Dawn Apgar , Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Social Work
Department of Social Work
(973) 761-9470
Email
Fahy Hall
Room 251c
Dawn Apgar, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Social Work
Department of Social Work
Dawn Apgar, Ph.D., joined the faculty at Seton Hall University in 2016 after serving as Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services, the largest department in New Jersey state government with more than one-third of the State workforce (15,000 employees/contracted staff) and an annual budget of more than $18.7 billion. Prior to becoming Deputy Commissioner, Apgar was an Assistant Professor at Marywood University and the Director of the Developmental Disabilities Planning Institute at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She has extensive direct practice, policy, and management experience in the social work field.
Apgar also writes and does research on social work licensure and has served as chairperson of the New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners. Many of her publications are used by states across the country to assist social workers with passing the licensure examinations.
She is a past President of the New Jersey Chapter of NASW and has been on its National Board of Directors. In 2014, the Chapter presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Education
- Ph.D. in Social Work - Rutgers University
- Masters Degree in Social Work - Rutgers University
- Bachelors Degree in Psychology - Bucknell University
Scholarship
Apgar's scholarly publications can be viewed here
Academic Distinctions and Scholarship: Books
- Apgar, D. (2025). Social Work Licensing Bachelors Exam Guide: Comprehensive ASWB LBSW Exam Review, Fourth Edition. New York: Springer Publishing.
- Apgar, D. (2024). Social Work Licensing Clinical Exam Guide: Comprehensive ASWB LCSW Exam Review, Fourth Edition. New York: Springer Publishing.
- Apgar, D. (2024). Social Work Licensing Masters Exam Guide: Comprehensive ASWB LMSW Exam Review, Fourth Edition. New York: Springer Publishing.
- Apgar, D. (2021). Social Work ASWB Advanced Generalist Exam Guide: A Comprehensive Study Guide for Success, Third Edition. New York: Springer Publishing.
- Apgar, D. (2021). Social Work ASWB Masters Practice Test: 170 Questions to Identify Knowledge Gaps, Third Edition. New York: Springer Publishing.
- Apgar, D. (2021). Social Work ASWB Clinical Practice Test: 170 Questions to Identify Knowledge Gaps, Second Edition. New York: Springer Publishing.
- Apgar, D. (2021). Social Work ASWB Advanced Generalist Practice Test: 170 Questions to Identify Knowledge Gaps, Second Edition. New York: Springer Publishing.
Journal Articles
- Apgar, D., & Parada, M. (2024). “From Tradition to Innovation: Navigating Challenges, Seizing Opportunities to Promote Catholic Studies in Higher Education.” Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture, 27(4), 99-120.
- Kilaberia, T. R., Apgar, D., Kennedy, T., Wu, B., & Padgett, D. K. (2024). “Impact of Antecedent and Organizational Differences on Nurse–Social Worker Collaboration in a Retirement and Assisted Living Community with Skilled Nursing Care.” Journal of Applied Gerontology, 1-13.
- Apgar, D., & Zerrusen, L. (2024). “Examining the views of Master of Social Work (MSW) Graduates on the Grand Challenges for Social Work and Society.” Advances in Social Work, 24(1), 175-186.
- Apgar, D., & Zerrusen, L. (2024). “Never spoken: Caregiving for those who are abusive or cause harm.” Clinical Social Work Journal, 1-11.
- Apgar, D., & Zerrusen, L. (2024). "Integrating the Grand Challenges for social work into an undergraduate capstone course." Social Work Education, 1–11.
- Apgar, D., & Dolan, K. (2023). “Post-master’s career progression of social workers: A developmental perspective.” Advances in Social Work, 23(2), 482-504.
- Apgar, D. (2023). “Forum: Incorporating the use of generative artificial intelligence and large language models into publication standards: A call for editorial policy based on social work values.” International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 20(2), 200-205.
- Apgar, D., & Zerrusen, L. (2023). “Attaining an undergraduate certificate on older adults: Examining qualitative experiences of students.” InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 19, 1-13.
- Apgar, D., & Nienow, M. (2023). “Becoming woke by the ASWB pass rates: A closer look at racial inequities in social work.” Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 1-15.
- Apgar, D. (2023). “Video narratives as a trauma-informed pedagogical tool in remote social work education.” Social Work Education, 1-17.
