Points of Distinction

Today's universities are in need of innovative research centers that anticipate demographic and socio-economic trends, develop policies based on sound evidence, leverage interdisciplinary collaborations, and are capable of building bridges between academia and broader society .
 
The GSSW's oversight of research-centered units at Boston College expanded this year with the establishment of the new Boston College Institute on Aging. The Institute on Aging will provide an integrated framework for fundraising, research, teaching, and knowledge dissemination for three aging research centers at Boston College, two of them housed at the GSSW: The National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services and The Sloan Center on Aging and Work, as well as the Carroll School of Management's Center for Retirement Research.

We are one of just a dozen schools of social work in the U.S. and the only in New England that maintains its own social work library.

Diversity

The Diversity Committee of the Graduate School of Social Work is dedicated to fostering a welcoming environment for all students, faculty and staff. Diversity awareness is a core value that prepares our students for effective and culturally-sensitive practices when working with diverse populations.

Our Diversity initiatives

• speaker series
• trainings
• diversity retreats
• discussion groups with faculty, staff and students

• race
• sexual orientation
• immigrants & refugees

Our Centers

The National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services which is home to our nationally recognized Cash and Counseling program, works to improve support and services for the disabled and the elderly, and develops inclusive communities for both populations.

The Center on Aging & Work focuses its research on one of the defining issues of the 21st Century, to help the business community embrace workplace flexibility and prepare for the opportunities and challenges associated with an aging workforce.

The Sloan Work and Family Research Network provides support for research and teaching, promotes best practices in the workplace, and offers resources for legislators on issues affecting working families and their job environments.

As a community we embrace diversity as a challenge and opportunity. Being aware of diversity means understanding the roots and consequences of the various forms of oppression, discrimination, and exclusion.

Our International Program

The GSSW has always been committed to the international dimensions of social problems and social justice. Human needs, rights, issues, and solutions are intertwined with culture. We respect diversity knowing we have much to learn from each other. Service systems may not be interchangeable, but knowledge, insights, and skills can be adapted, as our graduates working in countries throughout the world demonstrate.