Required Coursework

Required Courses for the PPS/SSW Credential Program

In addition to successfully completing all requirements for the Master of Social Welfare (MSW) degree at Berkeley, students seeking the PPS/SSW credential must complete three additional required courses as part of their program of study:

  1. SOC WEL 212: Child Development from Infancy to Adolescence in its Social Context
  2. SOC WEL 232: Social Work and Education Policy
  3. SOC WEL 250T: Social Work Practice in School Settings

Grading in Credential-required Coursework

Per CTC regulations any coursework submitted for evaluation as part of a credential application must be passed with a grade of C or better. The credential-required courses listed above may be taken on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) basis at Berkeley; however, students should be mindful of the limit on the total number of units that may be taken for the MSW degree (no more than one-third of total coursework).

PPS/SSW Course Waivers and Transfer Credit Policy

Both SOC WEL 232 and SOC WEL 250T must be completed at Berkeley in order to be eligible for a PPS/SSW credential recommendation from Berkeley Social Welfare. No transfer credit or waivers are granted for either of these courses.

SOC WEL 212 is required for the Berkeley MSW specialization in Strengthening Children, Youth and Families (SCYF). PPS/SSW students may petition to waive this course requirement if they can provide proof of completion of another college-level course that addresses equivalent content and it is approved by our program.

How to Petition for a Waiver of SOC WEL 212

Students who have completed a college-level course in child development that addresses content equivalent to SOC WEL 212 may petition to substitute the previous course for the SOC WEL 212 requirement. To request a course waiver, students submit a request to the PPSC Program Coordinator:

  1.  Obtain a copy of the syllabus for the course you are requesting to serve as a substitute for SOC WEL 212. Course descriptions are not sufficient for evaluation.
  2. State your request in an e-mail to the PPSC Program Coordinator. Include the substitute course syllabus as an attachment, and state in your request:
    1. the name of the substitute course.
    2. the year and semester in which you took the course, and the institution where you took it.
    3. the grade you received in the course, and how many units of credit you received for it.