Home
Graduate
Academic Programs
Social Work MSW

Earn your Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from Simmons University

Simmons University’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program offers exceptional preparation in clinical social work, scholarship, and social action.

Why pursue a Master of Social Work?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of social workers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2019 to 2029. Job prospects are very good, particularly for clinical social workers.

When it comes to choosing an MSW degree program, what sets Simmons apart? We are committed to providing a personalized, coordinated, and integrated learning experience. Faculty and advisors supervise each MSW student's course load and work with students to help them select practicum education placements that meet their goals. The MSW program holds true to the Simmons mission: to provide transformative learning that links passion with lifelong purpose.

The Simmons MSW offers flexibility: MSW students at Simmons can choose between traditional on-campus courses or online courses and can even dictate their pace of study.

Our innovative, hands-on MSW curriculum integrates education and practice with social justice values and multicultural perspectives, with a strong emphasis on practicum education. As clinician activists, our MSW degree students, faculty, and alumnae/i all work to develop solutions to social and racial injustice through their teaching, research, clinical practice, and community engagement.

MSW program options include:

There is also an Advanced Standing MSW program for qualified applicants with a bachelor's degree in Social Work (BSW). For undergraduate students seeking a social work degree, view our Social Work (BSW) program or our accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Social Work (BSW)/Social Work (MSW) 3+1 program.

Admission requirements for a Simmons MSW degree

To apply to our MSW degree program, you must submit the following:

Completed online application form
$45 non-refundable application fee
Résumé
Personal statement
Official college transcripts, indicating graduation date
Three letters of professional or academic recommendation

Learn more about admission requirements for our MSW degree.

An MSW program deeply committed to innovative clinical training

Simmons' School of Social Work is the only Social Work School in Massachusetts that uses Social Work Simulation Education, a current best practice in the field, to facilitate MSW students’ higher level learning.

Simmons Social Work Clinical Simulation enables students to learn how to integrate social work theory, knowledge, skills and values into practice. Standardized patients who are trained actors and case studies are used to produce simulated clinical situations, allowing Simmons MSW students to practice treatments. With the use of simulation, Simmons MSW students engage in real-life clinical situations, preparing them for circumstances that arise in their practicum placements and for jobs as clinical social workers after they graduate.

Hear more from the Simmons MSW community about how simulation prepares students for real world practice.

What can you do with an MSW?

Graduates of our MSW program have established themselves as strong agents of change. They are grounded in direct clinical practice and committed to working with underserved populations.

Areas in which MSW graduates are currently working include

child welfare
community mental health
corrections
disaster response
domestic violence
HIV/AIDS
housing
juvenile justice
medicine
psychotherapist in public mental health or private practice
public health
public policy
school social work

MSWs in the state of Massachusetts are also eligible to become LCSWs and LICSWs.

Simmons also offers an on-campus PhD in Social Work and an online Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) designed for advanced clinical scholars.

Learn more about our MSW degree!

Are you ready to find out more about earning your MSW at Simmons? Request more information about the Boston Campus MSW program, visit our campus (visit a class, talk to current MSW students, schedule an informational meeting and a campus tour), register for an MSW information session, or apply to our MSW today! You can also read more information about our fully online MSW degree option SocialWork@Simmons.

Degree Requirements

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 539A, SW in the Schools, SW 539B, SW in the Schools II and SW 595, Child and Adolescent Diagnosis, and one specialized social work elective.
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)

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.

MSW with Certificate in Public Health

This Simmons certificate in public health provides the opportunity for Simmons’s MSW students to acquire specialized knowledge from the adjacent field of public health. The certificate helps students enrich their MSW education and training in a way that prepares them further for work in macro social work settings. With a focus on health equity, a Simmons Certificate in Public Health will equip MSW students with the analytical lens necessary to identify the population health consequences of social injustice, along with the associated approaches to address them through public health programming, policy, community organizing and advocacy. The certificate will also provide MSW students with foundational understandings of public health history, theory, and practice.

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.

Full-Time Option

Students in the full-time MSW Program typically require two years to complete their degree. They are assigned a practicum placement for three days a week for both years of the Program and take classes two days per week.

See the full program plan.

This program plan is only for students who started in Fall 2019 and later.

Part-Time Extended Option

The Extended-Study Program offers students the option to expand a two-year program into two-and-a-half, three or four years.

The first year of the Program could be called part-time, as students devote two days a week to classes and study. Simmons offers flexible evening scheduling to accommodate working professionals; however, not all program requirements can be met in the evening. In the subsequent years, students must plan four or five days per week for classes and practicum placements.

