Earn your Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from Simmons University

Simmons University offers a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree that provides exceptional training in social work and scholarship.

Student sitting in the library

Study human behavior and make change happen with a BSW degree

In 1904, Simmons became the first institution of higher learning to offer training for clinical social workers. Since then, Simmons has remained a pioneer in social work degree programs.

Our Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree provides transformative learning experiences through small, interactive classroom environments, experiential learning opportunities, and strong faculty mentorship.

Students in our BSW degree program share a passion for scholarship, a dedication to community, a vision for change, and a commitment to social justice and human rights. Our Bachelor of Social Work degree focuses on the development of strong skills, career preparation, and readiness for the field.

Simmons University also offers an accelerated 3+1 BSW & MSW degree program, an online BSW degree program for adult learners and a Master of Social Work degree program.

In the Social Work degree programs at Simmons, we are dedicated to creating a tight knit social work community where you will receive support, mentorship, and encouragement every step of the way.

What can you do with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Social Work degree holders is projected to grow 13 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Bachelor of Social Work students graduate prepared to take the Licensed Social Worker exam (LSW), apply for a Master's of Social Work (with the potential to apply for the one year Advanced Standing Masters in Social Work), and begin social work positions in community agencies, residential programs, child protective services, school programs, geriatric services, and organizations dedicated to community activism.

Our BSW students learn through classroom settings, multiple practicum placements, and innovative practices such as simulations where you will have the opportunity to practice and hone your skills. Students in our BSW degree program benefit from our nationally regarded School of Social Work (SSW) — including acclaimed BSW faculty, remarkable alumnae/i and Simmons University's ideal location in the Fenway and Longwood Medical Area.

In Simmons' Bachelor of Social Work degree program, we’ll prepare you to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. You’ll learn the theories needed to understand human development, how society functions, and how policy impacts individuals and communities.

Find out more about our Social Work major!

Earn your Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree at Simmons University and get started on the path to a fulfilling career. Contact our BSW faculty with any questions—their information can be found below—or you can request more information about our Social Work major, schedule a campus tour, or find out how to apply to our BSW degree program today!

Required BSW Program Courses

Note: For students entering the program before Fall 2020, SW 345 is a 1 credit course. For students entering Fall 2020 and after, SW 345 is a 4 credit course.
SW101 Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare 4
SW200 Social Welfare Policy 4
SW253 Human Behavior in the Social Environment 4
SOCI249 Inequalities 4
SW255 Interviewing & Documentation in Human Services 4
SW351 Social Work Practice I: Introduction to Generalist Practice 4
SW352 Social Work Practice II: Work with Individuals & Families 4
SW353 Social Work Practice III: Groups 4
SW354 Social Work Practice IV: Macro Social Work 4
SOCI239 Introduction to Social Research I 4
SW345 Junior Field Experience Seminar 1
SW370 Social Work Field Placement I 8
SW371 SW Field Placement & Sem II 8

In addition to those courses, BSW students are also required to complete the following courses as part of their liberal arts plan of study:

STAT118 Introductory Statistics 4
 
BIOL109 Sex, Gender, and Biology 4
OR
BIOL113 General Biology 4
 
ECON101 Principles of Macroeconomics 4
OR
POLS101 Introduction to American Politics 4
OR
POLS217 American Public Policy 4
OR
PH101 Introduction to Public Health 4

 

The Social Work Minor consists of these 5 courses:

Requirements List

SW101 Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare 4
SW200 Social Welfare Policy 4
SOCI249 Inequalities 4
SW253 Human Behavior in the Social Environment 4
SW255 Interviewing & Documentation in Human Services 4

Service Learning

Simmons BSW students begin their field work from the start of their academic careers through the Program's service-learning component. Service-learning is defined as community service or volunteer service that both meets the needs of a community agency or program and the student and also contains a formal student reflection component. It is intended that, through community activities, BSW students will gain exposure to and practical experience with social service organizations and various different populations served by social workers within the community. In this way, students will develop some basic social work skills and a beginning sense of professional identity before they enter the more structured practicum education program in their Junior and Senior years.

