GRADUATE EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

BEING A PART OF AN INTERNATIONALLY renowned university, the Center is ideally situated to connect its goals to Fordham’s educational mission. The faculty develop and teach cutting-edge courses that are cross-listed in multiple graduate programs. These courses train the next generation of advocates to work collaboratively across the professional disciplines.

The Center also uses students from multiple fields in its research and advocacy projects, offering them a critical avenue of experiential learning. Additionally, the Center develops and offers continuing professional education seminars so that current practitioners can keep up with new developments and best practices in their fields.

Some of the Center’s recent graduate education and professional training initiatives include:

Interdisciplinary Approaches to Child Abuse and Neglect: This academic course is cross-listed in the law and social work programs and co-taught by a professor from each. It examines the roles of lawyers and social workers in the child welfare system.

Domestic Violence: Law and Social Work: This academic course is cross-listed in the law and social work programs and co-taught by a professor from each. It focuses on the role of social workers and lawyers in each phase of domestic violence cases. 

Family Advocacy Clinic: Part of Fordham Law School's nationally recognized clinical legal education program, this course places students from the law, social work, and psychlogy programs on teams supervised by faculty from the three programs. Students represent real clients in administrative hearings, trial courts, and appeals in cases involving child welfare, domestic violence, special education, and children's disability issues. 

Continuing Professional Education Seminars: The Center hosts occasional seminars that meet state requirements for continuing professional education centered on topics related to interdisciplinary collaboration.