Social Work + Health Care and Social Work Certificate

The Master of Social Work (MSW) and Certificate in Health Care and Social Work program is designed to prepare a new generation of clinical social workers for practice and leadership roles in health and health care.

Students sitting in class

The MSW with Certificate in Health Care and Social Work program is designed to educate a new generation of clinical social workers to work in the new and expanding health care delivery system being implemented under the Affordable Care Act.

You'll benefit from a personalized, coordinated, and integrated learning experience. Faculty advisors supervise each student's course load and work with students to help them select practicum education placements that meet their goals. Our students establish themselves as strong agents of change who are grounded in direct clinical practice and committed to working with under-served populations.

Students graduating with the Certificate in Health Care and Social Work are prepared to work in health services settings including: community health centers, primary care practices, teaching and community hospitals, integrated behavioral health clinics and other health care organizations.

 

The MSW degree requires 65 credit hours, consisting of 48 credit hours of classroom courses and 17 credit hours of practicum courses. Listed below is the MSW course sequence as of September 2022. On Ground course numbers have the prefix SW; online courses, SWO.

Specialized Year

SW404 Social Welfare Policy 3
SW414 Assessment and Diagnosis 3
SW424A Advanced Clinical Practice 3
SW424B Advanced Clinical Practice 3
SW447A Practicum Education Year II 4
SW447B Practicum Education Year II 4
SW509 Program Evaluation in Social Work 3
Elective
Elective
Elective

Licensure and Certificate Programs

As an MSW student, you may choose to pursue a certificate program in which you will gain advanced skills in a specific area of interest through a structured sequence of courses.

MSW with MA Licensure in School Social Work (On-Campus)

Students in the MSW program interested in practicing as a school social worker can elect to work towards the Massachusetts state license to be a School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor (SSW/SAC). The certification is required to work as a clinical social worker in many school settings in Massachusetts.

Requirements for the MSW with Licensure as a School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor include:

  • Sixty-two credits in the MSW program including SW 539 Social Work in Schools and SW 595, Child and Adolescent Diagnosis, one specialized social work elective and three required courses (eight credits) taken in the Simmons University Department of Education (SPND 441, SPND 444, SPND 445)
  • Successful completion of the two SSW practicum; one placement must be in a school setting the other placement is encouraged to be in a setting serving children and families
  • Completion and submission of required documentation

Students planning to work toward the school social worker license should review the SSW/SAC student handbook, follow the program plan provided at registration, and attend the information sessions with the Certificate Coordinator. Practicum planning should be guided by licensure requirements. To be granted the license, candidates must complete all requirements mandated by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) (e.g., passing the Communication and Literacy tests of the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure [MTEL]). Students are strongly encouraged to take the MTEL before completing the MSW program. Waiting to take it until after graduation might delay the ability to secure employment. 

MSW with Certificate in Public Policy (On Campus)

This certificate program is designed to give MSW students with an interest in macro/policy issues the opportunity to supplement their clinical education experience with a deeper knowledge of public policy. This certificate will position graduates to have more options in terms of career directions in social work, particularly around policymaking or policy advocacy, with an emphasis on building policy analysis and advocacy skills that will allow students to analyze and affect policies at local, state, and national levels. These courses will enhance students’ understanding of policy systems and theory, methods of policy analysis, and subject matter knowledge in two major policy arenas.

MSW with Certificate in Trauma Practice (On Campus and Online)

The Certificate in Trauma Practice will prepare graduates for practice with a variety of populations in multiple settings including: schools and universities, community mental health centers, immigrant and refugee centers, the legal justice and prison systems, inpatient and outpatient hospitalization programs, and psychotherapeutic settings with children, adults, couples, families and groups. Students complete all regular MSW program requirements, as well as SW 528A Child and Adolescent Trauma, SW 528B Lifespan of Trauma Treatment: Adults and Families, and two Trauma Practice certificate electives.

MSW with Certificate in Clinical Practice with Active Service Members, Veterans, and Families (On Campus and Online) (Launching Fall 2023)

This certificate provides MSW students with a unique opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in effective and culturally-sensitive clinical practice with servicemembers, veterans, and their families. Students will learn about the systems and culture of the U.S. military; the sociocultural identity development of military personnel; the experiences, needs, and strengths of military individuals and families, with specific attention to minoritized groups; avenues of support for military personnel and their families; and specific assessment and intervention practices, with particular emphasis on PTSD and suicidality. This certificate prepares students to work with individuals and families at any stage of military involvement and in a variety of settings.

