Home

Graduate Certificate in Social Work Practice with Families and Couples

Overview
This program provides MSW graduates and advanced-year MSW students with advanced clinical training for work with families and couples from a family systems perspective. Two major concerns of social workers are addressed in this program.

1. Historically, social workers have worked with families affected by social injustice and adverse conditions. The problems these families encounter today are greater than ever, fueled by issues such as poverty, racism, substance abuse and domestic violence. These are no longer problems of the individual; they are problems deeply embedded in the family system over many generations. This program helps social workers develop the “family systems perspective” needed to work effectively with such complex problems.
2. This program helps social workers obtain the highest credentials in the field of marriage and family therapy. Social workers who are properly credentialed in the marriage and family field are well positioned for leadership roles in family service agencies and various clinical settings.

This series of academic courses (14 credits) has been developed to provide a holistic view of human systems as multilevel entities in which each level influences and is influenced by the others. This framework provides a wealth of information about how human systems function, and how a dysfunctional family system creates and maintains problems for family members. Social workers attending this program are trained to identify problems affecting the family system and to focus on therapeutic pathways for promoting healthy functioning.

THE STUDENT WILL:

1. Study developmental tasks of the family life cycle and diverse family structures.
2. Study ways in which the family forms and reforms, including divorce, single parenthood, remarriage and stepfamilies.
3. Learn about models of social work intervention with families of various ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds.
4. Critique research pertaining to family practice.
5. Examine ethical issues that arise in family practice such as confidentiality, custody, parental rights and children’s rights.
6. Learn to plan interventions that affect family functioning at various levels of the family system.
7. Utilize concepts and theories that explain a variety of family structures.
8. Develop practice skills needed to intervene with multi-problem families.
9. Evaluate the effectiveness of social work practice with families.

Course Requirements
Theory:

• SW8540 – Family Theory – 2 Credits
• SW8550 – Social Functioning: Human Sexuality – 2 credits
• SW8780 – Social Work With Families in a Multi-Ethnic, Multi-Cultural Society – 2 credits

Practice:

• SW8610 – Advanced Interpersonal Practice With Families – 2 Credits
• SW8620 – Advanced Interpersonal Practice in Marital Therapy– 2 Credits
• SW8790 – SW Practice with Diverse Family Structures – 2 Credits

Ethics:

• SW8710 – Seminar on the Profession of Social Work – 2 Credits

TOTAL – 14 CREDITS 

Admission
Applicants must meet the admissions standards of the Graduate School and be accepted by the School of Social Work. Eligibility for this certificate is limited to persons holding a master of social work (MSW) degree or persons actively enrolled in the advanced portion of an MSW program. Nine of the 14 graduate credits required by the certificate may be applied toward the MSW degree for students concurrently enrolled in the degree and certificate programs. An Application for Graduate Certificate is available on the forms page or contact the School of Social Work, Office of Admissions & Students Services (313) 577-4409 for additional information or for application materials.

Certificate Requirements
Candidates for the certificate must hold a master of social work degree, achieve a minimum honor point average of 3.0 and complete 14 credits of designated graduate courses. These courses include offerings in social work family theory, social work family practice and social work ethics. The certificate and required course work must be earned within three years.