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College of Humanities and Social Sciences 
School of Social Work

Pathways to Certification

Select your pathway to certification while earning your degree.

Certification Options

We offer a variety of pathways to certification that prepare our students for specialization in the Social Work profession. Our options include:

  • School Social Work Licensure
    • Licensure of school social workers in North Carolina is handled by the Licensure Division in the Department of Public Instruction, upon recommendation of DPI-approved social work programs. Therefore, we are an approved social work program that provides the school social work license “Graduate Level M” and “Undergraduate Level A”. For additional information regarding this pathway to certification, please contact NC State Faculty, Darlene Johnson at dljohn12@ncsu.edu.
    Child Welfare Education Collaborative
    •  The Child Welfare Education Collaborative is a certification program that equips both graduate and undergraduate social work students with the skills needed to be successful within the field of Child Welfare. The goal of the Child Welfare Education Collaborative is to cultivate competent, family centered, social workers with a level of expertise in working in Child Welfare System specifically focusing on issues of abuse and neglect in cases involving children and families. North Carolina State University is one of the 13 colleges in North Carolina that participates in the collaborative. For additional information regarding this pathway to certification, please contact Dr. Yarneccia D. Dyson.
  • Addiction and Recovery Certification
    •  The School of Social Work offers an Addictions and Recovery specialty, which is a set of electives, practicum, and specialty supervision for MSW students interested in becoming a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS), credentialed by the North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board (NCSAPPB). Completing this curriculum will prepare the student to apply for the LCAS Associate from under Criteria C upon graduation. For additional information regarding this pathway to certification, please contact NC State Faculty, David Fitzpatrick at dcfitzp2@ncsu.edu.