From the Field: Social Work in Action
“Dispatches from the Field” showcases the relationships BCSSW students foster and the impact they have through fieldwork—in Greater Boston and around the world.
Master of Social Work Program
Educating Tomorrow’s Social Work Practitioners
Students in our top-ranked MSW program aren’t just scholars—they’re also researchers who collaborate with faculty on compelling projects and practitioners who spend 2-3 days per week working in schools, nonprofits, and hospitals through our robust field placement program.
Deadlines
Chart your course to difference-making.
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Children, Youth, & Families
Our innovative Children, Youth, & Families curriculum will prepare you to assess individuals and families and to develop and implement evidence-based intervention strategies that improve the health and resilience of families and their communities.
Children, Youth, & Families students intern in settings such as schools, private non-profits, community health centers, and organizations working on issues related to trauma, poverty, family homelessness, health and behavioral health, immigrant integration, and a host of growing family issues confronting society. In the advanced practice course, students delve deeply into learning how to create engaging, activity-based therapy groups for youth, as well as learning several parenting and family therapy models. Additionally, specialized courses in school-based social work will prepare you for meeting the academic requirements for the Department of Education School Social Work license in Massachusetts and some other states.
CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK
Required courses include:
SCWK 8872 Advanced Clinical Interventions with Children, Youth, & Families
SCWK 8805 Policy Issues in Family and Children's Services
MACRO SOCIAL WORK
Required courses include:
SCWK 8885 Management of Organizations Serving Children, Youth, & Families
SCWK 8805 Policy Issues in Family and Children's Services
Required Courses
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Clinical Social Work
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Macro Social Work
Global Practice
Global Practice will prepare you to work effectively in the fields of global social work, humanitarian aid, and international development. You will learn different approaches to addressing complex social issues that often transcend national boundaries and affect much of the world’s population. Your work will be guided by the principles of human rights, human security, human development, and the promotion of sustainable solutions to social problems.
As a Global Practice student, you will have the opportunity to work domestically or internationally with one of our many intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizational partners. Examples of this work include providing training and support for case managers serving refugees and asylum seekers; drafting immigration policies; developing programs to promote peace or prevent gender-based violence; writing grant proposals; monitoring and evaluating child protection programs; or helping develop organizational policies for effective and sustainable practice.
Our Global Practice graduates work in the U.S. and overseas in a range of positions that involve direct practice, program development, management, evaluation, research, training, capacity building, and policy. From direct care in Cambridge, MA, to program development in Cambodia, our graduates contribute to policy, practice, and research that improve the lives and well-being of individuals, families, and communities around the world.
CLINICAL AND MACRO SOCIAL WORK
Required courses include:
SCWK 7797 Frameworks and Tools for Global Practice
SCWK 8806 Global Policy Issues and Implications
Read more about the Global Practice experience
Required Courses
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Clinical Social Work
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Macro Social Work
The MSW program offers six concentrated fields of practice pathways that include
specialized coursework and advanced field education placements.
Health
Our primary goal is to prepare you for advanced practice in clinical services, advocacy, or management roles in the field of health care.
You receive specialized knowledge, skills, and training in the areas of assessment, evidence-based interventions, policy, planning, and management techniques. Clinical students focus on developing strong assessment skills and learning evidence-based treatment interventions to work with individuals, couples, families, and groups in healthcare settings. Macro students specialize in developing the policy, planning, and management skills to become effective advocates and leaders at the local, state, or national level.
Our graduates work in a panoply of health and behavioral health settings ranging from hospital based to community based, acute care to rehabilitation facilities, forensic services and homeless services, outpatient clinics and substance abuse programs, state agencies, and grass roots organizations. With Massachusetts leading the way in national health care reform, you will be exposed to the rapidly changing organization and delivery of health care.
CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK
Required courses include:
SCWK 8873 Psychosocial Dimensions of Health and Medical Care Practice
SCWK 8817 Health and Mental Health Policy
MACRO SOCIAL WORK
Required courses include:
SCWK 8897 Planning for Health and Mental Health Services
SCWK 8817 Health and Mental Health Policy
Required Courses
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Clinical Social Work
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Macro Social Work
Latinx Communities
The Latinx Communities field of practice trains MSW students to work with Latinx communities in the U.S. and around the world. Our innovative program includes culturally-centered coursework and field placements, tailored mentoring, self-advocacy training, and career development guidance.
From an asset-based approach, you will develop a nuanced understanding of the barriers Latinx populations encounter in accessing equitable education, social services, and health care, as well as a deep understanding of how to implement evidence-based interventions that address systemic inequities.
