The Program

The Sociology Department's certificate in Social Work and Social Welfare is an opportunity for students who want a deepened understanding of the issues that impact the field of social welfare and social work. While this certificate cannot substitute for social work licensure, or clinical experience, it does provide a good foundation from which to build a career in social work, social justice, advocacy, education, or work in a related non-profit.

To declare, students fill out a Completion Form upon enrollment in their final course for the certificate. The form, along with an unofficial transcript, may be submitted by email or mail to:

Social Work & Social Welfare Certificate Program
Sociology Department
1010 Thompson Hall
200 Hicks Way
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003-9277

Note: To receive the Certificate in Social Work and Social Welfare, a minimum 2.0 GPA must be maintained across the courses applied to the certificate requirements.

Requirements:
Minimum of 15 credits.
Core Courses (choose 1)

Sociol 328 Introduction to Social Work, or
Sociol 341 Social Welfare

Elective Courses (12 cr.)
Choose from the list below:

222 The Family
224 Social Class and Inequality
244 Sociology of Immigration
245 Race & Society
283 Gender & Society
287 Sexuality & Society
297W Introduction to Social Welfare (online)
322 Sociology of Education
328 Introduction to Social Work
334 Sociology of International Crises and Disasters
341 Social Welfare
353 Sociology of Medicine
356 Social Forces, Health & Lifecourse
364 Sociology of Mental Health (online)
382 Sociology of Childhood
385 Gender and the Family
395K Domestic Violence (online)
397AM Asylums, Madness, and Mental Illness (online)
397ED Sociology of Eating Disorders
424 Sex Work in Global Perspective
492P Civil Resistance and Social Change

Course Substitutions (one course may be substituted from the following list)

Political Science Courses
380 Social Welfare Policy
394EI US Health Politics and Inequalities
395S History of U.S. Social Policy: Politics of Gender, Race, and Class

Psychology Courses
305 Educational Psychology
350 Developmental Psychology
355 Adolescent Psychology
360 Social Psychology
365 Psychology of Aging
370 Personality
380 Abnormal Psychology
391SS Prejudice and Intergroup Relations
391ZZ Psychology of the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Experience
480 Intellectual Disbility: Concepts and Controversies
491D Impact of Disability on Families

Social Work-based Internship or Practicum

Students are strongly encouraged to pursue a Social Work-based internship or practicum in order to apply the skills they will develop in their coursework. Practica credits do not count toward total certificate credits/requirements.

Please contact the Chief Undergraduate Advisor, Katherine Fabel, with questions regarding course substitutions and internship/practica (kfabel@umass.edu), 545-4056, 1008 Thompson Hall.