First year students majoring in social work are required to complete 40 hours of service-learning. Second year students are required to complete 80 hours of service-learning. Some social work courses have service-learning built into the curriculum, allowing students to fulfill some of the service-learning requirement while enrolled in the course. Service-learning hours may be completed at one agency or at different sites, depending on agency and student need. Students are encouraged to seek out service opportunities that appeal to them and to consult their social work faculty advisor for assistance and guidance in making decisions about their service. Service-learning hours may be waived for transfer students after consultation with BSW Program faculty.

Students work with individuals, families, groups, and communities across the entire life cycle in the following areas: case management, resident services, vocational assistance, health, health education, disability support, education, bereavement, community development, trauma, and many more.

Practicum Placement

Classroom and field learning have a synergistic and critical relationship within social work education. The Simmons University BSW program progressively socializes students to the profession through theoretical learning in the classroom and hands-on learning in the field. First, students fulfill service-learning hours and then are placed in formal practicum placements.

During the junior year, BSW interns are required to complete 100 hours of practicum education between the months of January and May, with the University breaks and holidays off. This works out to approximately 8 hours each week in practicum placement and these hours can be scheduled flexibly throughout the week to meet the needs of the agency and the student. During the senior year, BSW interns are required to complete 425 hours between the months of September and May, with the University breaks and holidays off. This works out to 16 hours each week in practicum placement. These hours, too, can be scheduled flexibly depending on agency and study needs, but the hours are generally done in two full days (8 hours) each week.

During Practicum Placement, students are enrolled in advanced BSW courses, such as Social Work Practice II, and Field Seminar I and II. These courses will provide students with support and continued theoretical understanding related to practicum education.

Practicum Placement Opportunities

Below, please find examples of possible practicum placements and tasks. Be aware that this list is just an example and does not provide a complete list of placements or tasks. Placements and tasks will depend on students' learning needs and experience level, as well as the needs of the placement.

Schools (pre-school through college

  • Individual, group, and parent/child support (observation and/or direct work)
  • Health and wellness education
  • Observing student support meetings
  • Case management/resource linking/advocacy
  • Observing classrooms
  • Mentoring
  • Developing behavioral plans

Hospitals

  • Chart review
  • Individual and group support (observation and/ or direct work)
  • Case management/ resource linkage/advocacy
  • Developing community resource manual
  • Intake assessment (observation and/or direct work)
  • Discharge planning (observation and/ or direct work)
  • Family meetings (observation and/ or direct work)

After School Programs

  • Individual and group support (observation and/ or direct work)
  • Health and wellness education
  • Academic support/ planning
  • Mentoring
  • Organizing individual and group activities
  • Case management/ resource linkage/advocacy

AIDS policy/ support centers

  • Grant writing assistance
  • Policy analysis
  • Advocacy
  • Health and wellness education
  • Individual and group support (observation and/ or direct work)

Community Centers

  • Organizing outings and activities for children, adolescents, and adults
  • Health and wellness education
  • Mentoring
  • Case management/ resource linking/advocacy

Child social service agencies

  • Case management/ resource linkage/advocacy
  • Individual, group, family support (observing and/ or direct work)
  • Home visiting
  • Intake assessment (observation and/ or direct work)
  • Abuse and/ or neglect assessment (observation and/ or direct work)
  • Policy analysis

Organizations that support court involved youth/ Court clinics

  • Individual and group support (observation and/ or direct work)
  • Case management/ resource linkage/advocacy
  • Mentoring
  • Policy analysis
  • Family meetings (observation and/ or direct work)

