Social Work + Trauma Practice Certificate

The Master of Social Work (MSW) + Trauma Practice Certificate program provides students with an opportunity to increase their knowledge and competency in working with populations that have been impacted by trauma.

Student in a class

The Certificate in Trauma Practice will prepare graduates for practice opportunities with a variety of populations in multiple settings including: schools and universities, community mental health centers, immigrant & refugee centers, the legal justice and prison systems, inpatient & outpatient hospitalization programs, and psychotherapeutic settings with children, adults, couples, families and groups.

 

The MSW degree requires 65 credit hours, consisting of 48 credit hours of classroom courses and 17 credit hours of practicum courses. Listed below is the MSW course sequence as of September 2022. On Ground course numbers have the prefix SW; online courses, SWO.

Specialized Year

SW404 Social Welfare Policy 3
SW414 Assessment and Diagnosis 3
SW424A Advanced Clinical Practice 3
SW424B Advanced Clinical Practice 3
SW447A Practicum Education Year II 4
SW447B Practicum Education Year II 4
SW509 Program Evaluation in Social Work 3
Elective
Elective
Elective

Licensure and Certificate Programs

As an MSW student, you may choose to pursue a certificate program in which you will gain advanced skills in a specific area of interest through a structured sequence of courses.

MSW with MA Licensure in School Social Work (On-Campus)

Students in the MSW program interested in practicing as a school social worker can elect to work towards the Massachusetts state license to be a School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor (SSW/SAC). The certification is required to work as a clinical social worker in many school settings in Massachusetts.

Requirements for the MSW with Licensure as a School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor include:

  • Sixty-two credits in the MSW program including SW 539 Social Work in Schools and SW 595, Child and Adolescent Diagnosis, one specialized social work elective and three required courses (eight credits) taken in the Simmons University Department of Education (SPND 441, SPND 444, SPND 445)
  • Successful completion of the two SSW practicum; one placement must be in a school setting the other placement is encouraged to be in a setting serving children and families
  • Completion and submission of required documentation

Students planning to work toward the school social worker license should review the SSW/SAC student handbook, follow the program plan provided at registration, and attend the information sessions with the Certificate Coordinator. Practicum planning should be guided by licensure requirements. To be granted the license, candidates must complete all requirements mandated by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) (e.g., passing the Communication and Literacy tests of the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure [MTEL]). Students are strongly encouraged to take the MTEL before completing the MSW program. Waiting to take it until after graduation might delay the ability to secure employment. 

MSW with Certificate in Public Policy (On Campus)

This certificate program is designed to give MSW students with an interest in macro/policy issues the opportunity to supplement their clinical education experience with a deeper knowledge of public policy. This certificate will position graduates to have more options in terms of career directions in social work, particularly around policymaking or policy advocacy, with an emphasis on building policy analysis and advocacy skills that will allow students to analyze and affect policies at local, state, and national levels. These courses will enhance students’ understanding of policy systems and theory, methods of policy analysis, and subject matter knowledge in two major policy arenas.

MSW with Certificate in Trauma Practice (On Campus and Online)

The Certificate in Trauma Practice will prepare graduates for practice with a variety of populations in multiple settings including: schools and universities, community mental health centers, immigrant and refugee centers, the legal justice and prison systems, inpatient and outpatient hospitalization programs, and psychotherapeutic settings with children, adults, couples, families and groups. Students complete all regular MSW program requirements, as well as SW 528A Child and Adolescent Trauma, SW 528B Lifespan of Trauma Treatment: Adults and Families, and two Trauma Practice certificate electives.

MSW with Certificate in Clinical Practice with Active Service Members, Veterans, and Families (On Campus and Online) (Launching Fall 2023)

This certificate provides MSW students with a unique opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in effective and culturally-sensitive clinical practice with servicemembers, veterans, and their families. Students will learn about the systems and culture of the U.S. military; the sociocultural identity development of military personnel; the experiences, needs, and strengths of military individuals and families, with specific attention to minoritized groups; avenues of support for military personnel and their families; and specific assessment and intervention practices, with particular emphasis on PTSD and suicidality. This certificate prepares students to work with individuals and families at any stage of military involvement and in a variety of settings.

