School and Educational Settings

Preparing Students to Enrich School Communities

The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work is one of the few schools of social work in the United States to offer a specialized curriculum and certification opportunity in school and educational settings. School social workers play an increasingly important role in fostering students’ social and emotional well-being for productive learning in the classroom.

This track** offers a unique opportunity to operate at all three levels of social work practice – micro, mezzo and macro – addressing the needs of individual students, but also coordination and collaboration with the school community and leadership.

Program Overview

To become a school social worker, a Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC) in School Social Work is required. The PPSC prepares students to work with children and adolescents in K– 12 school settings.

**Students complete their specialized coursework and training in integrative social work practice typically in semesters three and four of the MSW curriculum. When completing their specialization, students may select one of five track options that introduces them to practice with a particular client population, setting or system. Tracks consist of six units of integrative practice and three units of integrative assessment and evaluation which can be completed within the existing 48-unit curriculum. Tracks, and the courses comprising them, align with opportunities for graduates' careers in social work practice. Availability of tracks and associated courses during any given academic year is contingent upon minimum enrollment requirements.