SocialWork@Simmons (Online MSW)
Faculty
Joanna Almeida, Assistant Professor
Elizabeth Alvarez-Nyante, Associate Professor of Practice
Gary Bailey, Professor of Practice, Director Urban Leadership Program
Sandra Bailly, Associate Professor of Practice and Assistant Director Field Education
Nancy Blumberg, Associate Professor of Practice & Field Education Specialist
Tamara Cadet, Assistant Professor
Silvana Castaneda, Associate Professor of Practice and Director of Field Education for SocialWork@Simmons
Shelli-Ann Dewsbury, Lecturer and Director of Field Education for the BSW Program
Abbie Frost, Associate Professor
Anjali Fulambarker, Assistant Professor
Paul Gould, Associate Professor of Practice
Melinda Gushwa, Assistant Professor and Director of MSW Program
Johnnie Hamilton-Mason, Professor
Kim Kelly Harriman, Associate Professor of Practice, Director of Field Education and Student Affairs
Suzanne Hecker, Associate Professor of Practice and Field Education Specialist
Denise Humm-Delgado, Professor
Katherine Jungreis, Associate Professor of Practice
Hugo Kamya, Professor
Dana Grossman Leeman, Professor of Practice and Associate Dean for Online and Continuing Education; Director of SocialWork@Simmons
Peter Maramaldi, Professor
Katie Novick-Nolan, Associate Professor of Practice
Kimberly O'Brien, Assistant Professor
Cheryl Parks, Dean and Professor
Kelly Pratt, Associate Professor of Practice
Michelle Putnam, Professor
Jennifer Putney, Assistant Professor
Jill Ragusa, Associate Professor of Practice and Academic Services Coordinator
Julia Riley, Associate Professor of Practice
David Robinson, Professor of Practice and Director of Simmons Center for Applied Community Research
Shari-Lynn Robinson-Lynk, Professor of Practice
Nora Rushford, Associate Professor of Practice
Suzanne Sankar, Professor of Practice and Associate Dean of Student Affairs
Candace Saunders, Associate Professor of Practice
Beverly C. Sealey, Associate Professor
Leah Hart Tennen, Associate Professor of Practice and Assistant Director of SocialWork@Simmons
Kristie Thomas, Assistant Professor
SocialWork@Simmons Staff
Michael Cicone, Assistant Director for Operations
Lindsey Dalton, Assistant Director of Field Education
Lauren Fallon, Academic Advisor
Allison Horton, Academic Advisor
Megan Knoster, Academic Advisor
Andrew Kiritsy, Online Education Coordinator
Elizabeth Whitney, Full-time Field Liaison
Description
The Master of Social Work degree prepares graduates for advanced practice in clinical social work. Students can elect to specialize in their advanced year in one of four specialization areas.
Mission Statement
The mission of the MSW program is to prepare masters level professional practitioners with skills for clinical social work practice in a multicultural world using knowledge based on scientific inquiry and field-informed practice. This educational experience, consistent with the history and philosophy of the social work profession, is grounded in a values perspective that emphasizes client strengths and diversities, actively opposes all forms of oppression and supports social and economic justice. The education is designed to help students develop competence, critical thinking and problem solving abilities as well as cultural sensitivity, and self-awareness.
Students learn multiple social work roles and skills necessary to be effective within evolving fields of practice. Graduates will be able to work with a variety of populations and social issues, using a broad and flexible array of interventions at an advanced level. They will have the ability to work with individuals, families, groups and communities to facilitate development and change in the service of social justice. Graduates will be prepared to practice with an appreciation for the dignity and worth of the person and the importance of human relationships; with a sense of integrity and a commitment to human rights.
Learning Outcomes
Program Goals
- Provide education for generalist practice and a concentration in clinical social work in a learning environment that models respect for diversity.
- Infuse all activities of the School including the implicit and explicit curricula, with the values and ethics of the social work profession.
- Prepare students for competent ethical practice in a multicultural world.
- Prepare students to practice in the context of a complex, rapidly changing global environment.
- Promote the development of professional knowledge and skills and accountability through critical thinking, self reflection and a commitment to life-long learning.
Detailed competency standards defined by the Council Work on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards can be found on CSWE Website.
Requirements for entry into program
Students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with at least a 3.0 (B) grade point average. Relevant work or volunteer experience is also required.
Costs
Including financing and fellowships / assistantships
| SSW |
$1010 per credit hour |
| Activity Fee |
$52 per semester |
| Field Education Fee |
$52 per field placement |
Delivery Mode or Modes Available (full-time, part-time, locations, technologies, etc.)
The Accelerated Program
Students in the Accelerated SocialWork@Simmons program typically require 16 months (four terms) to complete their degree. Internships are two days (16 hours) per week for the Foundation Year and three days (24 hours) for the Advanced Year. Students take a total of four courses concurrently on the other days.
