Boston College School of Social Work

In keeping with the four-century-old Jesuit tradition of educating students in the service of humanity, Boston College established a School of Social Work (SSW) in March 1936. The SSW offers the Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) and the Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work (Ph.D.) degrees. In addition to providing foundation courses for all students, the Master of Social Work program of study affords each student the opportunity to specialize in a social work practice intervention method. The two areas of specialized practice are Clinical Social Work and Macro Social Work on the master’s level. Six advanced Fields-of-Practice are offered: Afrocentric Social Work; Children, Youth, and Families; Global Practice; Health; Latinx Communities; and Mental Health. The School also offers a research-oriented Doctoral program that prepares scholars to pursue knowledge that will advance the field of social welfare and social work practice.

Professional Program: Master of Social Work (M.S.W.)

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Doctor of Philosophy Degree Program

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Doctoral Funding

There are five major sources of funding available for students in the Doctoral Program in Social Work at Boston College:

  • The Boston College Doctoral Fellowship in Social Work is awarded each year on a competitive basis to full-time doctoral students in social work. Full tuition and a stipend are provided for four years as long as the student maintains good academic standing and demonstrates progress toward the Ph.D.
  • Two Fellowships are awarded each year on a competitive basis to full-time doctoral students to provide additional financial support to help encourage them to successfully complete their studies.
  • Research Assistant positions are provided through faculty research and training grants.
  • Teaching Assistant positions are available for some doctoral and M.S.W. courses.
  • Additional grants and scholarship opportunities are available on an individual basis.
     

In addition to the financial assistance directly available from Boston College, SSW doctoral students are encouraged to apply for nationally competitive fellowships from private foundations and federal agencies.

For More Information

For a more detailed description of course offerings, the applicant should consult the Boston College School of Social Work Bulletin, which may be obtained by e-mailing swadmit@bc.edu or by writing to the Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management, Boston College School of Social Work, McGuinn Hall, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.