Minors and Certificates
We offer minors in Social Work and Critical Disabilities Studies. We also offer a certificate in Public Safety.
Questions? Email BSWadvising@austin.utexas.edu
Minors
The Steve Hicks School of Social Work offers two minor options for UT Austin undergraduates who are interested in learning about the social work field and values but do not want to pursue a BSW degree. Students pursuing any of these two minors have access to required social work courses and can meet with a BSW programs team member as needed.
Social Work Minor
The Social Work Minor requires completion of 15 hours of coursework. Coursework for this minor must be taken for a letter grade and students must earn a minimum grade of a C.
The Social Work Minor is for undergraduates who are interested in social work but don’t plan to practice as professional social workers. It’s a great complement to majors such as pre-med, pre-law, health, communications and government.
Requirements to apply
- UT Austin GPA of 2.0 or above.
Required courses
- SW 310 – Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare
- SW 312 – Generalist Social Work Practice: Knowledge, Values, and Skills
- SW 325 – Foundations of Social Justice
- SW electives – 6 hrs chosen from:
- SW 360K – Current Social Work Topics (may be repeated when topic varies)
Critical Disability Studies Minor
Disability Studies is an academic field that is both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, examining the experience of disability from a spectrum of “truths.” Most importantly, people living with disability and their experiences are integral to what we learn and understand.
With the Critical Disability Studies Minor (formally called Interdisciplinary Disability Studies Minor), students have the opportunity to design a broad-based minor by taking courses in various disciplines. The minor focuses on how disability is constructed, viewed and understood culturally, politically, economically and socially. Students will have the option to focus on an area of interest.
The Critical Disability Studies Minor requires completion of 15 hours of coursework. Coursework for this minor must be taken for a letter grade and students must earn a minimum grade of a C.
Additional information about the CDI minor can be found here.
The Critical Disability Studies Minor requires completion of 15 hours of coursework. Coursework for this minor must be taken for a letter grade and students must earn a minimum grade of a C.
For 2020-2022 catalog and prior, apply online by selecting Restricted Minor > Social Work > Interdisciplinary Disability Studies Minor
For 2022-2024 catalog and beyond, apply online by selecting Restricted Minor > Critical Disability Studies > Critical Disability Studies Minor
Requirements to apply
- UT Austin GPA of 2.0 or above
Required courses
- S W 325 – Foundations of Social Justice
- CDI 355.1/S W 360K.19– Social Construction of Disability (typically offered in spring semesters)
- CDI 355.2/S W 360K.24– Making Systems Work for People with Disabilities (typically offered in fall semesters)
- Two approved electives from this list:
- ALD 322 – Individual Differences (for 2020-2022 catalogs and prior)
- ANT 302 – Cultural Anthropology
- ANT 349C – Human Variation
- CDI 355.3/S W 360K.20 – Aging and Disability
- CDI 355.4/S W 360K.27 – Family Support, Self-Determination, and Disability
- CDI 355.5/S W 360K.28 – Developmental Disabilities and Self Advocacy
- CDI 355.6/S W 360K.25 – Women and Disability
- CDI 355.7/S W 360K – Sexuality and Disability
- CSD 306K – Introduction to Communication Sciences and Disorders (for 2020-2022 catalogs and prior)
- CSD/SLH 308K – Perspectives on Deafness
- E 376M – Studies in Ethnic American Literature
- E 376M – Deviant Bodies: Disability, Race, and Sexuality (for 2020-2022 catalogs and prior)
- EDP 376T – Disability and Culture in Education
- KIN 352K – Sport and Disability (for 2020-2022 catalogs and prior)
- KIN 352K – Adapted Fitness and Recreation (for 2020-2022 catalogs and prior)
- KIN 360 – Programming for People with Disabilities
- MUS 379K – Musicking and Disability
- NUR 371 – Disability Over the Life Course
- SED 303 – Autism Spectrum Disorder: Truths and Consequences (for 2020-2022 catalogs and prior)
- SLH 306K – Introduction to Speech/ Language/ Hearing Science
- S W 395K – Leadership Training: Autism
- UGS 302 – Disability Advocacy: Historical, Legal, and Social Perspectives
- UGS 303 – What Does It Mean To Be Normal? Perceptions of Autism and Neurodiversity
Certificate in Public Safety
The Certificate in Public Safety is not accepting applicants at this time.
The Steve Hicks School of Social Work offers a certificate in Public Safety for undergraduate social work students interested in careers in public safety settings such as law enforcement, fire departments, emergency medical services, and emergency management at the local, state, and national levels.
A Certificate in Public Safety will be awarded to students whose successful completion of the bachelor in social work program includes six courses with a public safety focus. One of these courses requires 120 hours of service learning in an approved public safety setting.
The Certificate in Public Safety requires completion of 18 hours of coursework. Coursework for this minor must be taken for a letter grade and students must earn a minimum grade of a C.
Required courses
- PSF 311 – Social Work and Public Safety
- S W 325 – Foundations of Social Justice
- PSF 360K – Public Safety Field Immersion
- Three approved electives from this list:
- S W 311 – Introductory Topics in Social Work (Topic: Introduction to the Criminal Justice System)
- S W 360K – Treatment of Substance Use Disorders
- S W 360K – Social Work Practice with Abused and Neglected Children and their Families
- S W 360K – Advanced Topics in Social and Economic Justice
- S W 360K – Contemporary Issues in Domestic Violence
- S W 360K – Leadership in the Community
- S W 360K – Loss and Grief: Individual, Family, and Cultural Perspectives
- S W 360K – Communication Skills in Interdisciplinary Settings
- S W 360K – Social Work in the Legal System
- S W 360K – Working with Youth Gangs
- S W 360K – Youth, Delinquency, and Juvenile Justice
- S W 360K – Principles of Recovery and Relapse Prevention
- S W 360K – Mental Health Issues in Public Safety