The Full-Time Program
Students in the Full-Time SocialWork@Simmons program typically require two years (six terms) to complete their degree. Internships are two days (16 hours) per week for the Foundation Year and three days (24 hours) for the Advanced Year. Students take three to four courses concurrently on the other days.
The Extended Program
The Extended Program (eight terms) offers students the option to expand the full-time program into two-and-a half years. In the first year students take two classes a week. In the subsequent years, students take between two and four classes per week for classes and field placements. Most students complete the program in three years. Internships, taken during the second and third years of the program, are two days (16 hours) per week in terms four and five, and three days (24 hours) per week in terms seven and eight.
The Advanced Standing Program
SocialWork@Simmons offers a four-term Advanced Standing program to qualified applicants with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work (BSW) who have graduated within the last five years from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The AS program includes 11 advanced-level courses and one 24-hour-per-week field placement during the last three terms. Students accepted into the Advanced Standing program receive credits for all Foundation-year courses and one semester of field experience.
Degree requirements
Credits
The MSW degree requires 65 credit hours, consisting of 48 credit hours of classroom courses and 17 credit hours of field placement.
Core, Prerequisite, and elective course requirements and progression, etc.
Typical course sequence: Full-Time Program
Students in the full-time MSW Program typically require two years (six 14-week terms) to complete their degree. They are assigned a field placement for two days a week in the first year and three days a week in the second year.
For the Extended (eight-term) and Accelerated (four-term) programs, this sequence is expanded or condensed accordingly, following the prerequisite requirements below.
Term 1
| SWO 409 | Dynamics of Racism & Oppression | 3 |
| SWO 401 | Social Welfare Policy | 3 |
| SWO 411 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment | 3 |
Term 2
Term 3
Term 4
| SWO 577 | Social Work With Groups | 3 |
| SWO 523 | Advocacy & Social Action | 3 |
| | Advanced Clinical Course (Elective) | 3 |
Term 5
| SWO 509 | Evaluation in SW Practice | 3 |
| | Advanced Clinical Course (Elective) | 3 |
| SWO 424 | Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| SWO 447A | Field Education II | 4 |
Term 6
| | Advanced Clinical Course (Elective) | 3 |
| | Advanced Clinical Course (Elective) | 3 |
| SWO 425 | Capstone Seminar | 3 |
| SWO 447B | Field Education II | 4 |
SWO 441 Research, must be completed prior to enrollment in Evaluation, SWO 509.
SWO 409 Racism, must be completed during a student’s first year of coursework.
Advanced Clinical Courses (Electives): Students take four (4)ACCs.
SWO 509 Evaluation in SW Practice, must be taken concurrently with Field Education ll, SWO 447A or SWO 447B.
Students must stay in the same sections (day, time, and professor) for practice classes (SWO 421A and SWO 421B).
Students in Specializations must complete the elective requirements to graduate with a Specialization.
Total Credit Hours: 65
Field Placements
Students apply their academic knowledge through direct-practice internships with individuals, groups, agencies, and larger systems. First-year internships provide a strong foundation of social work practice skills. Second-year internships focus on advanced clinical skills.
During the two terms of the foundation placement, students complete a minimum of 448 hours in the field. During the two advanced placement terms, students complete a minimum of 672 hours in their field placements. MSW program students are required to complete, in total, a minimum of 1120 hours of field education in their internships. Regular attendance of two days a week (or 16 hours per week) in the field is required of students during the two foundation terms, and three days a week (24 hours per week) during the two advanced placement terms.
Students in each of the SW@S program options typically begin fieldwork as follows:
- Extended (8 terms): 4th term
- Full-time (6 terms): 2nd term
- Accelerated (4 terms): 1st term
- Advanced Standing (4 terms): 2nd term
The field education program carries a total of 17 credits.
Employment as Field Placement
In certain situations, usually due to the student's financial need, the school and field education department permit students to use a paid social work position to fulfill the field education requirement for one field placement. Generally this arrangement is made for the foundation placement but can also occur during the advanced placement if faculty deems the site appropriate. Students who wish to use their place of paid employment as a field placement must complete a worksite-based field placement application using their personal referral form link. Each application will be carefully reviewed and decided upon within the framework of Council on Social
Work Education (CSWE) and school standards and expectations. To be approved, the agency and student must agree to adhere to the criteria for such placements, which are listed in the SocialWork@Simmons Field Education Manual.
Concentrations, specializations, etc.
As students move into the advanced curriculum, they can choose to develop skills in different ways through the selection of advanced clinical courses. All students choose four advanced clinical courses to deepen their clinical social work knowledge and skill. Course selection is organized by choosing one of five curricular pathways: The Individualized Course of Study or one of the four clinical specialized courses of study. Students who select a specialized course of study will be required to take courses specific to their specialization. Students who select the Individualized Course of Study can select advanced clinical courses from the full list of available online advanced clinical courses.
- Curricular Pathways
- Individualized Course of Study
- Child and Family
- Trauma and Interpersonal Violence Specialization
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse
- Health And Aging