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Department of Social Work

PPSC Information for 大发 MSW Students

Eligibility Requirements

This process is for current 大发 Master of Social Work students who would like to obtain a Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC) and Child Welfare Authorization (CWA).

Required Internship

  1. Secure a qualifying PPSC supervised school placement for the first internship or request a qualifying PPSC supervised school social work (SSW) placement for the second internship.

  2. Complete Notice of Intent to Pursue PPSC form as soon as possible, and no later than November 15th, 2024.

Required Documentation

The following documentation must be completed prior to beginning a SSW Supervised placement:

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  • TB Clearance

    Credential candidates must provide documentation of a negative TB Risk Assessment or negative TB Skin Test/Chest x-rays to enter a K-12 classroom for practicum. A negative TB Risk Assessment/TB Skin Test is considered valid for four (4) years from assessment date. The clearance may be obtained at a private physician鈥檚 office, the County Health Department, or the CSU San Marcos Student Health Center. A TB Risk Assessment Certificate of Completion form is available from Student Health and Counseling Services.

  • CTC Certificate of Clearance

    A Certificate of Clearance (COC) is issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). Title 5 regulations require that an application for a Certificate of Clearance be filed to determine whether or not a candidate meets the state standards for character and fitness to teach in California鈥檚 public schools. A Certificate of Clearance is valid for five years. 

    Obtaining a Certificate of Clearance (CoC) is a two-step process that involves: (1) completing the fingerprinting process at an agency that provides fingerprinting services, and (2) applying for a Certificate of Clearance online through the CTC website. You can read about the process of how to obtain your CoC on the 

    Please follow the two steps outlined below to obtain your Certificate of Clearance: 

    Step 1. Completing the Fingerprinting (also called Live Scan) Process: 

    1. Download and fill out the  
    2. Print 3 copies of the 41-LS form and take them with you to the fingerprinting service agency.   
      1. The fingerprinting agency that is closest to the 大发 campus is the San Diego County Office of Education located at 255 Pico Avenue, Room #102, San Marcos, CA. 92069 within the North County Regional Education Center.
      2. We highly recommend using the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) for your fingerprinting services. While other agencies listed on the link above are acceptable,  transcription errors are less frequent through the SDCOE.

    Note: Acceptable forms of payment will vary across different agencies. 

    Step 2: Applying for a Certificate of Clearance:

    Once you have completed your fingerprinting (Step 1), your fingerprints will be transmitted electronically to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) for clearance. For Step 2, please follow the instructions below: 

    1. Go to   
    2. Click: 鈥楽ubmit Your Application Online鈥 (This page is going to take you to a login page)
    3. If you do not have an account for the CTC online system, you need to click 鈥楥reate Educator Account鈥 and follow the instructions. If you already have an account then enter your User ID and Password. 
    4. Once you are logged into the CTC online system, you need to complete your 鈥楨ducator Profile.鈥 
    5. On 鈥楨ducator Profile鈥, select 鈥楥reate New鈥 under 鈥楢pply for a Certificate of Clearance or Activity Supervisor Clearance Certificate鈥 and follow the instructions to complete your application. At the end of the application, you will be asked to submit payment using a credit card.  

    IMPORTANT: It takes approximately 3 to 4 weeks for the CTC to issue a Certificate of Clearance in your online account. Once it is issued, you can access your Certificate of Clearance by logging back into your account. 


SSW Supervised Placement Requirements

The following requirements must be completed during your SSW Supervised Placement

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  • PPSC Field Education Learning Agreements
    • Complete the PPSC Field Education Learning Agreements specifically for school internships. These agreements are separate from the MSW Field Education Program Learning Agreements.

