New online certificate program in domestic violence debuts at ASU in fall
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Arizona State University is expanding the reach of a certificate program that prepares social services providers to serve people affected by domestic violence by offering the curriculum online starting this fall.
Intimate partner violence (IPV), as it’s also known, affects up to half of all people in the U.S. during their lifetimes, said School of Social Work Professor Jill Messing.
Messing, who directs the school’s Office of Gender-Based Violence, said adding an online program for both undergraduate and graduate students to an existing in-person curriculum offers more learners important tools to assist affected individuals.
Messing said that since IPV incidents occur so often, the knowledge that the program offers is essential to anyone providing social services, or who works with people across a range of settings including health care and education.
“Whatever area of work you go into, even if you don’t think you’ll be working with domestic violence survivors, you probably will at some point in your career, because it’s so prevalent,” Messing said. “It’s really important to learn how to intervene appropriately.”
Like the in-person program, the certificate program, offered through ASU Online, will be taught by full-time social work faculty from the Office of Gender-Based Violence.
Students take five courses to earn the certificate. For students who have an internship in their program, up to two of the certificate courses can be in practicum or internship.
“We prioritize practicum experiences because it is important for students to implement the knowledge that they gain through their courses in real-world settings,” Messing said.
Each course is designed to provide students with specific knowledge and skills for their future careers. This feature of the ASU program is not found at other universities, which tend to include some classes that are not specifically about domestic violence, Messing said.
Social work faculty created the online program after several of the school’s community partners said they wanted to learn more about how to better help domestic violence survivors, Messing said.
“We hope that, through this certificate, we can raise awareness about domestic violence and make a difference in the lives of survivors,” she said. “Putting it online opens it up not only to ASU students, but anyone who wants to learn and enhance their career. No matter what stage of learning you are at, we are here for you.”
Find out more about the online certificate program in domestic violence here. Learn more about the School of Social Work’s in-person domestic violence program here. Information on the school’s domestic violence course offerings can be found here.
The School of Social Work is part of the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.
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