Certificates, certifications and dual degrees
Expand your knowledge and earn additional credentials.
Students can combine their M.S.W. degree program of study with other programs to earn special certificates, certifications or additional degrees.
Certificate through the School of Social Work
Combined M.S.W. and Certificate in Mental Health
- Credit hours: 12
- Format: On-campus & online
Students will develop the knowledge and skills to be trauma-informed mental health practitioners. They will learn how to recognize the historical context of serious mental illness (SMI) in the United States, including societal views, treatment and experience of individuals, and apply knowledge of case formulation and treatment planning when working with serious mental illness. » Learn more
Certificates through other VCU programs
The M.S.W. with certificate option is also offered in combination with the Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (College of Humanities and Sciences), the Department of Gerontology (College of Health Professions) and the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs.
Combined M.S.W. and Certificate in Aging Studies
- Credit hours: 15
- Format: On-campus & online
Provides quality education to those already working with older adults who wish to enhance their skills with formal academic training in gerontology and to individuals new to the field or with training in other professions. » Learn more
- Note: Associate Professor Kyeongmo Kim, Ph.D., is the School of Social Work's liaison to gerontology.
VCU academic partner: Department of Gerontology
Combined M.S.W. and Certificate in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies
- Credit hours: 15
- Format: On-campus, with some courses available online
Includes three required courses – Feminist Theory; Feminist Research Epistemology and Methods; and Theorizing Sexuality – and two electives. » Learn more
VCU academic partner: Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies
Combined M.S.W. and Certificate in Gender Violence Intervention
- Credit hours: 15
- Format: On-campus
Designed to prepare individuals for positions related to understanding, studying, responding to and preventing sexual and domestic violence in a variety of communities and settings. » Learn more
VCU academic partner: Wilder School
Combined M.S.W. and Certificate in Nonprofit Management
- Credit hours: 15
- Format: On-campus & online
Prepares graduates to understand the nonprofit sector’s relationship to the for-profit and government sectors; how to build a fundraising and donor communication plan model; how to budget and evaluate financial management practices; and how to analyze and implement laws relevant to nonprofits and their governance. » Learn more
VCU academic partner: Wilder School
Certified Substance Abuse Counselor Certification
Fast Track to CSAC
- 240 hours: Training in substance use education (through social work coursework)
- 160 hours: Supervised experience (through field placements)
- Format: On-campus & online
The School of Social Work is offering this special credential that signals to potential employers that students have completed the specific education requirements and hold the knowledge necessary to provide substance use counseling. » Learn more
Partners: VCU Rams in Recovery, VCU Institute for Research on Behavioral and Emotional Health; Virginia Board of Counseling
School Social Work Certification
Students with a clinical area of specialization (disclaimer) have the option to pursue coursework that meets the educational requirements for a School Social Work Certification, offered through the Virginia Department of Education. The School Social Work Certification is available only as a fall/spring field placement.
- Format: On-campus & online (tracks supporting required placement)
Dual degrees
Dual-degree study combines the M.S.W. with law or public health degrees Students must apply to and get into each program to participate in the dual-degree program. These are not available in an online format.
- Dual-degree M.S.W. and Juris Doctor (University of Richmond)
- Dual-degree M.S.W. and Master of Public Health at VCU
Accreditation
VCU’s B.S.W. and M.S.W. programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education – the accrediting body for all schools of social work at both the baccalaureate and master’s levels. The VCU Bachelor of Social Work Program is accredited by CSWE through 2027.
Financial aid
M.S.W. students can apply for support such as school scholarships, assistantships and stipends through the Child Welfare Stipend Program or Project PIRR — in addition to aid accessible through VCU's Student Financial Services.
Have questions?
Prospective students interested in an online M.S.W. program option can contact onlinemsw@vcu.edu. For on-campus M.S.W. questions, please reach out to sswinfo@vcu.edu.