Certificates and Training
FSU College of Social Work Certificate Programs
Prepare for your career by participating in one of our various certificate programs, each focusing on a specialized discipline within the field of social work. These programs leverage the knowledge and practical experience of our esteemed faculty to ready both graduate and undergraduate students for professional practice.
**Note: All certificate programs require an application. Please see each certificate for details. In accordance with the regulations of the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) Regulation 8.011(7)(b), “Students are required to apply as soon as possible (and prior to completing the second course in the program), and must be notified as soon as possible whether they are accepted into the program.”
Child Welfare Practice Certificate
The Child Welfare Practice Certificate Program is designed for undergraduate and graduate social work students who wish to develop knowledge and skills in child welfare practice and children’s mental health. Students who complete the certificate program will be provided instruction based on the following areas of child welfare practice:
- Multidimensional assessment (including risk & safety assessment)
- Children’s interviewing techniques
- Intervention planning and referral processes
- Historical issues in child welfare
- Current child welfare policy
- Child psychopathology in the child welfare system
- Prevalence and etiology of children’s mental health diagnoses
- A generalists perspective in treating children’s mental health issues
The College also offers a “Child Welfare Practice Certificate for Professionals” for those with child welfare practice experience who would like to enhance their skills by completing coursework in the field. These applicants are eligible to enroll in the required courses as “non-degree seeking” or “Special Students.” For more information on this admission status, go to: https://admissions.fsu.edu/NonDegreeApp.
Professional applicants must complete the Child Welfare Practice Certificate application and provide documentation of at least 1 year of work experience in child welfare practice. The core courses are available online for the convenience of working applicants.
To learn more, please contact Betty Lanese at (850) 644-5713 or blanese@fsu.edu.
Applying for the Child Welfare Practice Certificate:
A completed application package shall include the following:
- Complete online application form (below).
- Proposed program of studies – please outline your curriculum plan for completing the certificate program (specify courses for each semester).
- One (1) letter of support (academic or employment).
- A statement of your career goals (5 page limit) addressing how the certificate/specialized studies program will aid in accomplishing your goals.
- A copy of your updated resume.
*The submission of an application does not guarantee admission to the program.
*In accordance with the regulations of the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) Regulation 8.011(7)(b), “Students are required to apply as soon as possible (and prior to completing the second course in the program), and must be notified as soon as possible whether they are accepted into the program.”
*Degree-seeking students must be accepted to both the University and the College of Social Work.
*Non-degree seeking students can apply through the FSU Office of Admissions (850-644-3420) and then contact the College of Social Work for acceptance into the certificate/specialized studies program.
*NOTE: IMS students interested in pursuing the degree-seeking certificate can contact their advisor for qualifications.
Required Courses
- SOW 4658/5659: Child Maltreatment & Child Welfare
- SOW 4650/5656: Child Welfare Practice
- SOW 4702/5712: Substance Use and Abuse
- SOW 4615/5614: Family Violence
(NOTE: Recommended course sequence is SOW 4658/5659: Child Maltreatment and Child Welfare, and then SOW 4650/5656: Child Welfare Practice.)
Certificate Requirements
Internship Requirements
Internships are primarily located within the Department of Children and Families and Community-based Care Agencies around the state of Florida; however, other agencies are appropriate if they meet the following guidelines:
- The agency must have a child welfare focus.
- Opportunity to work directly with clients.
- Opportunity to work in all phases of the child welfare process.
- At least 50% of the internship must involve direct client contact.
- Opportunity to conduct an evaluation of child welfare practice.
- Agency can provide an MSW supervisor possessing child welfare practice skills acquired through a minimum of two years’ post-master’s experience.
Please Note: The Certificate Chair can help clarify what constitutes an appropriate internship for this certificate; however, the final decision on internship locations is determined by the Office of Field Education. Students are restricted from contacting any agency without permission from the Office of Field Education.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there exceptions for those who are employed by the Department of Children and Families or Community-based Care agencies?
Current employees of the Department of Children and Families and Community-based Care agencies may be exempt from the Professional Certificate internship requirement, but degree-seeking students are not.
What is the time limit to complete the Certificate?
All requirements must be completed within four (4) years from the date of acceptance into the certificate program.
Leadership in Executive and Administrative Development (LEAD) Certificate Program
The Leadership in Executive and Administrative Development (LEAD) Certificate Program educates students about leadership theories and practices and provides students with leadership experience. Learning about leadership gives students the skills that they need for middle and executive positions in social service organizations. An in-depth curriculum that emphasizes leadership, decision-making, client-centered management, team building, negotiating, budget and finance, and the successful management of grants guides our students in the direction of being able to successfully manage social service agencies.
Prerequisites
- All applicants must have a bachelor’s degree.
- Applicants can apply prior to taking any LEAD courses but in accordance with the regulations of the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) Regulation 8.011(7)(b), “Students are required to apply as soon as possible (and prior to completing the second course in the program), and must be notified as soon as possible whether they are accepted into the program.”
- Applicants who are degree-seeking need to be accepted to the College of Social Work and Florida State University
- All applicants must past the LEAD standardized exam with a score of 70% or better. This exam is taken online at the completion of ALL four required courses.
Required Courses
12 credit hours. Core courses are offered at the Tallahassee campus and online.
- SOW 5435: Social Program Evaluation (3 credit hours)
- SOW 5376: Budget and Finance in the Social Services (3 credit hours)
- SOW 5377: Social Work Administration (3 credit hours)
- SOW 5455: Grant Writing and Grant Management (3 credit hours)
**Students must also pass the LEAD Certificate Exam with a 70% or better and must complete the certificate within four years.
