The Program

The Sociology Department's certificate in Social Welfare and Social Work 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, fax (413)545-3204, or mail to:

Social Work & Social Welfare Certificate Program
Sociology Department
722 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 one, 3-4 cr.)

Sociol 328 Introduction to Social Work (3 cr.)
Sociol 341 Social Welfare (3 cr.)

Elective Courses  (12 cr.)

222 The Family

224 Social Class and Inequality

244 Sociology of Immigration

245 Race & Society

283 Gender & Society

287 Sexuality & Society

322 Sociology of Education

328 Introduction to Social Work

341 Social Welfare

353 Sociology of Medicine

364 Sociology of Mental Health

382 Sociology of Childhood

385 Gender and the Family

389 Sexuality by the Numbers

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

Service Learning

Requires approval from a Sociology Advisor.

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, in addition to the minimum 15 credits coursework required by the certificate.

Please contact the Chief Undergraduate Advisor, Katherine Fabel, with questions regarding course substitutions and internship/practica (kfabel@umass.edu), 545-4056, 720 Thompson Hall).