Students who are already enrolled in the Masters of Science in Social Work program may also earn a graduate certificate in veterinary social work. This certificate program will provide students with the coursework and practical experience needed to incorporate and facilitate human-animal interaction programs and interventions in ethically sound ways.

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus

Nashville Campus

Distance Education

Graduate Certificate Type

Add-On

Admissions Standards/Procedures

• To be admitted to this program, student’s must
  • Meet the Graduate Admission requirements for a certificate program
  • Have passed all coursework in the generalist year of the Masters of Science in Social Work program
  • Submit a departmental application prior to their concentration year and agree to program requirements
• Students selected for admission must be formally admitted to the certificate program through the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Credit Hours Required

24 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

• SOWK 567  (3 credit hours)
• SOWK 557  (3 credit hours)
• SOWK 577  (3 credit hours)
• For students in the MSSW Clinical Practice concentration, 3 credit hours with an assignment in the course on a veterinary social work topic. Select from SOWK 560 , SOWK 562 , SOWK 563 , or SOWK 565 .
• For students in the MSSW Organizational Leadership concentration, 3 credit hours with an assignment in the course on a veterinary social work topic. Select from SOWK 545 , SOWK 547 , SOWK 548 , or SOWK 549 .
• 12 credit hours in a field placement with a veterinary social work component.

Additional Course Requirements

• Other courses may, where appropriate, be substituted for the courses listed above with the permission of the Director of the Veterinary Social Work Certificate Program (VSW-CP).
• All graduate certificates require 3 credit hours (1 course) over and above that which is required for the MSSW program.

Non-Course Requirements

• Attend live web meetings during concentration year.
• Complete the face to face Veterinary Social Work Intensive and AAI Workshop.
• Online modules must be completed before face-to-face events.
• To receive the certificate, students must:

1) complete the Graduate Certificate Course Verification Form (located on the Graduate School webpage under the Forms Central tab) and

2) through MyUTK, apply to graduate from the certificate program.