    Learning Agreements:

  • Field Education Hours for PPSC and CWA (Minimum 1000 Hours Required)
    1. Complete 600 hours comprised of the following:
      1. The School Social Work Authorization requires 450 school placement hours supervised by a PPS Practitioner. The 大发 Department of Social Work requires this practitioner to possess the following: (1) Master of Social Work, completed at least two years prior, (2) a CTC-issued Pupil Personnel Services Credential that includes School Social Work and Child Welfare and Attendance Authorizations. Exceptions to this must be discussed with and approved by the PPSC Coordinator and Field Director. Of the 450 school placement hours:
        1. 350 hours must be completed at one age level (preschool, elementary, middle, high school)
        2. A minimum of 100 hours must be completed at a different age level
        3. A minimum of 100 hours must be completed with at least 10 students who are from a background (cultural, ethnic, socioeconomic, National origin, etc. ) different than the credential candidate.
      2. The Child Welfare & Attendance Authorization (CWA) requires 150 additional hours of supervised practice in the following areas: student attendance, student enrollment and discipline, educational records, parent engagement, and legal and ethical compliance related to pupil services.
    1. Complete the remaining 400 hours which come from the student鈥檚 internship in a non-school setting from their foundation or second year.
  • Evaluation of Candidate in School Placement
    • The SSW Field Supervisor completes the Evaluation of Candidate in School Placement (PPSC) Form and reviews this with the credential candidate and 大发 seminar instructor. This evaluation is separate from the MSW field evaluation form.
    • A copy of this evaluation must be submitted for the PPSC Portfolio.
    • Students must receive 鈥淓xcellent,鈥 鈥淰ery Good,鈥 or 鈥淕ood鈥 ratings. Ratings of 鈥淔air鈥 or 鈥淧oor鈥 will require remedial planning/conferencing between the student, field supervisor, and field seminar instructor; including the PPSC Coordinator, if indicated.

    Evaluation of Candidate in School Placement (PPSC) Form

  • Complete Forms Verifying Internship Hours
  • Complete Two (2) Social Work Elective Courses
    • MSW 652 鈥 Advanced Social Work Practice in Schools I
    • MSW 653 鈥 Advanced Social Work Practice in Schools II

For additional information about the PPS credentialing program, please consult the Pupil Personnel Services Credential Manual.

Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC) Recommendation Process

After the Master of Social Work degree is conferred, credential candidates will follow the process outlined below to complete the Pupil Personnel Services Credential recommendation process. Please review the information below for detailed instructions on completing the PPSC recommendation process. 

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  • Step One: Complete All MSW Degree Requirements

    All MSW degree requirements must be met, including completing the Social Work Electives:

    • MSW 652
    • MSW 653
  • Step Two: Pay the CEHHS Credential Evaluation Fee

    CEHHS charges a $25.00 fee for each credential reviewed and processed. Please pay the fee online before submitting the PPSC Recommendation Request (more information on this process in Step Three).

  • Step Three: Submit the PPSC Recommendation Request

    Fill out the and upload the following documentation:

    1. PPSC Field Hours Verification Form (hours must be completed in California)
      1. The School Social Work Authorization requires 450 school placement hours supervised by a PPS Practitioner.
      2. The Child Welfare & Attendance Authorization (CWA) requires 150 supervised practice hours.
      3. 400 Internship hours in a non-school setting
    2. Copy of Field Instructor鈥檚/Supervisor鈥檚 valid PPSC #.
  • Step Four: Review the Credential Evaluation Process
    1. Credential recommendation requests are evaluated on a first-come, first- served basis. Requests will be processed within 10 business days and in the order they are received.
    2. Student Services reviews applicant records, verifies eligibility, and submits recommendations for credential and authorizations online through the CTC. In order to recommend to the CTC, MSW degrees must be conferred. *After grades are official, the Office of the Registrar begins to review student records for completion of degree requirements and to confer degrees. This process typically begins in June for spring graduates but can continue into July as needed.
    3. If additional information is required to process the recommendation request, Student Services staff will communicate through email regarding outstanding requirements.
  • Step Five: Complete the Credential Recommendation Process with the CTC
    1. Log into your CTC account and
      1. This includes completing professional fitness questions and submitting payment. After Student Services submits your recommendation to the CTC, you will have 90 days to complete the CTC recommendation.
    2. . The credential document should be posted on the CTC鈥檚 website within 5-10 business days of payment