MSW CERTIFICATE PROGRAMSGlobal Human Rights Certificate
The University of Pennsylvania Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Studies in Global Human Rights is designed to provide enriched perspectives on human rights. Through this certificate, students will gain a working knowledge of the core international human rights documents, treaties, and mechanisms.
By taking a cross-disciplinary approach, students are challenged to look at similar topics or questions from different approaches. Access to diverse coursework gives students the opportunity to shape this certificate around their own specific interests within human rights.
This Certificate accords with the United Nations Second Phase of the World Program for Human Rights Education (WPHRE) that began in 2010 and focuses on institutions of higher education.
This interdisciplinary certificate is open to students in graduate programs across Penn’s campus. Students do not need to apply to this certificate program. Instead, students fill out a Completion Form when they have finished the course requirements in order to document their completion of the certificate.
It is not always possible for MSW students to complete the Global Human Rights certificate within the 16 courses that are taken for the MSW degree (or 10 courses, in the case of Advanced Standing). In these instances, students who wish to complete the certificate will need to take an additional course or courses and pay the associated tuition and fees.
The charts below indicate sample of courses of study for MSW students who wish to complete the Global Human Rights certificate. These grids are intended to serve as an example only; any student considering the certificate should meet with the Associate Dean of Inclusion as early as possible to outline a course of study.
Detailed information about current certificate requirements, including required courses, approved courses, policies and procedures can be found on the Global Human Rights certificate website.
Sample Grid for Full-time Clinical Students
| Year | Fall | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SWRK 6010: History and Philosophy of Social Work and Social Welfare | SWRK 6140: Foundations of Social Work Practice II |
| SWRK 6020: Human Behavior in the Social Environment | SWRK 6150: Introduction to Social Work Research |
|
| SWRK 6030: American Racism and Social Work Practice | SWRK 7630: Global Human Rights and U.S. Immigration (Policy Option; GHR Course #1) | |
| SWRK 6040: Foundations of Social Work Practice I | SWRK 7600: Mental Health Diagnostics (MSW Elective #1) |
|
| 2 | SWRK 7040: Advanced Clinical Practice I | SWRK 7140: Advanced Clinical Practice II |
| SWRK 7xxx: Research Option | SWRK 7130: Understanding Social Change: Issues of Race and Gender |
|
| SWRK 7550: International Social Work Practicing in the Global South (GHR Course #2; MSW Elective #2) | SWRK 7xxx: Choose an SP2 elective from the list of approved courses on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR course #4; MSW Elective #4)* Students often fulfill this requirement with SWRK 7720: International Social Welfare in India, taken abroad during the summer. Students who do not take SWRK 7720 may need to petition to have one of their other SP2 classes counted towards the GHR certificate. |
|
| xxxx: Choose a non-SP2 elective from the list of approved courses on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR course #3; MSW Elective #3) | xxxx: Pre-approved required course outside of SP2 from the list on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR Course #5; MSW Elective #5)* |
*Course may be offered in a different term and students will need to adjust their schedules accordingly.
Note: If course options or scheduling prevent students from taking the courses suggested above, clinical students may have to take an extra (17th) course in order to meet the certificate requirements. The per-course tuition rate will apply for any additional courses.
Sample Grid for Full-time Macro Students
| Year | Fall | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SWRK 6010: History and Philosophy of Social Work and Social Welfare | SWRK 6140: Foundations of Social Work Practice II |
| SWRK 6020: Human Behavior in the Social Environment | SWRK 6150: Introduction to Social Work Research |
|
| SWRK 6030: American Racism and Social Work Practice | SWRK 7xxx: Policy Option |
|
| SWRK 6040: Foundations of Social Work Practice I | XXXX: Pre-approved required course outside of SP2 from the list on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (MSW Elective #1; GHR Course #1)* | |
| 2 | SWRK 7080: Advanced Macro Social Work Practice I | SWRK 7180: Advanced Macro Social Work Practice II |
| SWRK 7xxx: Research Option | SWRK 7130: Understanding Social Change: Issues of Race and Gender | |
| SWRK 7550: International Social Work Practicing in the Global South (GHR Course #2; MSW Elective #2) | SWRK 7630: Immigration: Implications for Policy and Practice (GHR Course #4; MSW Elective #4; fulfills Macro Practice elective) | |
| SWRK 7xxx: Choose an SP2 elective from the list of approved courses on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR course #3; MSW Elective #3)* Students often fulfill this requirement with SWRK 772: International Social Welfare in India, taken abroad during the summer. Students who do not take SWRK 772 may need to petition to have one of their other SP2 classes counted towards the certificate. | xxxx: Choose a non-SP2 elective from the list of approved courses on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR course #5; MSW Elective #5) |
*Course may be offered in a different term and students will need to adjust their schedules accordingly.
