Office of Professional and Continuing Education Policies
The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and therefore, a Pennsylvania Pre-approved provider of continuing education for LSW, LCSW, LPC and LMFT in accordance with all application, educational, and professional standards. We are explicitly accredited to offer CE training to PA and NY residents. Social workers licensed in New York, (LMSW, LCSW) are eligible to receive credits for any continuing education training that we provide. However, those who do not hold a social work license are still welcome and encouraged to take our courses and receive a certificate for completing a course. The Office of Professional & Continuing Education Program offers specialized training by local experts in the topical areas that social workers want and need to learn to best serve their clients and organizations. Our courses are taught by an array of licensed social workers, professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists.
The Social Work Consultant is a licensed master's social worker in good standing and is a member of the Council of Social Work Education. Through the consultant’s involvement with the Collaborative, she stays informed of state licensure requirements and gap areas for CE programs. She reviews course content to ensure that the appropriate level is indicated. Offerings are developed to meet the licensure requirements for social workers primarily at the post-MSW level and can also be appropriate for BSWs with experience in the identified area of study. Offerings meet the licensure requirements because they are evidence-informed, skill-focused and address social work knowledge and professional development needs. The CE hours earned are based on state guidelines.
*The licensure preparation program and materials associated with it were not included in the Council of Social Work Education's Approved Continuing Education and are not approved by CSWE or continuing education nor endorsed by CSWE in any manner.
Co-Sponsorship Process
Step 1: All training requests should be submitted using the link titled Co-Sponsorship Application and Letter Agreement Form on this page. We will need the following materials listed:
- Time Agenda or Course Outline
- Learning objectives (2 per hour of training)
- All objectives must be written using S.M.A.R.T guidelines (specific, measurable, relevant, attainable, timely)
- Example: By the end of the training, participants will be able to identify three decision-making skills in personal, school, and community contexts as evidenced by the training posttest.
- Training presentation (PDF format) or description of presentation
- Program handouts (if any)
- List of outside resources or references being used for the training (if any)
- Presenter(s) bios/resumes
- An evaluation component for the training (ex. a blank survey)
Please also note that all submissions must be a member of our educational network (see details below) and affiliated with the Pitt School of Social Work.
Step 2: Within 10 days you will receive an email from the Director of Professional Education with an attached signed and approved CE request form. This is sent upon approval to the program contact listed on the application form. If the training is not approved, the Director will explain why and gather more information.
Step 3: You hold your training/workshop.
Step 4: Submit all post-training materials using the second link on this page that is titled, CE Paperwork Submission Form after your training has been completed. This will include a spreadsheet containing the social work attendees' full name, email addresses, hours completed, as well as an evaluation and posttest summary.
Step 5: There is a cost of $15 per certificate requested. Payment is accepted by credit card (preferred) or check from the organization only. We also accept interdepartmental transfers through internal organizations within the University of Pittsburgh and payment transfers from UPMC vendors. All payment processes are now self-serve, and credit card payments can be processed automatically, but if you have questions about this process, contact our office. **Please note that we only take bulk payments strictly from the organization hosting the program and will not process individual payments from participants needing certificates.
Step 6: After payment information has been collected, the program coordinator will email certificates to all attendees on the submitted spreadsheet within 3-5 business days of submission.
Course/Program Completion Requirements
To complete the course/program, participants are required to attend all sessions, complete course assignments and posttests, and complete all course & program evaluations.
Attendance
Certificate Programs
While participants are expected to attend all live sessions of the course/program, we understand that unexpected events may at times interfere with participant attendance in a multi-session program. Please contact the Director of Career Services and Continuing Education if you miss a session. All assignments and course evaluations, regardless of the program, must be submitted within 30 days of the program’s completion in order to be eligible to receive your certificate. If a participant misses live sessions without a plan in place to make up the missed session(s), the program completion certificate will not be awarded.
Any asynchronous recorded content in a certificate program must be viewed/completed in its entirety. We use course analytics to verify completion of all required parts of a program before issuing a certificate of completion.
In-Person Trainings, Live Webinars and Canvas Catalog Asynchronous Training
- In Person Training: Attend the training and complete the course evaluation provided to you after the training is finished.
- Live Webinar Training: Attend the training and complete the posttest and course evaluation link provided to you once the training is finished.
- Canvas Catalog Asynchronous Training: Complete all the modules and assignments listed in the course.
Partial credit will NOT be awarded to participants who arrive late, leave early, or otherwise miss portions of the program. All synchronous webinars include opportunities for participant interaction via the videoconference chat function. In webinars where live polling is offered in lieu of a post-test, participants must respond to all poll questions during the session to fulfill their attendance requirements for the webinar.
Assignments
Certificate programs and some workshops have assignments. Assignments can include recommended readings, capstone projects or
presentations, and post test questions. At the end of all programs and courses, participants are required to complete an evaluation.
Post-Tests / Quizzes
If a program/course has a post-test or quiz, participants are required to achieve a passing score in order to receive their certificates.
