Master of Social Work (MSW) Programs in Massachusetts - Campus and Online

At present, there are eleven schools in the state of Massachusetts that offer Master of Social Work (MSW) degree programs. Of the eleven schools, ten offer campus-based programs, which includes hybrid programs that utilize online and campus-based instruction, and four offer online programs. MSW programs are offered by both public and private institutions in the of Massachusetts.

All eleven schools offering MSW programs have both traditional and advanced standing tracks, which means they have at least one track designed for students who hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an undergraduate program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), as well as one or more program options open to students with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than social work. All of the colleges and universities in Massachusetts that offer MSW programs are either fully accredited by the CSWE or in the candidacy phase for CSWE accreditation, as noted in the list below:

• Anna Maria College (Accredited)
• Boston College (Accredited)
• Boston University (Accredited)
• Bridgewater State University (Accredited)
• Lesley University (Accredited)
• Regis College (Accredited)
• Salem State University (Accredited)
• Simmons University (Accredited)
• Smith College (Accredited)
• Springfield College (Accredited)
• Westfield State University (Accredited)

The sections below provide information about each of the MSW programs and program options offered by the schools listed above. To help prospective students research these programs more easily, programs are categorized by track (traditional vs. advanced standing programs) and by instruction method (online vs. campus-based and hybrid programs).

• Traditional Campus-Based MSW Programs in Massachusetts
• Traditional Online MSW Programs in Massachusetts
• Advanced Standing Campus-Based MSW Programs in Massachusetts
• Advanced Standing Online MSW Programs in Massachusetts
• Directory of All MSW Programs in Massachusetts

Traditional MSW Programs in Massachusetts

Traditional MSW programs are full-length master’s programs that prepare college graduates who hold a bachelor’s degree for careers in clinical and/or macro practice social work. These programs do not require applicants to have majored in social work or to have earned their degree through a CSWE-accredited BSW program, so long as they have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and meet general academic requirements for graduate school admissions.

Traditional MSW programs are structured to provide students with one year (two semesters) of full-time training in foundational social work concepts and skills, followed by a second year (two full-time semesters) of advanced training in a social work specialization. As part of this training, traditional students must complete a minimum of 900 hours of site-based field education, a signature pedagogy in social work education that involves supervised, in-person work experiences at suitable social and human services agencies, clinics, and organizations. Traditional students who opt for part-time enrollment in an MSW program typically spread the required coursework and field placements out over an additional year or two, which leads to graduating in three to four years.

All of the schools in Massachusetts that offer MSW programs have tracks for traditional standing students. Four of these schools offer programs in an online format, as detailed below.

Traditional Campus-Based MSW Programs in Massachusetts

Anna Maria College has a traditional, campus-based MSW program with an Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice specialization. Students in the program complete a 62-credit curriculum that includes a 450-hour foundational field placement and a 620-hour advanced field placement for a total of 1070 hours of field education. The program has two completion pathways for traditional students: a two-year, full-time enrollment track that includes summer courses between the first and second year; and a four-year, part-time enrollment track that incorporates three summer terms. The Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice MSW specialization provides training and instruction in both clinical and macro practice social work.

Boston College (BC) offers a traditional, on-campus MSW program through its School of Social Work. The program has a Clinical Social Work track and a Macro Social Work track that both give students the option of six fields of practice: Afrocentric Social Work; Children, Youth, & Families; Global Practice; Health; Latinx Communities; and Mental Health. Both tracks include a 480-hour foundational field practicum, and a 720-hour advanced field practicum. In addition, students can further tailor their studies by pursuing certificates in numerous areas that are part of the MSW program’s course offerings. BC’s MSW program consists of 65 credits that can be completed in two years of full-time enrollment or in three years by students who enroll on a part-time basis.

Boston University (BU) has a traditional, campus-based MSW program that it offers through its School of Social Work at its main campus in Boston. The program gives students the option of specializing in Clinical Practice or Macro Practice social work and of choosing from among four concentrations: Behavioral Health; Children, Youth & Families; Aging Practice, Policy & Social Justice; and Trauma & Violence. This is a 65-credit traditional program that requires students to engage in 1200 hours of field education. The program is designed to be completed in two years of full-time enrollment. Students who enroll on a part-time basis can earn their degree in three to four years.

As an alternative to the campus-based program at BU’s Charles River Campus in Boston, BU offers traditional MSW program options at four off-site locations. The School of Social Work has part-time weekend programs that are offered in Bedford, Fall River, and the Cape Cod town of West Barnstable. Students in these programs complete a three-year, 65-credit Clinical Practice curriculum that includes 1200 hours of field education. Classes at the Bedford and Fall River sites are held on Friday nights and Saturday mornings. The Cape Cod program utilizes a mix of weekend classes in the fall and spring semesters, and online classes held on Sunday and Monday evenings during the summer. BU’s School of Social Work also has a Hybrid MSW program options in which students attend campus-based classes in Worcester for four semesters and then take specialization courses online for an additional four or five semesters. The Worcester program offers both a Clinical Practice and a Macro Practice specialization.