- Nicotera, A., Apgar, D., & Murzaku, I. (2023). "Mother Teresa as exemplar of Catholic Social Thought (CST) and social work core commitments to dignity, service, and justice." Journal of Vincentian Social Action, 7(1), 41-49.
- Apgar, D. (2023). "Open access – An ethical alternative to use of impact factor when making decisions about journals." International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 20(1), 40-43.
- Apgar, D., & Cadmus, T. (2023). "Internet searching of client information by social workers: Reckless or required in today's online society?" International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 20(1), 67-97.
- Apgar, D., & Parada, M. (2023). "Missing the mark? Reframing NASW's ethical mandate for self-care as a social justice issue." Advances in Social Work Practice, 22(3), 876-899.
- Apgar, D., & Nienow, M. (2022). "Newly released data on examination pass rates supports need for widespread reform." Research on Social Work Practice, 33(1), 5-7.
- Apgar, D. (2022). "Linking licensure examination pass rates to social work program accreditation: Merits, challenges, and implications for social work education." Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 42(4), 335–353.
- Apgar, D., & Luquet, W. (2022). "Linking social work licensing exam content to educational competencies: Poor reliability challenges the path to licensure." Research on Social Work Practice, 33(1), 66-75.
- Apgar, D. (2022). "Social work licensure portability: A necessity in a post-COVID-19 world." Social Work, 67(4), 381-390.
- Apgar, D. (2022). "Reflective journaling: An effective pedagogical tool to enhance undergraduate social work student experiences when learning research." Social Work Education.
- Apgar, D., & Nienow, M. (2022). "Critical time in regulation of social work practice: Forging a path forward." Research on Social Work Practice, 33(1), 5-7.
- Apgar, D. (2021). "Disability." Encyclopedia of Social Work, Oxford University Press, 1-18.
- Apgar, D. (2021). "Using mutual help to address racism in undergraduate students." College Teaching, 70(2), 227-236.
- Apgar, D. (2021). "Developing the next generation of social work activists: Support for eliminating the micro–macro divide." Journal of Community Practice, 29(1), 62-78.
- Apgar, D., & Cadmus, T. (2021). "Using mixed methods to assess the coping and self-regulation skills of undergraduate social work students impacted by COVID-19." Clinical Social Work, 50, 55-66.
- Apgar, D. (2020). "Increasing social work students' participation in macro specializations: The impossible dream?" Advances in Social Work, 20(3), 709-724.
- Apgar, D. (2020)."The fate of the Master's in Social Work (MSW) degree: Will the practice doctorate replace it as the profession's flagship credential?" Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 40(5), 411-430.
- Apgar, D. (2020). "Professional identity: An exploratory study of undergraduate social work majors versus minors." Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 25, 45-63.
- Apgar, D. (2020). "The use of group text messaging to enhance social support of social work students." Social Work Education, 1-18.
- Apgar, D. (2020). "Social work minors in undergraduate education: Benefit or burden?" Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 40(2), 129-146.
- Apgar, D. (2019). "The great divide between social work educational policy and licensure examinations." Journal of Social Work Education, 57(3), 519-533.
- Apgar, D. (2019). "Conceptualization of capstone experiences: Examining their role in social work education." Social Work Education, 38(2), 143-158.
- Apgar, D., & Parada, M. (2018). "Strengthening competency in policy practice: An experiential model for student learning." Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 23(1), 145-158.
- Apgar, D., & Congress, E. (2005). "Ethical beliefs of social work researchers: Results of a national study." Journal of Social Service Research, 32(2), 61-80.
- Apgar, D., & Congress, E. (2005). "Authorship credit: A national study of social work educators' beliefs." Journal of Social Work Education, 41(1), 101-112.
- Lerman, P., Apgar, D., & Jordan, T. (2005). "Longitudinal changes in adaptive behaviors of "movers" and "stayers": Findings of a controlled research design." Mental Retardation, 43(1), 25-42.
- Lerman, P., Apgar, D., & Jordan, T. (2003)."Deinstitutionalization and mortality: Findings of a controlled research design in New Jersey." Mental Retardation, 41(4), 225-236.
- Apgar, D. (2000). "Providing mental health services at what price? Ethical issues and dilemmas for social workers practicing in a managed care environment." Critical Strategies: Psychotherapy in Managed Care, 1(1), 87-104.