Minor and Certificate Programs
Minor
The transcript-recognized undergraduate academic minor must be completed in conjunction with an undergraduate degree at The University of Texas at Austin. For more information regarding the requirements for achieving a minor, including a comprehensive list of minors, please visit the Minor and Certificate Programs section of the Undergraduate Catalog.
Social Work Minor
A Social Work Minor requires completion of 15 semester hours, six of which must be upper-division. All courses in the Social Work minor must be taken on a letter grade basis and students must earn a minimum grade of a C.
All interested students must apply for admission to the minor. To be eligible, students must satisfy the following requirements:
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| S W 310 | Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare 1 | 3 |
| Submission of a personal statement of interest in the Social Work Minor | ||
| Minimum University of Texas at Austin GPA of 2.0 | ||
| -- | ||
| 1. With a minimum grade of a "C" | ||
Required Courses
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| S W 310 | Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare | 3 |
| S W 312 | Generalist Social Work Practice: Knowledge, Values, and Skills | 3 |
| S W 325 | Foundations of Social Justice | 3 |
| Students will choose 2 additional courses from S W 360K numbered topic courses to complete their required 15 semester hours. | 6 | |
Disability Studies Minor
A program that focuses on the nature, meaning, and consequences of what it is to be defined as disabled and explores the historical, cultural, economic, physiological, and socio-political dynamics of disability. Includes instruction in disability rights, legal issues, and public policy; literature, philosophy, and the arts; and/or research in the social sciences, education, and health sciences addressing social and experiential aspects of disability.
All interested students must apply for admission to the minor. To be eligible, students must 1) submit a personal statement of interest in the Disability Studies Minor, and 2) have an overall minimum University of Texas at Austin GPA of 2.5.
The Disability Studies Minor requirements are:
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| S W 325 | Foundations of Social Justice | 3 |
| S W 360K | Current Social Work Topics (Topic 19: The Social Construction of Disability) | 3 |
| S W 360K | Current Social Work Topics (Topic 24: Making Systems Work for People with Disabilities) | 3 |
| Six hours chosen from: | 6 | |
| Individual Differences | ||
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Human Variation | ||
| Topics in Educational Psychology | ||
| Studies in Human Movement: Topical Studies | ||
| Programming for People with Disabilities | ||
| Specialized Topics in Nursing | ||
| Autism Spectrum Disorder: Truths and Consequences | ||
| Introduction to Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences | ||
| Perspectives on Deafness | ||
| Current Social Work Topics | ||
| Please Note: | ||
| All courses in the disability studies minor must be taken on a letter grade basis, and students must earn a minimum grade of a C. | ||
Certificates
Certificate in Public Safety for Bachelor of Social Work Students
The certificate in public safety provides undergraduate social work students with coursework and service learning opportunities that prepare them for careers in public safety. These careers may include work in such settings as law enforcement, fire departments, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and emergency management at the local, state, and national levels.
Requirements:
The certificate will be awarded to students whose successful completion of the BSW program of work includes six courses (18 hours) in the area of focus, including:
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| PSF 311 | Social Work and Public Safety | 3 |
| S W 325 | Foundations of Social Justice | 3 |
| Three courses chosen from the following: | 9 | |
| Introductory Topics in Social Work (Topic 3: Introduction to the Criminal Justice System) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 3: Treatment of Substance Use Disorders) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 4: Social Work Practice with Abused and Neglected Children and their Families) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 5: Advanced Topics in Social and Economic Justice) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 6: Contemporary Issues in Domestic Violence) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 8: Leadership in the Community) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 9: Loss and Grief: Individual, Family, and Cultural Perspectives) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 11: Communication Skills in Interdisciplinary Settings) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 12: Social Work in the Legal System) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 14: Working with Youth Gangs) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 15: Youth, Delinquency, and Juvenile Justice) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 17: Principles of Recovery and Relapse Prevention) | ||
| Current Social Work Topics (Topic 18: Mental Health Issues in Public Safety) | ||
| PSF 360K | Public Safety Field Immersion 1 | 3 |
| --- | ||
| 1. Field Immersion Placements: Placements will be completed in public safety related settings, including such possibilities as the Austin Police Department, The University of Texas at Austin Police Department, Travis County Sheriff's Office, the Department of Corrections, City of Austin Office of Emergency Management, Travis County Office of Emergency Management, and Austin EMS. | ||
Application Process:
Students will complete an application form and submit it to the Undergraduate Program Coordinator, who, in consultation with the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, will offer admission to the Certificate Program.