Public Health Departments

  • Policy analysis
  • Advocacy
  • Health and wellness education
  • Home visits

Adoption agencies

  • Home visits
  • Family assessments (observation and/ or direct work)
  • Birthparent support
  • Assistance in court related matters (parental rights and finalization work)
  • Participating in home studies

Outpatient mental health centers

  • Chart review
  • Individual and group support (observation and/ direct work)
  • Intake assessments (observation and/ or direct work)
  • Case management/ resource linkage/advocacy

Hospice

  • Home visiting
  • Individual and family support (observation and/ or direct work)
  • Case management/ resource linkage/advocacy

Geriatric care settings

  • Individual and group support (observation and/ or direct work)
  • Case management/ resourced linkage/advocacy
  • Family meetings (observation and/ or direct work)
  • Bereavement work
  • Health and wellness education

Online Bachelor of Social Work for Adult Learners

The social work major is also a possibility for adult learners and transfer students in our fully online program. Join aspiring advocates on our digital campus to learn how you can help and empower people and communities—from anywhere.

Spotlight on Social Work Students and Alums

Ilana Feldman ’23MSW

Ilana Feldman ’23MSW: Empowering Communication and Connection with the Special Needs’ Population

Ilana Feldman is a social worker in the Deafblind School at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts—the oldest school for the blind in the U.S.


The cupola of the Main College Building on the Simmons campus with a Pride flag in the foreground

Trans & Non-Binary Living-Learning Communities at Simmons Offer Residential Support and Allyship on Campus

The Trans & Non-Binary Living-Learning Communities (LLC) are for students who identify anywhere within the transgender and non-binary spectrum, as well as active allies. We spoke to students, staff, and Resident Advisors about how the LLC supports trans undergraduate students on campus.


A photo composite of the nine students in the Passionate Leaders Project 2023 cohort

Simmons Announces Passionate Leaders Project Scholars for Fall 2023

The Passionate Leaders Project supports Simmons undergraduates by enriching their academic & professional interests beyond the classroom. Students may request up to $4,000 to support their research, internships, and creative endeavors. This semester’s students produced research related to human rights, documentary film, healthcare access, therapeutic care databases, the neurodevelopment of fruit flies, Muslims’ experiences with healthcare in Boston, and software that supports Simmons’ food pantry.


Phot of Marina McCollum in Simmons sweatshirt outside by tree

Marina McCollum '25 on Deconstructing Stigma: Changing Attitudes toward Mental Health

McLean Hospital recently launched Deconstructing Stigma: Changing Attitudes toward Mental Health. This campaign challenges popular and erroneous assumptions about psychiatric disorders. Social work major Marina McCollum is a participant in the program. She spoke with us about her personal experiences...


Photo of Erin Curley

Meet Erin Curley '20, Assistant Director of Community Service Programs at Northeastern University

Since she majored in Social Work at Simmons, Erin Curley has supported vulnerable individuals in her community. In her current role, she’s helping others engage as well by connecting Northeastern students with community service opportunities in Boston and beyond. Curley...


Photo of Samantha Clark

From Undecided to LCSW: How Samantha Clark '20 Found Her Path at Simmons

What made you choose Simmons for your undergraduate degree? The biggest draw for me was Boston. I'm from Portland, Maine, so Boston is only two hours away, and I could envision myself in Boston. Simmons was appealing for the small...


Photo of Rachel Kovar

Rachel Kovar ’20 ’23MS Draws on Social Work Background as a School Library Teacher

What brought you to Simmons to study Social Work? I wanted to be in Massachusetts. I fell in love with the area, then discovered all of the women-centered colleges and toured the schools. When I visited Simmons, I loved that...


Meredith Griffiths '03

Meredith Griffiths ’03 Brings Art Therapy to Residents in Assisted Living

As a registered art therapist, licensed mental health counselor, and certified dementia practitioner, Meredith Griffiths '03 is providing the benefits of art-based therapy to the elderly community. Griffiths is currently overseeing a partnership between the Goddard House , a senior...