Evaluations and Certificates
In-Person Training & Live Webinars
A link to the program/course evaluation will be sent to the participant via email within 2 to 14 days of completing the program/course. Participants have up to 30 days after the course to complete the evaluation, after which they will no longer be able to complete the evaluation and receive their certificate.
Some email servers may detect the evaluation email as spam, so please check your spam folder if you haven't received it. If you have not received the evaluation within 14 days of the course, please contact our office at sswce@pitt.edu and we will assist you.
The Office of Professional and Continuing Education does not allow participants to complete evaluations for CE sessions occurring greater than 30 days prior. Upon completing the evaluation, participants are automatically emailed a link giving them access to their online certificate within 30 days of course completion. Participants should save and/or print the certificate upon receipt of their records. Learners can download a copy of their training completion certificate by clicking the Accredible tab, at course completion.
Canvas Catalog Asynchronous Training
For self-paced, asynchronous trainings in the Canvas Catalog, course evaluations are included after the ‘Assignments’ section. Learners are able to view their evaluation score. Participants should save and/or print the certificate upon receipt of their records. Learners can download a copy of their training completion certificate by clicking the Accredible tab, at course completion
If you did not receive your training certificate, please contact our office at sswce@pitt.edu for assistance. The training certificate will be retrieved and reissued via email to the participant within 10 days of the request.
Learning Accommodations
We are dedicated to prioritizing the access needs of participants in our programs. If you have any questions or concerns related to your learning needs, please contact our office at sswce@pitt.edu.
Participant Conduct
The CE office reserves the right to remove any participants from a course whose behavior impedes the delivery of program content and/or negatively impacts the learning opportunities of other participants. Participants removed for these reasons will not be entitled to a refund of course fees.
Grievance Process
The Office of Professional and Continuing Education strives to facilitate inclusive and welcoming educational environments. If you have concerns about a course/program, please contact us at sswce@pitt.edu with a summary of your grievance. All grievance reports and complaints will be reviewed, documented and filed by the social work consultant. The Director of Career Services & Continuing Education Director will follow up with you to learn more about your concerns and to help resolve the issue. If the concern requires further consultation to arrive at a satisfactory resolution, we will discuss your concerns with the Dean of the School of Social Work, who will make the final determination regarding what action will be taken to address the issue. For any concerns related to course/program completion requirements or cancellations/refunds, please refer to our respective policies for more information.
Fees and Payment
In-Person Training & Live Webinars
Payment for all courses is due prior to the course start date unless otherwise specified. Payments for certificate programs may be made online by credit card or by check. If paying by check, please pay in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank check, payable to The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.
Canvas Catalog Courses
Payments for self-paced asynchronous courses must be made using our online catalog registration system. All orders are manually processed by our team to facilitate the many payment needs of our audience. Once you have paid for a course, please allow 1-3 business days to process orders.
Cancellations and Refunds
The Office of Professional and Continuing Education reserves the right to cancel or reschedule a continuing education training or webinar if there is an inadequate number of registrants, (i.e. less than 10), or if unexpected circumstances occur with the presenter. In the event of cancellation or re-scheduling of a continuing education workshop, all registrants will either receive a full refund or credit towards another workshop. The Office of Professional and Continuing Education will make every effort to notify registrants as quickly as possible.
To request a refund for all courses, participants must contact sswce@pitt.edu. We must receive a written statement via email to confirm all cancellations. You will then receive an email confirming your cancellation. Retain your cancellation confirmation to allow for a refund to be processed. A 100% refund will be issued for cancellations received at least 5 business days prior to the start of a program. No refund will be issued for cancellations received less than 2 business days prior to the start of a program. No refunds will be issued for self-paced courses if a participant has already accessed the course. Please note: If a participant pays by check for a CE course, they will need to submit a W-9 in order to receive a refund as per The University of Pittsburgh policy.
The Office of Professional & Continuing Education reserves the right to cancel a program and will make every effort to notify registrants as quickly as possible. In these situations, a complete refund will be provided.
Payment
We prefer that all payments for all other programs must be made using our online registration system. Payment for all courses is due prior to the course start date unless otherwise specified.
Payments for some courses may be made online, by MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover or via check. If paying by check, please make check payable to The University of Pittsburgh. Note: To receive a refund for training paid for by check, participants must submit a W-9 to the CE department. If your fees were paid with a check and you are eligible to receive a refund, please allow up to 60 days from the date of cancellation for a refund to be issued via check. If your registration fees were paid online by credit card and you are eligible to receive a refund, your fees will be refunded to the same credit card used for payment. Allow 10 business days from the date of cancellation for the refund to post.
Policies Specific to Practicum Instructors
Practicum instructors to University of Pittsburgh MSW students can take workshops and webinars through the Office of Professional and Continuing Education at a 50% discount. The fee waiver is available to any practicum instructor who currently has at least one University of Pittsburgh MSW student placed with them and applies for up to one calendar year following their last active student practicum.
The Office of Professional and Continuing Education reserves the right to deny the field practicum fee waiver to field instructors who consistently no-show for courses without canceling their registration.