Certificate in Mental Health Practice (Online)

The Certificate in Mental Health Practice prepares graduates to:

Work with people who have experience with serious mental health conditions, including those with concurrent health conditions. Students will learn to recognize and address the significant impacts of stigma, marginalization, and discrimination that impede the health, safety, access to resources, and quality of life for people with serious mental health conditions. In addition, they will become skilled in delivering evidence-based and best practice approaches for managing symptoms and achieving wellness and recovery. Students will exit the program with an understanding of the role of social worker as both a provider and advocate working in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, families, and other supports and services.
 
 

 

Elective Courses

MSW students who opt not to enroll in a certificate can still develop a focused skill set through their elective courses. Students interested in an area of focus can work with their Academic Advisors on elective selection. Examples of focus areas are:

  • Health and Aging
  • Child and Family Wellbeing
  • Substance Use and Misuse
  • Adult Mental Health
  • Trauma and Interpersonal Violence
  • Group Practice
  • Clinical Practice and Therapy Models

Course Sequencing / Prerequisites

  • Research, SW 441/SWO 441 must be completed prior to enrollment in Evaluation, SW 509/SWO 509.
  • Program Evaluation, SW 509/SWO 509 must be taken concurrently with SW 447A or SW 447B/SWO 447A or SWO 447B.
  • Dynamics of Racism and Oppression, SW 409/SWO 409 must be completed before commencing specialized year courses.
  • SW 403/SWO 403 must be completed before SW 404/SWO 404.
  • Practicum Education Year I, SW 446A or SWO 446L is concurrent with SW 421A or SWO 421A; SW 446B or SWO 446B is concurrent with SW 421B or SWO 421B
  • Practicum Education Year II, SW 447A or SWO 447A is concurrent with SW 424A or SWO 424; SW 447B or SWO 447B is concurrent with SW 424B or SWO 425
  • Students must stay in the same sections (day, time, and professor) for practice classes: SW 421A/SWO 421A and SW 421B/SWO 421B and SW 424A and SW 424B.

View the full-time program plan.

View the part-time extended program plan.

The program plan is only for students who started in Fall 2019 and later.

Examples of employers for first jobs following graduation:

  • Violence Recovery Program, Fenway Health
  • Justice Resource Institute (JRI)
  • Riverside Community Care
  • North Shore Mental Health 
  • Compass Schools
  • Veteran’s Administration
  • Boston Regional STARR
  • Department of Children and Families

Connect with the School of Social Work

We will be happy to arrange for a personal visit, informational meeting, or class visit (when available). Arrangements can also be made to speak to a current SSW student to learn more about the MSW On-Campus program.

Complete the campus visit form

Social Work at Simmons University

Our progressive, hands-on curriculum integrates education and practice with social justice values, multicultural perspectives and a strong emphasis on practicum education.

Graduate Program Videos

Spotlight on Social Work + Trauma Practice Students and Alums

Erika Cadena 2022 MSW

Supporting Patients and Families Needing Help Related to Urgent Medical Care

What the job entails Erika Cadena is a clinical social worker in the Emergency Department at Boston Children's Hospital. In this fast-paced and varied role, she identifies and works with patients and families in need of support and resources related...


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Divya Kumar '19MSW Supports Perinatal Mental Health for People of Color

Divya Kumar '19MSW is a psychotherapist at And Still We Rise therapy practice in Boston, and a co-founder of the Perinatal Mental Health Alliance for People of Color. She writes about the intersections of race, trauma, and perinatal mental health...


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Ashley Liriano '22MSW: Working to Help Children on the Road to Healing

What the Job Entails Ashley Liriano is a master's level admission clinician and in-home therapist for Summit Community Services, a private mental health agency that serves Metro Boston and Eastern Massachusetts. In this multifaceted position, she conducts intake assessments for...


Jorge Cardona '21MSW

Jorge Cardona '21MSW, School Social Worker, Charles Sumner Elementary School, Roslindale, Massachusetts

What the job entails: Jorge is a school social worker at the Charles Sumner Elementary School, a Boston Public School for Pre-K-5 students in Roslindale, Massachusetts. In this varied, rewarding role, he provides one-on-one counseling, crisis intervention, and group therapy...


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Elizabeth Valencia ’20MSW Applies this Key Social Work Lesson Daily

As clinical supervisor for Bay Cove Human Services in Dorchester, Elizabeth gets to experience things that many clinicians never do: work with clients in their personal spaces. Learn more about her position and the lesson from Simmons she utilizes daily.