Certificate in Mental Health Practice (Online)

The Certificate in Mental Health Practice prepares graduates to:

Work with people who have experience with serious mental health conditions, including those with concurrent health conditions. Students will learn to recognize and address the significant impacts of stigma, marginalization, and discrimination that impede the health, safety, access to resources, and quality of life for people with serious mental health conditions. In addition, they will become skilled in delivering evidence-based and best practice approaches for managing symptoms and achieving wellness and recovery. Students will exit the program with an understanding of the role of social worker as both a provider and advocate working in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, families, and other supports and services.
 
 

 

Elective Courses

MSW students who opt not to enroll in a certificate can still develop a focused skill set through their elective courses. Students interested in an area of focus can work with their Academic Advisors on elective selection. Examples of focus areas are:

  • Health and Aging
  • Child and Family Wellbeing
  • Substance Use and Misuse
  • Adult Mental Health
  • Trauma and Interpersonal Violence
  • Group Practice
  • Clinical Practice and Therapy Models

Course Sequencing / Prerequisites

  • Research, SW 441/SWO 441 must be completed prior to enrollment in Evaluation, SW 509/SWO 509.
  • Program Evaluation, SW 509/SWO 509 must be taken concurrently with SW 447A or SW 447B/SWO 447A or SWO 447B.
  • Dynamics of Racism and Oppression, SW 409/SWO 409 must be completed before commencing specialized year courses.
  • SW 403/SWO 403 must be completed before SW 404/SWO 404.
  • Practicum Education Year I, SW 446A or SWO 446L is concurrent with SW 421A or SWO 421A; SW 446B or SWO 446B is concurrent with SW 421B or SWO 421B
  • Practicum Education Year II, SW 447A or SWO 447A is concurrent with SW 424A or SWO 424; SW 447B or SWO 447B is concurrent with SW 424B or SWO 425
  • Students must stay in the same sections (day, time, and professor) for practice classes: SW 421A/SWO 421A and SW 421B/SWO 421B and SW 424A and SW 424B.

View the full time program plan.

View the part time extended program plan.

The program plans are only for students who started Fall 2019 and later.

Examples of employers for first jobs following graduation from the MSW with Health Care Certificate:

  • Codman Square  Health Center, Dorchester
  • School Based Health Center  Family Health, Worcester
  • Fenway Health, Boston
  • Home Base for Veterans and Families, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston Medical Center, Boston7
  • Brigham and Women’s Primary Care Associates

Connect with the School of Social Work

We will be happy to arrange for a personal visit, informational meeting, or class visit (when available). Arrangements can also be made to speak to a current SSW student to learn more about the MSW On-Campus program.

Complete the campus visit form

Social Work at Simmons University

Our progressive, hands-on curriculum integrates education and practice with social justice values, multicultural perspectives and a strong emphasis on practicum education.

Graduate Program Videos

Spotlight on Social Work Students and Alums

Simmons School of Social Work alum Siobhan McDonold ’21MSW

Siobhan McDonold ’21MSW: Increasing Access to Therapy

What the job entails Siobhan is the clinical director for the Division of Digital Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Collaborating with a psychiatrist and research team, she conducts weekly virtual therapy sessions with a wide range...


Carmen Benjamin ’20MSW: I Evolved Into the Clinician I Aspired to be

As an Adult Outpatient Clinical Social Worker at Boston Medical Center, Carmen Benjamin finds joy in empowering her clients. Learn about Carmen's journey into the master's in social work program, and why she felt at home with Simmons.


Headshot of Jacqueline Jimenez-Maldonado

Jacqueline Jimenez-Maldonado ’20MSW Brings Calm to a Crisis at Boston Children's Hospital

In her role as a clinical social worker, Jacqueline works with patients and families in need of support and resources related to urgent medical care, as well as complex health and social issues.


Headshot of Adam Valsahagun

Adam S. Valsahagun ’20MSW: Simmons Prioritized my Goals

Adam tells us how Simmons prepared him for his position as a medical/surgical inpatient social worker at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge.