and electives in Public Health, and meet remaining requirements for both programs. Students must meet requirements for graduation in both programs to be awarded either degree. Applicants interested in the program should contact the department of Social Welfare at UCLA Luskin and the Office of Student Services at UCLA Fielding.

An MPH in Community Health Sciences prepares students to engage in the planning, administration, and evaluation of public health programs and policies in the U.S. and abroad that aim to maintain and improve the health of individuals, families, communities, and broader populations. The curriculum integrates basic and applied approaches to addressing public health problems in the community through the key tools of assessment, planning, and evaluation. Coursework covers areas such as health equity/health disparities, health education and promotion, reproductive and population health, global health, health across the life span, program development and evaluation, and research methodology. The degree program includes a field placement in the U.S. or abroad, as well as a comprehensive exam.

The program requires a minimum of 60 quarter-credit units of graduate and upper division coursework. Candidates with a prior doctoral degree or advanced preparation in a related field may waive certain requirements for the MPH degree, but only after formal consideration and approval by the department's faculty.

1. Course Requirements in Community Health Sciences

Department Core Courses

• CHS 210: Community Health Sciences  
• CHS 211A, B: Program Planning, Research and Evaluation in Community Health Sciences 
• CHS 400: APEx in Public Health (400 internship hours)
• In addition to CHS 400, students are required to take one more 400-level course in the CHS Department.

Department Required Courses

Students are required to select  one  course from each of the  three  curricular areas of:

• Public Health Practice
• Populations
• Individual and Structural Influences

The  MPH Curricular Areas  lists courses in each category ( found in Masters Handbook ).

Students are also required to take at least one additional course (4 units) within CHS. An additional course that includes elements of program planning or evaluation, similar to CHS 211 A&B, is strongly recommended for students in the second year of the program.

2. Core Course Requirements in Public Health

• PH 200A and B: Foundations in Public Health
• PH 401: Public Health as a Profession

3. Electives

At least 32 units must be taken in the department. A maximum of 8 elective units from outside of the department may count towards the 60 graduate or upper-division units. Students have the option to focus their studies in areas such as social and behavioral sciences, health education/promotion, international health, child and family health, public health nutrition, health policy, disaster planning and relief, aging and life course, women’s health, and population health.

4. Applied Practice Experience (APEx)

All students are required to complete an APEx, which requires a minimum of 400 hours. The APEx takes place in a health agency or organization in the community, under the supervision of a qualified public health professional. Most students arrange to do their APEx in the summer between the two years of study, but other arrangements are possible.

5. Comprehensive Examination

MPH students must successfully pass the Department of Community Health Science's Comprehensive Exam.

The MPH degree is typically obtained after two years of full-time study (six academic quarters), including the 400-hour field training experience.

View a list of faculty in the Department of Community Health Sciences.

Graduates generally assume positions in the planning, administration, and evaluation of public health programs and policies in the U.S. and abroad that have as their objective the maintenance and improvement of the health of individuals, families, communities, and populations.

Examples of positions held by graduates include:

• Program Manager
• Health Educator
• Monitoring/Evaluation Analyst
• Health Promotion Specialist
• Program or Community Outreach Coordinator
• Nutritionist
• Communications Associate
• Research Associate

For the most up to date fees and more information on fee breakdown, visit the  registrar's office .

Please see the cost and aid section of our website for information on awards, scholarships, training opportunities, employment, summer internship funding, and need-based aid. Please note that opportunities listed under 'Summer Internship Funding' are only applicable to MPH students.

Desired Qualifications

In addition to meeting the  University’s minimum requirements , prior work experience in community health or health education is strongly considered in the evaluation of applicants for admission. 

Admissions Process

Visit the application guide to learn about our admissions process. 

The information listed on this page includes details specific to the degree offered by UCLA Fielding. For information regarding program requirements and other details specific to the MSW in Social Welfare, please contact UCLA Luskin. 

Please note:

This information is intended as an overview, and should be used as a guide only. Requirements, course offerings and other elements may change, and this overview may not list all details of the program. 

Admission requirements listed are departmental requirements, and are in addition to the University's minimum requirements. Many programs receive more applicants than can be admitted, so meeting the minimum requirements for admission does not ensure admission. Every effort is made to ensure minimum admissions requirements are up to date - for the most up-to-date information on the University's minimum requirements, please visit the  UCLA Graduate Division .

Fees are subject to change and should be used as a guide only. For the most up to date fees and more information on fee breakdown, visit the  registrar's office.

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PLAYLIST: Utopic/Futuristic Vibes- Inspirations for Thinking Gender 2024 Theme, “Dystopian Realities, Feminist Utopias”

By Lynette Dixon, Thinking Gender Graduate Student Researcher

I arrived at the theme “Dystopian Realities, Feminist Utopias” through a myriad of visual, sonic, theoretical, and literary inspirations. As I was rereading Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower this summer, I was struck by how much Butler’s dystopic projection of the 2020s reflects what is happening today. The environment, society, our political systems, and our bodies are literally crumbling under the weight of capitalism, anti-Black racism, and colonialism.

Parable of the Sower follows Lauren Olamina, a young woman with a unique condition called “hyperempathy,” which allows her to feel the physical and emotional pain of others. Therefore, in a world set after the collapse of society, Olamina must physically bear the weight of the violence, fear, pain, despair, and desperation her community feels. Olamina embarks on a journey to find refuge from the harsh realities of this apocalyptic world and establish a new community. Along the way, Olamina develops a new belief system called “Earthseed,” which emphasizes change and transformation as fundamental principles. Earthseed’s principles guide Olamina and her followers as they seek to rebuild a new world for themselves.

Though Butler’s outlook for the future is seemingly bleak, the novel is also filled with the power of transformation. Butler’s emphasis on change and hope made clear for me the ways in which marginalized communities engage in worldmaking practices amidst world shattering violence. Reading Butler with queer theorist José Muñoz’s Cruising Utopia , the utopic impulse in Parable of the Sower demonstrates Muñoz’s argument that performing utopias is an ethical imperative in a dystopic world. Butler and Muñoz highlight how marginalized communities constantly pair critiques of the power dynamics that contribute to our dystopia with worldmaking, utopic practices. The theme was born from an effort to pay homage to the communities, cultures, and practices that dare to imagine alternatives to hegemonic structures.

Sonically, the theme is indebted to Afrofuturist aesthetics in hip-hop music and culture. Afrofuturism and hip-hop culture are built on the systemic critique and utopic imagination that is at the root of this theme. Afrofuturism is an artistic and cultural movement that combines elements of science fiction, fantasy, and African and African-American culture to envision a future in which Black people are at the center and, more often than not, liberated from structures of oppression. Afrofuturism also challenges and reimagines traditional historical narratives, especially those that have often marginalized or overlooked Black folks’ contributions and experiences. It allows us to explore untold stories, revise history, and empower Black communities. Lastly, by placing Black characters and cultures in futuristic or fantastical settings, the aesthetic provides a platform to examine and critique racial disparities, social injustice, and discrimination. It can be a means of envisioning a world in which race and anti-Blackness are reexamined or eliminated.

In the realm of hip-hop music, Afrofuturism has had a significant influence on artists who use futuristic and otherworldly themes in their lyrics, visuals, and sounds. Funk music, one of hip-hops predecessors, saw pioneering acts like Sun Ra and Parliament-Funkadelic incorporate Afrofuturist elements into their music and performance. Contemporary artists like OutKast and Janelle Monáe have also embraced Afrofuturism, infusing their work with futuristic narratives, space-age aesthetics and narratives including those about aliens and cyborgs, and themes about technology’s promises and/or potential dangers.

Building on these influences, the first manifestation of the theme was a syllabus for a summer course in the Department of Gender Studies at UCLA. The course was for the department’s core class entitled “Power.” We started the course by reading W.E.B Dubois’ “ The Comet ” (1920) a short story that imagines race relations at the end of the world. This story is cited as one of the first Afrofuturist texts. The story follows a Black man and a white woman who are the only two people left in New York City after a comet hits, destroys the city, and kills everyone. Race (both Blackness and Whiteness) is rendered irrelevant when the protagonists think the social and political structures that would enforce it are destroyed. However, when the woman’s fiancé (who lived outside of the city) comes looking for her after hearing the news of the cataclysmic crash, they realize the crash only affected NYC and racial divisions still stand. The story demonstrates DuBois’ critique of race and his imagination of its abolition. From there, we read academic theories about power and analyzed the critiques artists made in Afrofuturist and Indigenous futurist works.

During the session, I started to compile a playlist/utopic soundscape. I played some of the songs at the beginning of class to open the space and set a vibe. On the last day of class, I asked the students to imagine utopia and create a mood board. My offering during that activity was a utopic soundscape. I asked the students to share songs they thought could contribute and we made a collaborative playlist. I’ve linked the playlist here for you to hear the sonic impulses for the theme.

In the playlist you will hear Sun Ra and Parliament-Funkadelic, the forefathers of the Afrofuturistic aesthetics in hip-hop. There are also contemporary hip-hop artists including Monáe and Elliott, as well as neo-soul and R&B artists including Jill Scott and Lauren Hill. There are also electronic dance tracks from the queer of color drag and ballroom scene meant to highlight the utopic practices these communities have pioneered. In the playlist, the songs represent definitions of future and utopia that are extremely broad. Some talk about the quotidian pleasure of life (as you’ll hear in Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day” or Scott’s “Long Walk,”). They might have explicitly futuristic sounds and themes, or they might talk about better days or hopes for the future, describe love, joy, and encouragement. Some are just feel-good bops that may remind you of a carefree summer day. The main goal of this soundscape is to discover sonic routes to utopia and to have a soundtrack that can help transport us as we find our way there.

Here are some other visual and performative inspirations for the theme for you to enjoy:

• Dr. Fahamu Pecou is an American contemporary visual artist and scholar known for his multidisciplinary work that explores themes of Black identity, masculinity, and popular culture. Pecou holds a PhD from Emory University’s Institute of Liberal Arts and has also completed studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design. His art blends elements of painting, performance, and hip-hop culture, often challenging stereotypes and engaging with issues of race and representation. His work is featured in galleries around the world including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. His series entitled “ Imagining New Worlds ” is one of the inspirations of this theme. Utilizing African cosmologies and deities, Pecou reimagines the covers for the Black magazine Negro Digest (later Black World) which was in print from 1942–1951 and again from 1961–1976. The magazine was created to publish positive stories about African-Americans.
• Lina Iris Viktor is a contemporary British-Liberian artist known for her striking and intricate artwork that explore themes of Afrofuturism, gender, race, and cultural histories. Viktor’s work often incorporates a unique, mixed-media visual language characterized by her use of 24-karat gold, symbolism, and geometric patterns. She has been featured in galleries globally for her work, which is a combination of painting, sculpture, and performance. Her series, In the Black Fantastic , serves as another visual inspiration for the theme. The series is about remapping Blackness. Viktor is interested in rethinking African cartographies which are shaped by colonialism. She critiques the false divisions and fraught communities that the borders drawn by European colonizers during the Berlin Conference (1884) created in Africa. Part of her remapping project includes astrology, and she utilizes constellations to extend and remap the borders of Blackness into space.
• Performance for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls : This performance honors the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada. Indigenous women are victims of violence and exploitation at a rate more than six times that of the national average in Canada. More than simply memorializing the women and girls, the performance utilizes holograms and performance to project the women into the performance space, challenging violence of a colonial temporality that would relegate them to the past or render them invisible.
• Dr. Beverly Singer is a filmmaker and professor in American Studies at the University of New Mexico. She is a part of the Tewa and Diné nations. Her short film, Blank Stare at the Movie “Indian” (2015), exposes the violence of representations in popular culture that trivialize the genocide and dispossession of Indigenous nations. The film begins with a message which replicates the scroll in Star Trek’s introduction. As a result, she forces this popular science fiction franchise (which often appropriated Indigenous aesthetics) to confront its citation of violent legacies of conquest, dispossession, and colonialism.

Lynette Dixon (she/her/hers) earned a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality from Emory University and a Master of Arts in African American and African Students from The Ohio State University. As a doctoral student at UCLA, her research utilizes Black feminist thought, performance theory, and hip-hop studies to explore the techniques of embodiment Black women in popular culture employ to navigate, contest, and innovate performances of gender and sexuality.

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Bridging the Worlds of Tech, Politics and Advocacy

Regina Wallace-Jones  MPP ’99 shared her unique mix of experiences as a leader in the tech, political and nonprofit spheres with a UCLA audience gathered to mark the 25 th anniversary of Public Policy at the Luskin School. Wallace-Jones is CEO and president of ActBlue, the tech nonprofit that facilitates online donations to progressive organizations and candidates. Pairing a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University with a master’s in public policy from UCLA left her well-prepared for a pioneering career that bridged different sectors. Wallace-Jones previously served in executive positions at tech companies including eBay, Facebook and Yahoo, and she has a strong track record as an election organizer — including her own successful campaign for office, as a city councilwoman, vice mayor and mayor in East Palo Alto. In 2023, she was named UCLA Luskin MPP Alumna of the Year. Wallace-Jones’ Nov. 6 talk at the UCLA James West Alumni Center was the first of a series of events commemorating Public Policy’s silver anniversary. In conversation with Public Policy chair Robert Fairlie , she described career obstacles she has overcome as well as the challenges of maintaining balance in her work and family life. During her appearance, Wallace-Jones was also presented with the Bruin Excellence in Civic Engagement Award , which is bestowed by UCLA Alumni Affairs on individuals who are finding solutions to today’s civic issues and improving the quality of life in our communities.

Learn more about events marking Public Policy’s 25th anniversary. 

View photos of Wallace-Jones’ talk on Flickr.

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Faculty Search: Associate or Full Professor in Expressive Cultures and/or Histories of the Americas, Cultural Studies, Digital Humanities, or Performance

The César E. Chávez Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies seeks an interdisciplinary scholar at the level of Associate or Full Professor in Expressive Cultures and/or Histories of the Americas, Cultural Studies, Digital Humanities, or Performance. We welcome applications from innovative, interdisciplinary scholars whose work complements and expands our current offerings, with particular interest in applicants working in Afro-Latinx or Afro-descendant, Central American, Indigenous, and/or Trans and Sexuality Studies, with a strong record of publication, teaching, mentorship, and a commitment to leadership.

We welcome applications from interdisciplinary scholars whose experience in research, teaching, and service (including community service) has prepared them to contribute to excellence and diversity. Candidates should have Ph.D. or other terminal degree in hand at time of application.

Please submit your application through UCLA Academic Recruit at:  https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF08948 . Applicants should submit a letter of interest, a full CV, names and contact information for 3-5 recommenders, a statement describing their contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion past, present, and future (planned;  https://equity.ucla.edu/programs-resources/faculty-search-process/faculty-search-committee-resources/sample-guidance/ ) and Reference check authorization release form. The Search Committee may ask for publications, a research statement, or a teaching statement at a later date.

For further information please contact Dr. Gaye Theresa Johnson at  [email protected] . Initial review of applications will begin December 15, 2023. After the initial review date, new applications will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled. Mailed or emailed submissions will not be accepted.

The anticipated appointment start date is July 1, 2024. Salary is commensurate with education and experience and based on University of California pay scales.

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The Department of Sociology at Emory University is a vigorous intellectual community that offers a graduate program designed to prepare students for academic and research careers. Our graduate program provides rigorous training in theory, research design, and statistics.

While our faculty cover a wide range of topics in their research and teaching, our collective interests cohere around the following four topics:

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• Social Inequality : race, class, and ethnicity; inequality as related to education, health, work and occupations; etc.
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As part of our graduate program, we ask that our graduate students work at the overlap  of two of those topics. Doing so provides not only breadth and connection to the broader discipline, it also allows our graduate students to build synergistically on the insights contained by scholars working across these topics. 

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Our graduate program has the following salient features:

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Sonya Lott, PhD, has been a licensed psychologist for more than three decades and maintains a multi-state online private practice, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). She is an affiliate of the Center for Prolonged Grief and an adjunct faculty member of the Columbia University School of Social Work (CSSW). Dr. Lott also is also the founder and CEO of Continuing Education in Multicultural Psychology (CEMPSYCH, LLC) which is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

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Staff Spotlight: Fall 2023

UCLA Arts staff are an essential part of our community. Their work underpins every aspect of our operations. Staff Spotlight highlights the creative, scholarly, and professional contributions of our staff, many of whom maintain impressive artistic and creative practices outside their campus roles. Learn more about our remarkable staff in this list of recent activities, accolades, and other exciting announcements.

Keith Johnson/Dancers' Bahareh Ebrahimzadeh, Katie Istvan, and Haihua Chiang in Mercy, Mercy, Me, 2017. (Motion Vivid / Keith Johnson/Dancers)

Bahareh Ebrahimzadeh , Director of Marketing and Communications at UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA): Bahareh has dedicated nearly seven incredible years to CAP UCLA, playing a pivotal role in promoting the extraordinary artists who grace their stages. This year CAP UCLA unveiled a brand-new theater in Westwood, The UCLA Nimoy Theater !

Bahareh's passions go beyond marketing. She's also a performer, dancing with Keith Johnson/Dancers based in Long Beach. Their recent performance at Highways Performances Space in Santa Monica was met with enthusiastic acclaim.  

Baha also volunteers at a few Los Angeles shelters, where she devotes time to working with large dogs and is extremely passionate about animal advocacy. #adoptdontshop

Installation by artist Jackie Amézquita, left, that incorporates soil from 144 Los Angeles neighborhoods and an installation,  Between two windows , by Roksana Pirouzmand, right. (Ashley Kruythoff / Hammer Museum)

Gabriel Noguez , Senior Media Producer at the Hammer Museum at UCLA: Gabriel produced several mini-documentaries for Made in L.A. 2023: Acts of Living, the sixth iteration of the Hammer’s acclaimed biennial exhibition. UCLA Arts’ alumnae Roksana Pirouzmand and Jackie Amézquita were the subject of two of the short films. The entire series can be viewed at the Hammer’s YouTube channel .

Heidi Snyder , Director of Operations at Theater Management Services: Heidi gave birth to Antonio Prosper Herrera-Vaillant a.k.a. “Ocho” on Oct. 12. Heidi, her husband Antonio, and Ocho are enjoying baby cuddles and adjusting to their new lives. The cats, however, are not so thrilled…

A still from Mahnoor Euceph's short film Eid Mubarak  (Mahnoor Euceph)

Mahnoor Euceph , Admission Specialist at UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture: Mahnoor ‘17 wrote and directed the live action short film Eid Mubarak about a privileged Pakistani girl who embarks on a mission to save her beloved pet goat from being sacrificed on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Azha. The film is based on Mahnoor's real life experience of celebrating Eid in Pakistan as a child, before immigrating to Los Angeles at the age of eight.

The film is currently in consideration for Best Live Action Short Film at the 96th Academy Awards and is currently streaming in the Academy Screening Room, at film festivals all over the world, and at special Oscar screenings in Los Angeles. It will be available to publicly stream soon. You can keep updated about the film’s journey on Instagram @EidMubarakFilm and at Mahnoor’s website .

You can also support the film’s Oscar campaign by purchasing a limited edition signed poster, hand-painted by illustrator Brett Helquist (best known for his illustrations for A Series of Unfortunate Events ) at the following link: https://www.nooreuceph.com/shop/eidmubarak .

A photo from a live performance of Walking the Beat. ( Fountain Theatre)

Theo Bonner-Perkins , Student Arts Coordinator for CAP UCLA: In August 2023, Theo produced and directed Walking the Beat 2023: C.H.I.N Up! (Critical Hope Is Needed) at the Fountain Theatre in Hollywood. Walking the Beat is a theater for social justice program he co-founded.

On Monday, Nov. 6, Theo directed ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence , a nationwide theater initiative that calls on teens to confront gun violence by creating new works of theater that spark critical conversations and inspire meaningful action in communities across the country.

Verlena’s The Observer is one of 60 images included in her trauma art journal. (Verlena Johnson)

Verlena Johnson , Student Affairs Officer at UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture: Verlena first began to explore her experience with childhood trauma in 2019 with two self-portrait paintings: Protected and Sissy’s Superpower Was Surviving Abuse . 

Last June, she started a trauma art journal. What began as an impromptu drawing in an unused journal gradually turned into a space/place for her to explore the myriad of overwhelming feelings and thoughts related to memories (or the lack thereof) from her childhood. The initial self-portrait drawn with a ballpoint pen turned into a surrealist meditation on silence.

Currently, there are 60 images spanning 5 months in her journal which often include brief descriptions of her thoughts or feelings about topics such as anxiety, fear, masking, self-protection, and trauma responses. This image/text based project is extremely important as an artistic expression of Verlena’s healing journey. 

Dr. Reginald Richardson

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