Twelve hours of certificate courses may be applied toward a Master’s degree in social work if the student is accepted. Only courses with a B or better grade can be accepted and can only be taken once.
Course Rotation
The course rotation is subject to change.
Spring
- On campus: SOW 5455: Grant Writing & Grant Management
- Online: SOW 5376: Budgeting & Finance in the Social Services
Summer
- On campus: SOW 5476: Budgeting & Finance in the Social Services
- Online: SOW 5455: Grant Writing & Grant Management / SOW5377: Social Work Administration
Fall
- On campus: SOW5377: Social Work Administration / SOW5435: Social Program Evaluation
- Online: SOW5435: Social Program Evaluation
To learn more, please contact Betty Lanese at (850) 644-5713 or blanese@fsu.edu.
Applying for the LEAD in Social Work Certificate:
A completed application package shall include the following:
- Complete the online application form (below).
- Proposed program of studies – Please outline your curriculum plan for completing the certificate program (specify courses for each semester).
- One (1) letter of support (academic or employment).
- A statement of your career goals (5-page limit) addressing how the certificate/specialized studies program will aid in accomplishing your goals.
- A copy of your updated resume.
*The submission of an application does not guarantee admission to the program.
*Degree-seeking students must be accepted to both the University and the College of Social Work.
*Non-degree seeking students can apply through the FSU Office of Admissions (850-644-3420) and then contact the College of Social Work for acceptance into the certificate/specialized studies program.
As of Fall 2025, the Gerontology Certificate will be ending. New applications are no longer being accepted; however, students who have previously been approved may still complete the certificate. The information below is only relevant to students who are currently completing the Gerontology Certificate.
The mission of this certificate is to educate students about gerontological theories and practices, and to provide them with gerontological internship and service-learning experiences. These educational objectives will equip these students with the skills necessary for frontline positions in practice and administrative roles in social service organizations that focus on serving older adults.
For questions relating to this certificate, please contact Carol Edwards at (850) 645-9571 or carol.edwards@fsu.edu.
Florida Institute for Child Welfare Course Catalog
The Florida Institute for Child Welfare’s (FICW) overall goal is to cultivate a competent, professional, and effective workforce that positively impacts engagement with vulnerable families. To accomplish this, the FICW houses a series of courses and certifications that enhance preparedness, development, and training from the classroom to the frontline.
Using evidence-based and trauma-informed techniques, these learning opportunities prepare and train current and future child welfare professionals to ultimately protect children and strengthen families.
Through Advanced Certifications from the MyALIGN program, the FICW offers evidence-based, trauma-informed online courses that build frontline workers’ skills to promote a resilient workforce and, as a result, improve the safety and well-being of Florida families.
Strength, Trauma and Resilience Studies (STARS)
Presents child welfare professionals with concrete tools for growing child, parental, and family resilience.
Learn more at FICW.FSU.EDU/STARS
Support of Substance Use (SOS) Interventions in Family Systems
Offers a simplified model that infuses best practices for child welfare professionals to promote effective engagement with substance-involved families.
Learn more at FICW.FSU.EDU/SOS
Strategies for Addressing Family Violence and Enhancing Resilience (SAFER)
Provides practical tools to address domestic violence in cases of child maltreatment.
Learn on Demand courses provide further opportunities for child welfare professionals to build capacity and skillset around specific issues from the field through shorter self-directed and self-paced training opportunities. The MyALIGN program from the FICW offers these online courses to Florida's child welfare workforce on a variety of topics.
- Nonviolent Communication: Emphasizes positive social change through nonviolent communication (NVC), providing skills to lead with empathetic communication.
- Infant Mental Health: Provides a basic understanding of infant mental health and how to integrate key concepts to improve outcomes for young children and families.
- Training to Harness and Integrate Neurodiversity Knowledge (THINK): Offers new approaches to better accommodate and collaborate with neurodiverse children and families.
Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) Program
The Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) program, facilitated by the Zero to Three project, is available to undergraduate and graduate students at FSU. CAST provides students with the skills to build a resilient foundation for working within child welfare systems and equips future professionals with tools to recognize and respond to child maltreatment.
Justice and Health Innovation Research Institute Training and Certifications
The Justice and Health Innovation Research Institute, or JHI, addresses disparities between the justice system and the fields of behavioral health and substance use. The institute's mission is to address these areas in a way that advances creating pathways of recovery, resilience and dignity to disrupt cycles of justice involvement and help individuals and communities thrive. JHI's integrated approach and holistic vision advances health and justice in tandem, utilizing science and evidence-based translational research and interventions in underserved settings and populations to improve the well-being of individuals, families and communities.
Browse the FSU JHI Training Catalog
FSU JHI Training/Certification Highlights:
The Forensic Behavioral Health Professional Certification will prepare behavioral health professionals to practice forensic behavioral health in the United States legal system.
Benefits to Behavioral Health Professionals:
- Increase provider knowledge of the court systems in the U.S.
- Provide a better understanding of the importance of the relationship between practitioners and attorneys, including the many roles practitioners can have in the legal system
- Improve practice competence in forensic behavioral health
- Boost participant knowledge of practicing behavioral health professionals to operate in the varying court systems in the U.S.
- Educate the participants on the importance of the relationship between behavioral health practitioners and attorneys
- Identify and explore the different roles for behavioral health professionals, and the mechanics of how to interview, prepare reports, and work with attorneys and the court
Learn more and register at: fbhp.fsu.edu or click the link below.
Learn more and Register for the Forensic Behavioral Health Professional Certification