Following a cohort model, you will take core classes taught in Spanish and intern at a field placement with one of our many partners in the Greater Boston area that serve the legal, medical, behavioral health, immigration, and educational needs of the Latinx community.
Please note, unlike the other fields of practice, you must apply to the Latinx Communities Field of Practice prior to starting your first year in the MSW program. Learn more about this field of practice and how to apply by reviewing our frequently asked questions.
CLINICAL AND MACRO SOCIAL WORK
Required courses include:
- SCWK 7723 Diversidad y Cuestiones Interculturales
- SCWK 7721 El Estudio del Comportamiento Humano en su Contexto Social
- SCWK 8800 Habilidades Básicas Para La Práctica Macro
- SCWK 7762 Habilidades Básicas Para La Práctica Clínica
- SCWK 7701 El Sistema de Bienestar Social
- SCWK 8837 Social Services with Latinx Populations in the U.S. (taught in English)
- SCWK 7722 Patología Psicosocial (required for clinical students only)
Optional advanced clinical elective offered in Spanish:
- SCWK 8862 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy en Español
Required Courses
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Clinical & Macro Social Work
Trauma-Informed Mental Health
Our primary goal is to prepare you for advanced practice in clinical services, advocacy, or management roles in the dynamic field of trauma-informed behavioral health.
You receive specialized knowledge, skills, and training in the areas of assessment, evidence-based interventions, policy, planning, and management techniques. Clinical students focus on developing strong trauma-informed assessment skills and learning evidence-based treatment interventions to work with individuals, couples, families, and groups in behavioral health settings. Macro students specialize in developing the policy, planning, and management skills to become effective advocates and leaders at the local, state, or national level.
Our graduates work in a variety of settings that often require trauma-informed skills. Settings range from hospital based to community based, acute care to rehabilitation facilities, forensic services and homeless services, outpatient clinics and substance abuse programs, state agencies, and grass roots organizations. With Massachusetts leading the way in national health care reform, you will be exposed to the rapidly changing organization and delivery of behavioral health.
CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK
Required courses include:
SCWK 8874 Adult Psychological Trauma: Clinical Assessment and Treatment
SCWK 8817 Health and Mental Health Policy
MACRO SOCIAL WORK
Required courses include:
SCWK 8897 Planning for Health and Mental Health Services
SCWK 8817 Health and Mental Health Policy
Older Adults & Families
The Older Adults & Families field of practice will prepare you to serve the fastest-growing segment of the population—adults over age 65—and their families. You will learn to integrate Clinical and Macro practices as you work with your clients and the social policies and programs that affect their lives.
Our courses encompass the broad range of health, mental health, and community services for older adults, specifically those services that help those who "age in place." You will learn the policy and advocacy functions of local, state, and national aging networks and examine ways social policy will need to respond to the growing political influence of this population.
Through the generous support of the Spier Family Foundation, we are pleased to offer the Spier Fellows in Aging program to five final-year MSW students in the Older Adults & Families field of practice. The goal of this fellowship program is to foster excellence in geriatric social work education and to build a workforce of trained social work professionals who can support the health and well-being of our rapidly aging population. Fellows receive a $3000 stipend as well as additional advising, seminars, and leadership opportunities. Application information and requirements are made available to MSW students in the fall semester of their first year.
Our graduates provide services along the continuum of care from independent living in the community to the specialized needs of older adults in rehabilitation and health care settings. Area agencies on aging, agencies serving older adults with Alzheimer's Disease and their families, and community health centers are examples of careers our graduates pursue.
CLINICAL AND MACRO SOCIAL WORK
Required courses include:
SCWK 8823 Practice in Health and Mental Health Settings with Older Adults
SCWK 8802 Policy for an Aging Society: Issues and Options
Required Courses
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Clinical & Macro Social Work
BCSSW offers nine certificates within the MSW Program that give students the opportunity to build knowledge in subject-specific areas of social work practice and expertise. Certificates require the completion of three specified courses within a chosen area. Explore the tiles below or view our PDF.
Tuition & Aid
$1,282
Tuition & fees per credit hour
95%
of BCSSW students receive some type of scholarship
Our Students
Our current students and alumni serve communities locally and across the globe, sustaining positive social change through critical work.
Class of 2019 Outcomes
99%
Were employed within one year of graduation
52%
Received starting salaries of $50,000+
91%
Passed licensure exam on first attempt
