WI Social Work Certification for Non-Social Work (No BSW) BA/BS Students

(Vogt; Bald & Johnson, 2006)

Many students who are majoring in social sciences such as sociology and psychology are interested in working in the human services/social services field. There are many opportunities for jobs in human services/social services that do not require the job applicant to be social work certified. However, there are also jobs that require social worker certification. Individuals without the BSW or MSW must become state certified in order to take jobs that state that the individual must have social work certification. The state of Wisconsin has a website that presents detailed information on certification for non-social work degree graduates. If you have questions regarding the process, you should always check with the state department of regulation and licensing to assure that you are following the appropriate steps toward licensure.

Below are some of the state of Wisconsin Social Work License Certification webpages, the links can be confusing, so you will want to print all related documents, particularly these:

http://drl.wi.gov/prof/socw/def.htm

http://drl.wi.gov/prof/soct/form.htm

http://drl.wi.gov/dept/forms/fm2272.pdf

http://drl.wi.gov/dept/forms/fm2436.pdf

http://drl.wi.gov/dept/forms/insert/hp/SWTrainCertAppNonBSWCourses.pdf

http://drl.wi.gov/prof/soct/cred.htm

The Certification Process

You must obtain a Wisconsin Social Worker Training Certificate (http://drl.wi.gov/prof/soct/cred.htm and http://drl.wi.gov/dept/forms/form2272.pdf) To begin this process, you must do the following:

ü      Obtain a bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, criminal justice or an otherwise approved major with an overall GPA of 2.5 and:

ü      Take for credit, from the approved list or a course that is pre-approved, the following four courses (during or after obtaining your degree and during or after obtaining your training certificate):

1.      A 3 credit course in Social Welfare Policy and Services.

2.      A 3 credit Social Work Practice Methods I- focuses on practice methods with individuals. (sociology and psychology research methods classes do not count)

3.      A 3 credit Social Work Practice Methods II- focuses on practice methods with groups, communities and organizations. (sociology and psychology research methods classes do not count)

4.      A 3 credit course in Human Behavior and the Social Environment. “This can also be a Human Growth and Development through the Lifespan, Developmental Psychology, or a combination of 3 or more separate courses that cover 3 different phases of the life span”.

(See http://drl.wi.gov/dept/forms/insert/hp/SWTrainCertAppNonBSWCourses.pdf

For the approved list of courses offered in WI.)

After obtaining the training certificate you must

(see http://drl.wi.gov/prof/soct/cred.htm and http://drl.wi.gov/dept/forms/fm2266.pdf )

ü      “Complete one of the following (must have training certificate for time/hours to count) One year minimum- at least 400 hours of direct practice:

a.  A human services internship that involves direct practice with clients and that is supervised by a social worker certified under Chapter 457, Wis. Stats, who has a bachelor's or master's degree in social work.

b. One year of social work employment that involves direct practice with clients and that is supervised by a social worker certified under Chapter 457, Wis. Stats, who has a bachelor's or master's degree in social work, and that involves at least 400 hours of face-to-face client contact in not less than 12 months.”

ü      “Candidate must pass a national examination and a state jurisprudence examination at any time either before or after completing the coursework and training to be eligible for a social worker certificate.” ( See Social Worker  http://drl.wi.gov/prof/socw/def.htm )

While courses in developmental psychology offered at UW-L are likely to meet the requirements for certification, the other required courses must be taken elsewhere. In the La Crosse area, Upper Iowa University (a private university in Iowa) offers the required certification courses on the Western Technical College (WTC) campus. Here is the link to UIU if you are interested in their coursework:

http://www.uiu.edu/offcampus/us/us_prairie.html

http://www.uiu.edu/catalogs/eu/html/undergrad_degrees_human_services.html#wisconsin

http://www.uiu.edu/distance/online/on_undergraduate/index_undergrad.html

Other WI state universities that offer necessary coursework are UW – Platteville, UW – Stevens Point, and UW – Stout. See the approved list for details and contact the university directly to see if/when courses are available.http://drl.wi.gov/dept/forms/insert/hp/SWTrainCertAppNonBSWCourses.pdf 

You may also be interested in reviewing materials from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW): http://www.socialworkers.org/

In Minnesota, licensing is different and there are exemptions from social work certification for:

“A social work license is required to practice in Minnesota except as provided in Minnesota Statutes, Section 148D.065 which exempts the following persons from licensure:

• Persons employed by city, county and state agencies
• Persons employed by federally recognized tribes
• Persons employed by private, nonprofit agencies with a primary service focus specific to an ethnic minority population and the social worker is a member of the same population
• Students engaged in practice in an internship program required for a social work degree”

See:

http://www.socialwork.state.mn.us/