Social Work and Human Services

                                                            

The Social Work and Human Services AA-T started in 2020-21, and has steadily grown at CCSF. Since the program’s inception in 2020-21, CCSF has awarded 48 AA-T degrees in Social Work and Human Services, with 19 of those from the last year alone. Enrollment has steadily increased, with 17 students already registered for the SOC 12: Fieldwork/Practicum: Social Work and Human Services capstone course in Spring 2026 and 77 students already registered for the SOC 11: Intro to Social Work and Human Services course in Spring 2026. We are working with a CCSF Career Services Employment & Training Specialist for help in preparing students for their placements and identifying new placements if needed.

                                               

                                                            

Occupational: Students completing this certificate program will be more than qualified for entry-level human services positions in the social work field.

                                               

                                                            

Occupational: Students completing this certificate program will be more than qualified for entry-level human services positions in the social work field.

                       

Catalog Description

                       

The Certificate of Achievement in Social Work and Human Services is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment in the human services field. Social Work is an applied behavioral science and focuses on the essential information for understanding and critically analyzing behavior, social forces, and conditions in diverse environments. Students will gain essential skills and hands-on experience in providing human services. The certificate will enable students to develop an analysis of how social conditions contribute to inequality and the need for social services. The certificate will be particularly valuable to students who may already possess bachelor's degrees in other fields, but are returning to school to train for a new career in the social work and human services fields.

                       

Learning Outcomes

                       

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

                       

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  ●  Critique major theories related to the understanding of social problems and social welfare policy.

                              
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  ●  Apply various methods of inquiry including statistical analysis to examine social welfare issues

                              
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  ●  Apply the biopsychosocial model to understand real-life experiences of persons from diverse backgrounds.

                                 

  The minimum time for completion of this certificate is 2 semesters. Completion time will vary based on student preparation and number of units or classes completed per semester.

                              
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Courses Required for the Certificate of Achievement in Social Work and Human Services

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Course	Units	Year/Sem
Required
PSYC C1000 - Introduction to Psychology	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
SOC 1 - Introduction to Sociology	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
SOC 11 - Intro to Social Work and Human Services	3.00	Sem. 1
SOC 120A - Social Work Seminar	1.00	Sem. 2
SOC 120B - Social Work Practicum	2.00	Sem. 2
Total:	12.00
Choose two courses from the following
ADMJ 57 - Introduction to Administration of Justice	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
ANTH 3 - Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
COMM 5 - Intercultural Communication	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
HLTH 30 - Drugs, Health, and Society	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
PSYC 10 - Abnormal Psychology	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
PSYC 21 - Lifespan Development	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
SOC 2 - Sociology of Deviance and Crime	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
SOC 3 - Social Problems	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
SOC 7 - Race, Ethnicity, and Society	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
SOC 35 - Sex, Marriage, and Family Relationships	3.00	Sem. 1 or 2
Total:	6.00
Total:	18.00

        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

                                                            

This certificate is related to our Social Work and Human Services AA-T degree. The certificate shares the same 5 required core courses, but does not include the GE requirements of an AA-T degree. The certificate is composed of 18.0-units of coursework, allowing students to complete the entire program in two semesters.

                                               

                                                            

Individuals trained in Social Work and Human Services are in high demand in human service agencies. This certificate will give students a pathway into the field of social work and human services that is less lengthy than the more traditional pathway of a prospective social worker with a Bachelor's degree or Masters in Social Work. Keeping up with workforce training needs such as this is primary to the mission, curriculum, and master planning of the college and higher education in California.

                                               

                                                            

Other community colleges with similar Social Work and Human Services certificates are at Berkeley City College, College of Marin, and Contra Costa College. Because our certificate has a capstone practice class with placements in San Francisco, we do not utilize the same practicum placements as these schools. Our program will not overlap with these programs for this reason. Students in San Francisco need these placement options to complete the work experience portion of the certificate. We do not overlap with other programs and their students outside of San Francisco because our placements are almost exclusively in San Francisco. This is particularly important for students who rely on public transportation. These placements are part of our already existing and established AA-T degree in Social Work and Human Services, thus it does not represent an expansion, but just a streamlining of the program options. Our advisory board recommended this expansion. Creating the Certificate of Achievement will allow students to enter the workforce more quickly, some of whom have been offered employment following their practicum completion.