WSU student teacher sitting with young children.

School Social Work

Certificate

PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

Look beyond a single behavior or problem to understand what may be happening in a student’s life. Be the person who a student knows they can turn to when school feels like more than they can handle.

Get the specialized training that current school social workers say they needed from day one.

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Why Study School Social Work at Winona State?

School is where young people spend a huge part of their lives. That makes it one of the most important places for social workers to create change.

School social workers help students navigate issues that can make it difficult to learn, connect, and feel successful at school.

Maybe a student is showing signs of trauma that are interfering with their ability to learn, and they need a comprehensive assessment to identify the right course of intervention.

Maybe another student is in crisis, and they need a mental health professional who understands how to respond within the structure of a school day.

Or maybe a teacher wants a clinical perspective on how to support a student who’s having a hard time.

School social workers step into these moments every day.

Working alongside teachers, counselors, administrators, families, and community partners, they help students overcome barriers and build a path forward.

Unlike general clinical social work, school social work requires you to understand the policies, culture, legal requirements, and support systems that shape a school.

The School Social Work graduate certificate at Winona State gives you the focused training to work confidently in that environment.

This fully online program was designed based on a needs assessment of practicing Minnesota school social workers.

In other words, you’ll learn skills that professionals in the field have said they actually need, like understanding educational systems, assessing student needs, and choosing evidence-based interventions.

Imagine yourself as the trusted adult who helps a student feel seen, supported, and ready to take their next step. That future is possible with the School Social Work graduate certificate.

This program is available through the Department of Graduate Social Work.

What Will You Learn as a School Social Work Student?

Great school social workers need more than a desire to help. They need to know how schools work, how to understand what students are experiencing, and how to turn that knowledge into meaningful support.

As a School Social Work student, you’ll learn how to help students while working within the unique culture, policies, and systems that shape K–12 schools.

You’ll also:

conduct student assessments to identify risk and resiliency factors.
communicate assessment findings with families and educational teams.
explore trauma-informed practices and behavioral regulation strategies that can be used across multiple tiers of student support.
choose and deliver interventions that can help students make progress.
work with teachers, administrators, and other professionals to get a fuller picture of a student’s needs.

You’ll put these skills into practice through case studies, simulations, and collaborative projects that mirror the kinds of situations you may encounter in a school.

Program Highlights

Flexible Coursework

You can build your specialization in school social work without putting your career or education on hold.

All 3 classes in this program are fully online and are offered in an accelerated 7-week format.

And with the option to take courses individually, this program was intentionally designed to be flexible and to fit into a working professional’s schedule.

Financial Aid

This program is supported by the Student Support Personnel Grant, which is funded by the Minnesota Department of Education.

Eligible students who commit to pursuing school social work employment in Minnesota may receive up to $6,000 in financial aid while completing this graduate certificate.

Open to All

The School Social Work graduate certificate is a great fit for many types of students and professionals, like:

a BSW recent graduate who wants to stand out when applying to K–12 social work positions.
an MSW student or recent graduate who wants specialized training in school social work.
an early-career school social worker who entered the field without school-specific preparation and who wants to build their confidence.
a licensed social worker in Minnesota already working at a school who wants graduate credits that could help them secure a salary lane change.
a social worker transitioning from clinical or community practice into a school-based role.
a working professional who wants to add a school social work specialty without relocating or stepping away from their job.