Most students complete the program in three years. Note: A limited number of 16 hour per week/11 month placements are available to students in the Full-Time and Extended Programs.

See the full program plan

Practicum Education

Putting Theory to Work

Our students apply their academic knowledge through direct-practice internships with individuals, groups, agencies, and larger systems. Prior to entering the MSW Program, students meet with our practicum education faculty to assess interests, discuss learning goals, and arrange an internship plan. First-year internships provide a strong foundation of social work practice skills. Mid-way through their first placement, students meet with an adviser to plan for the advanced second-year placement. Second-year internships focus on advanced clinical skills and specialized areas.

Full-Time Students

Internships are three days (24 hours) per week from September to May for both years of the MSW Program. Students take a total of four courses concurrently the other two days. Summer class options and evening classes allow some flexibility.

Part-Time Extended Students

Internships, taken during the second and third years of the program, are three days (24 hours) per week from September to May. Students can choose to do placements 16 hours per week for 11 months.

Employment as Practicum Placement

On occasion, students who are currently employed by a human service agency may be permitted to do their internship as a supervised "job placement" at their current agency. Students interested in this option must apply to the practicum department. Only placements that meet the strict criteria — including the provision of a new LICSW supervisor and a new work assignment — are approved. Only one placement can be a job placement.

Learn more about Practicum Education.

Offered As

Masters

School/Department

School of Social Work

Format

On Campus

Apply Now

Info Sessions

Request Info

Innovations in Clinical Training with our MSW Program

Hear more from the Simmons Master of Social Work community about how simulation prepares students for real world practice.

Our Faculty

Celia Arias

Assistant Professor of Practice and Onground MSW Practicum Education Specialist

Joanna Almeida

Professor and Eva Whiting White Endowed Chair

Gary Bailey

Professor of Practice and MSW Program Director

Jacqueline Dyer

Associate Professor of Practice and DSW Director

Abbie Frost

Associate Professor

Renada Goldberg

Assistant Professor

Melinda Gushwa

Adjunct & Research Affiliate

Johnnie Hamilton-Mason

Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Development

Denise Humm-Delgado

Emerita

Eugenia Knight

Associate Professor of Practice and Director of MSW Practicum Education

Peter Maramaldi

Professor and Social Work Alumni Fund Endowed Chair

Lydia Ogden

Adjunct & Research Affiliate

Kelly Pratt

Associate Professor of Practice

Suzanne Sankar

Adjunct Faculty

Beverly C. Sealey

Professor Emerita

Leah Hart Tennen

Professor of Practice and Director of Student Support Services

Kristie Thomas

Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Jeannine Chester

Associate Professor of Practice and Associate Director of Onground MSW Practicum Education

Noelle C. Dimitri

Assistant Professor

Francis Kuehn

Associate Professor of Practice

Spotlight on MSW Students and Alums

Alumna Delivers Trauma-Informed Care at Boston Children’s

Rachel Nyakako is a clinical social worker in the Children’s Hospital Primary Care Center (CHPCC) at Boston Children’s Hospital. She serves as a link for patients and families in need of mental and behavioral healthcare and resources. Such support, she...

Careers and Internships

A graphic illustration of people volunteering and helping others

Advocating for Others

Anne Villano ’22MSW says her decision to enroll in Simmons’ School of Social Work was influenced by two key factors that also shaped volunteer service she engaged in while earning her degree – and her path since graduating: life experience and an affinity for advocacy.

Social Work Alum on Oncology Social Work at Dana-Farber

Josh Ozer ’24MSW is a clinical social worker at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston where he provides one-on-one counseling to patients as well as psychosocial support to their families and caregivers.

Careers and Internships

An aerial view of sidewalks on the Simmons University campus

Honoring the National Day of Racial Healing

January 21, 2025 — the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day — is the ninth annual National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH). Created by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, NDORH "is an opportunity to engage in collective action to create a more just and equitable world."

Graduates Karen MacKenzie '10,'12MSW and daughter Jen DiRico '12MBA at the 2012 Simmons Commencement.

Mother and Daughter Alumnae Reflect on Shared Simmons Pride

To commemorate Simmons’ 125th anniversary, we spoke with Karen MacKenzie ’10, ’12MSW and her daughter Jennifer “Jen” DiRico ’12MBA about graduating alongside one another, Simmons’ spirit of inclusivity, and the formative power of a women’s-centered education.