Course one · Embracing the Stories of War
Explore the military life cycle, enlistment, basic training, deployment, combat and homecoming through immersive learning and veteran voices. The first course may be completed on its own.
Combat Veterans
Military-informed practice
Understand military culture and share the burden of war.
Designed for civilians, service members and veterans, the Combat Veterans Certificate develops a grounded understanding of military culture, deployment, combat trauma and the transition home. The fully online sequence serves current MSW students and eligible human service professionals.
FormatFully online
MSW eligibilityClinical and OCL
Two pathwaysMSW certificate or continuing education
Two-course sequence
Move from military culture to trauma-informed response.
Course two · Sharing the Burden and Healing the Wounds of War
Examine policy and program responses, post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, moral injury, complex trauma and the difference between treatment and healing.
Created by Tina Thompson and Professor Emeritus Glenn Stutzky, the sequence has received national recognition, including the SAGE and CSWE Award for Innovative Teaching and honorable mention in the 2017 MSU AT&T Faculty-Staff Award Competition in Instructional Technology.
Current MSW students
Pair the course sequence with veteran-focused field learning.
- Complete SW 491, three credits, in fall before taking SW 891.
- Complete SW 891, three credits, in spring.
- Earn at least a 3.0 in each course.
- Complete a specialized field placement serving veterans and participate in the liaison Zoom meeting.
- Students are encouraged to complete the sequence before their final program year.
MSW certificate contact
Tina Thompson, LMSW · blaschke@msu.edu
Human service professionals
Complete the sequence through continuing education.
Applicants must hold at least a bachelor’s degree in a human services field. Each course costs $500 plus materials and offers continuing education contact hours.
- Course one is planned for fall 2026 and offers 104 continuing education hours.
- Course two is planned for spring 2027 and must be taken after course one.
- Entry into course two requires at least 80 percent in course one and is subject to seat availability.
- Each course provides its own completion certificate; completing both earns the full Combat Veterans Certificate.
- Fees are nonrefundable after acceptance and registration.
Program perspective
A broad view of veterans, service and transition.
Does the program apply to veterans who did not serve in combat?
Yes. The curriculum addresses military history and culture, enlistment, training, masculinity, stigma, military sexual trauma, transition, and services available through the VA, Vet Centers and nonprofit organizations.
Why does the certificate focus specifically on combat?
Combat veterans may experience intertwined concerns including adverse childhood experiences, post-traumatic stress, depression, substance use, moral injury and suicide risk. The curriculum helps bridge military and civilian understanding while recognizing complex trauma.
Whose voices are included?
Students learn from veterans of Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea, the Gulf War and other conflicts, including veterans from other countries and diverse branches of service.
“The program helped me connect military culture, trauma and the lived experiences of veterans in a way that changed how I approach practice.”
Amanda Erspamer, 2024