Marshall University’s School Social Work Certificate covers all the knowledge areas the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) requires to become a nationally certified school social work specialist (C-SSWS), the national certificate for school social workers.
C-SSWS requires 2 years of PAID school social work experience prior to sitting for the exam.
MSW students who opt into the School Social Work Specialist Certificate will be prepared to receive the national certification. Marshall University MSW students will conduct their field internships within a school setting with school social workers.
The school social work curriculum consists of the nomenclature, school structure and the roles of school social workers. Certificate students will attend interprofessional education sessions with College of Education students once per year while enrolled in the program.
- Students currently enrolled in the MSW Program
- MU graduates who have completed the MSW clinical curriculum
- MSW graduates from other accredited programs
Please note:
- Graduate students from other programs may take courses from the Certificate program as CEUs or as electives with their department’s approval.
- Prospective certificate-only students should apply for admission to Marshall University as a Certificate/Professional Development student.
- Transcripts will be reviewed on an individual basis.
To apply, visit graduate admissions.
Students will follow a School Social Work Specialist Certificate Program Plan of study consisting of 21 credit hours. To qualify for the national (NASW) exam certificate students enrolled in the certificate program are required to complete field placements in schools practicing school social work.
All admitted students are expected to maintain a cumulative Grade point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.
For students also completing the MSW degree program:
- Students who wish to pursue concurrently the MSW degree and the School Social Work Certificate should complete the application for admission to the MSW degree program (with the non-refundable application fee) and a Secondary Program Request form.
- Five (5) courses in the School Work Certificate program will be applied to MSW student’s degree program – Two (2) are required MSW courses and Three (3) can be used for electives.
- Two (2) College of Education courses will also be applied to the MSW degree as electives.
- Students already enrolled in the MSW program need to submit a Secondary Program Request form.
Students enrolled in a degree program other than Marshall’s MSW degree who wish to apply to the School Social Work certificate program should apply for admission to Marshall University as a Certificate/ Professional Development student.
Note: Completion of a certificate program does not guarantee acceptance as a degree student in a particular graduate program. Individual departments may, however, choose to use performance in certificate courses as supporting data when considering an application for full admissions into a degree program.
- LS 630 The School and Community Relation
- SWK 657 Prevention Interventions in School Social Work
- SWK 670 Theory and Practice with Children and Adolescents
- SWK 656 Social Work in School Settings
- CISP 529 Introduction to Exceptional Children
- SWK 673 Family and Community Violence
- SWK 681 Suicidology
- Receive messages from our social work faculty and staff.
- Meet some of our current students and hear about their favorite Marshall moments.
- Receive invitations to special events for future students.
- Get help with the application and enrollment process.