Certificate Programs

As an MSW student, you may pursue a certificate in a specific area of social work practice. Through a structured program path made up of courses that build upon one another, you will develop the skills and understanding needed to serve populations in an area of practice that interests you.

With your application to the MSW program, you may apply to a certificate program in Mental Health Practice, Trauma Practice, or Clinical Practice with Active Service Members, Veterans, and Families. In each certificate program, you will learn from Simmons faculty who are experts in these knowledge areas, gain hands-on experience in the field, and be able to graduate as a confident clinician prepared to work in your area of focus.

Trauma Practice

The Trauma Practice certificate prepares you with the enhanced clinical skills to work with populations and individuals affected by trauma. This program sequence will prepare you to serve diverse clients including children, adults, couples, families, and groups. You will be prepared to aid these populations in settings such as schools, universities, mental health centers, immigrant and refugee centers, legal and prison systems, inpatient and outpatient hospitalization programs, and psychotherapeutic environments.

Courses include:

  • Child and Adolescent Trauma
  • Lifespan of Trauma Treatment: Adults and Families
  • Attachment and Neurobiology in Social Work Practice

Mental Health Practice

The Mental Health Practice certificate will prepare you to help individuals and populations affected by serious mental health conditions, including concurrent health conditions, achieve wellness and recovery. Through this certificate program, you will gain the skills to:

  • address the stigma and discrimination that impede the health of these populations
  • deliver evidence-based treatments and best practice approaches to manage client symptoms
  • work in collaboration with families, external teams, and supports services
  • take on a role as provider and advocate for those living with mental illnesses

Courses include:

  • Social Work Practice in Health Care
  • Evidence-Based Approaches in Social Work Practice
  • Cognitive Behavioral Approaches and Treatment

Clinical Practice with Active Service Members, Veterans, and Families

The Clinical Practice with Active Service Members, Veterans, and Families certificate will prepare you with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in effective and culturally-sensitive clinical practice with those who serve and their loved ones. 

In this certificate program, you will learn to: explore the systems and culture of the U.S. military, understand the experiences, needs, and strengths of military individuals and their families, explore avenues of support for military personnel, and provide specific assessment and intervention practices, with particular emphasis on PTSD and suicidality.

Courses include:

  • Military Social Work Practice: Introduction to Systems, Culture, Health, and Social Issues
  • Military Social Work Practice: Therapeutic Interventions within Military Cultural Context
  • Understanding Suicide: Prevention, Intervention and Postvention