Sample Grid for Advanced Standing Clinical Students
| Summer | Fall | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| SWRK 6200: Integrative Seminar | SWRK 7040: Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice I | SWRK 7140: Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice II |
| SWRK 6030: American Racism and Social Work Practice | SWRK 7600: Mental Health Diagnostics (MSW Elective #1) | SWRK 7130: Understanding Social Change: Issues of Race and Gender |
| SWRK 7xxx: Research Option | SWRK 7550: International Social Work: Practicing in the Global South (GHR course #1; MSW Elective #2) | SWRK 7630: Immigration: Implications for Policy & Practice (GHR Course #3; Policy Option) |
| xxxx: Pre-approved required course outside of SP2 from the list on the Global Human Rights certificate website (GHR course #2; MSW Elective #3) | xxxx: Pre-approved required course outside of SP2 from the list on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR Course #4; MSW Elective #4)* |
*Course may be offered in a different term and students will need to adjust their schedules accordingly.
Note: Advanced Standing Clinical Students will need one more Global Human Rights certificate course. Students may petition one of their required courses. If one of the required MSW courses is not approved, students will have to take an extra (11th) course in order to meet the certificate requirements. The per-course tuition rate will apply for any additional courses.
Sample Grid for Advanced Standing Macro Students
| Summer | Fall | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| SWRK 6200: Integrative Seminar | SWRK 7080: Advanced Macro Social Work Practice I | SWRK 7180: Advanced Macro Social Work Practice II |
| SWRK 6030: American Racism and Social Work Practice | SWRK 6030: American Racism and Social Work Practice | SWRK 7130: Understanding Social Change: Issues of Race and Gender |
| SWRK 7xxx: Research Option | SWRK 7550: International Social Work: Practicing in the Global South (GHR course #1; MSW Elective #2) | SWRK 7630: Immigration: Implications for Policy & Practice (GHR Course #3; Policy Option) |
| xxxx: Choose a non-SP2 elective from the list of approved courses on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR course #2; MSW Elective #2) | xxxx: Pre-approved required course outside of SP2 from the list on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR Course #4; MSW Elective #4)* |
Note: A fifth Global Human Rights course is required; Advanced Standing macro students will have to take an extra course or petition and get approved one of their required courses. The per-course tuition rate will apply for any additional courses.
Sample Grid for Part-Time Clinical Students
| Year | Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SWRK 6010: History and Philosophy of Social Work and Social Welfare | SWRK 7630: Global Human Rights and U.S. Immigration (Policy Option; GHR Course #1) | SWRK 7xxx: Research option |
| SWRK 6030: American Racism and Social Work Practice | SWRK 6150: Introduction to Social Work Research | SWRK 7600: Mental Health Diagnostics (required clinical elective, MSW Elective #1) | |
| 2 | SWRK 6020: Human Behavior in the Social Environment | SWRK 6140: Foundations of Social Work Practice II | SWRK 7xxx: Choose an SP2 elective from the list of approved courses on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR course #3; MSW Elective #3)* |
| SWRK 6040: Foundations of Social Work Practice I | xxxx: Choose a non-SP2 elective from the list of approved courses on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR course #2; MSW Elective #2) | xxxx: Pre-approved required course outside of SP2 from the list on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR Course #4; MSW Elective #4)* | |
| 3 | SWRK 7040: Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice I | SWRK 7140: Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice II | |
| SWRK 7550: International Social Work Practicing in the Global South (GHR Course #5; MSW Elective #5) | SWRK 7130: Understanding Social Change |
*Course may be offered in a different term and students will need to adjust their schedules accordingly.
Note: If course options or scheduling prevent students from taking the courses suggested above, part-time clinical students may have to take an extra (17th) course in order to meet the certificate requirements. The per-course tuition rate will apply for any additional courses.
Sample Grid for Part-Time Macro Students
| Year | Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SWRK 6010: History and Philosophy of Social Work and Social Welfare | SWRK 7630: Global Human Rights and U.S. Immigration (Policy Option; GHR Course #1) | SWRK 7xxx: Research option |
| SWRK 6030: American Racism and Social Work Practice | SWRK 6150: Introduction to Social Work Research | SWRK 7xxx: Elective (Required Macro designated elective, MSW Elective #1) | |
| 2 | SWRK 6020: Human Behavior in the Social Environment | SWRK 6140: Foundations of Social Work Practice II | SWRK 7xxx: Choose an SP2 elective from the list of approved courses on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR course #3; MSW Elective #3)* |
| SWRK 6040: Foundations of Social Work Practice I | xxxx: Choose a non-SP2 elective from the list of approved courses on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR course #2; MSW Elective #2) | xxxx: Pre-approved required course outside of SP2 from the list on the Global Human Rights certificate website. (GHR Course #4; MSW Elective #4)* | |
| 3 | SWRK 7080: Advanced Macro Social Work Practice I | SWRK 7180: Advanced Macro Social Work Practice II | |
| SWRK 7550: International Social Work Practicing in the Global South (GHR Course #5; MSW Elective #5) | SWRK 7130: Understanding Social Change |
*Course may be offered in a different term and students will need to adjust their schedules accordingly.
Note: If course options or scheduling prevent students from taking the courses suggested above, part-time macro students may have to take an extra (17th) course in order to meet the certificate requirements. The per-course tuition rate will apply for any additional courses.
Contact Us
Joretha N. Bourjolly, MSW, PhD
Associate Professor/Clinician Educator
Associate Dean for Inclusion
215 898 5524