Certificate in Global Social Work

The Certificate in Global Social Work offers students the opportunity to engage in specialized graduate study for social work practice in the global arena. The certificate program allows students the opportunity to take specialized courses with global content both within and outside the School or Social Work. The Certificate in Global Social Work is awarded upon successful completion of academic course requirements, an approved global field placement and demonstration of second language proficiency. Course and field requirements must be completed during the regular University Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer terms. The certificate requirements cannot be met through activities or coursework completed before enrollment in the School of Social Work or after receipt of the MSW degree.

Eligibility

  1. Certificate students may be 16 month, 20 month, or extended degree students. Advanced Standing students who are interested in the certificate must renounce their Advanced Standing status and become a 16 or 20 month student to apply for the certificate.
  2. Certificate students may choose any practice method: Community Organization, Interpersonal Practice, Management of Human Services, or Social Policy and Evaluation. Please note global placements in Interpersonal Practice and Social Policy and Evaluation are limited.
  3. Certificate students may choose any practice area: Aging in Families and Society, Children and Youth in Family and Society, Community and Social Systems, Health, or Mental Health.

Requirements

  1. Global Field Placement (8-credits) Students must complete 8-credit hours of Advanced Field Instruction with a grade of "satisfactory" in a designated global field placement. Global field placements are available both within and outside the United States. Domestic field placement sites are pre identified agencies that work on global problems and do so cross-nationally. Specifically, these agencies work primarily with refugees and/or recent immigrants, and/or work with programs that engage in cross-national services. In the case of international students, any domestic agency will constitute a global placement. Students interested in a global field placement must apply and be selected by the Office of Global Activities and the Office of Field Instruction. Completing a global field placement takes advanced planning. Please visit the OGA webpage for more information or contact ssw.oga@umich.edu
  2. Course Work (6-credits) Certificate students must take one of the two courses that focus on global issues offered by the School of Social Work. These two courses are SW 701 Practice in International Social Work and SW 743 Comparative Cross National Analysis of Social Service Systems. In addition students will take a second course on global issues either in the SSW or elsewhere in the University approved by the advisor, for a total of 6-credits. For a list of some of the courses available throughout the University in Fall 2012, please visit our Graduate Level Courses in Other Schools/Departments page.
  3. Language proficiency Certificate students must have a second language proficiency equivalent to 2-years of college language reading and speaking proficiency, as evidenced by the (MS Word Document) U-M Language Placement Exam. The U-M Language Resource Center provides resources to support language learners on campus, including language tutors, workshops, and access to various international print and media. If interested in taking undergraduate language courses, please consult these guidelines.
  4. Global Capstone Seminar (2-credits) This capstone course (SW 748) will be taken in the second year during the Fall Term. This course will concentrate on debriefing the global social work field experience and integrating it into professional practice.

Advising

Although the general expectation is that the students will follow the Certificate curriculum, advisors will endeavor to assure that each student's courses take into account their specific educational and career goals. Advisors will also work with the Office of Field Instruction and the Office of Global Activities to make sure the students’ field placement(s) takes into account their educational and career goals.

How to Apply

Application for Admission to the Global Social Work Certificate Program

Certificate Completion Form

The following form needs to be completed with all required signatures and turned in the the Office of Global Activities, Rm. 3751, no later than the last paper/exam day of the term of graduation. After verification by the director of the Office of Global Activities the registrar's office will be notified so that completion of the certificate will appear on the student's official transcript.