Finally, human services professionals who have a minimum of two years of full-time, post-baccalaureate work experience may be eligible for BU’s Human Services Experience (HSE) track, a part-time MSW program option that is offered at BU’s main campus, as well as at the Bedford, Fall River, Cape Code, and Worcester sites. Students who qualify for this track complete a 65-credit curriculum that includes 1000 hours of field education in seven to nine semesters (2.5 to 3.5 years) depending on the location.

Bridgewater State University offers a fully campus-based MSW program and a MSW Saturday Hybrid Program that combines campus-based and online coursework. Both program options have a 62-credit Clinical Social Work curriculum for traditional students that includes two field practicums for a total of 1064 hours of site-based field education. The fully campus-based program has a two-year, full-time enrollment track, as well as three- and four-year part-time enrollment options. The Saturday Hybrid Program is designed to be completed in three years of part-time enrollment, during which students attend an average of six campus-based Saturday sessions per semester and receive the rest of their instruction online.

Lesley University offers a traditional, campus-based MSW program that has an Advanced Generalist Practice curriculum. Students in the program receive training and instruction in clinical and macro practice social work through a 60-credit curriculum that incorporates a minimum of 900 hours of field education. The program is designed to be completed in seven semesters of full-time enrollment (2.5 years) or ten semesters of part-time enrollment (3.5 years).

Salem State University has two MSW program options for traditional students: a Fall Start traditional program for bachelor’s program graduates that does not require any prior work experience; and an Evening Only, Hybrid Cohort program for experienced human services professionals. Both options offer a 62-credit Integrated Health and Behavioral Health Practice specialization that prepares students for careers in clinical and/or macro practice social work. As part of the curriculum, traditional students engage in a minimum of 900 hours of field education. Fall Start students who are interested in pursuing a School Social Work concentration can do so by completing six additional course credits and engaging in one school-based field practicum. The Fall Start program has flexible enrollment, allowing traditional students to take as few as two years or as many as four years to earn their degree.

The Salem State University Evening Cohort MSW program is a three-year, part-time program that combines in-person and online instruction. Students in the program take two online courses per semester and meet as a cohort on Wednesday evenings for live synchronous online classes. In addition, students meet in-person on campus twice per semester.

Simmons University has a campus-based Advanced Practice in Clinical Social Work MSW program that gives students the option of earning certificates in Health Care and Social Work, Public Policy, Trauma Practice, and School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor. The program has a 65-credit traditional track that requires students to engage in 1120 hours of field education. Simmons offers two full-time enrollment options and a part-time enrollment option. Standard full-time enrollment provides students with a two-year completion plan. Students who can attend classes year-round on a full-time basis can take advantage of Simmons’ Accelerated program, which takes 16 months to complete. For students who would prefer part-time enrollment, the program has an Extended option that takes three years for students to complete.

Smith College offers a campus-based, traditional MSW program with a specialization in Clinical Social Work. The program is comprised of 130 quarter-hour credits, which includes 60 quarter hours of field internships, for a total of 1920 hours of field education. The Smith College MSW program utilizes a block plan format in which students attend a ten-week session on-campus during the summer (over three consecutive summers) and spend the rest of the year engaged in fieldwork for 30-hours per week while attending supporting seminars. The total time to completion for traditional students in the Smith College program is 27 months.

Springfield College has a campus-based traditional MSW program with an Advanced Generalist Practice specialization that is designed to prepare students for careers in clinical and/or macro practice social work. Students can choose to take daytime and/or evening courses that meet during the week at Springfield College’s main campus, or attend weekend classes at the main campus or at Seven Hills Foundation & Affiliates in Worcester. The traditional program curriculum consists of 60 credits and incorporates 1050 hours of field education. The weekday program option is fully campus-based and has a two-year, full-time completion plan. The evening program utilizes hybrid instruction and also has a two-year completion time. The weekend program options are part-time, campus-based, and take three years to complete.

Westfield State University offers a traditional, campus-based MSW program with a Clinical Practice focus and four specialization options: Child, Youth, and Family; Health Social Work; Substance Use and Addictions; and Latinx Community Health. The program has a 66-credit curriculum for traditional students that includes 900 hours of field education. This is a hybrid format program that utilizes a blend of campus-based and online instruction. Full-time traditional students can complete the Westfield State University MSW program in two years; part-time students can choose a three-year or a four-year completion plan.

Traditional Online MSW Programs in Massachusetts

Boston University (BU) has an online MSW program for traditional students that it offers through its School of Social Work. The program requires students to complete 65 credits of coursework, which includes 1200 hours of site-based field education. This is a part-time program that is designed to be completed in three years, with field placements beginning in the second year of the program. Students in the program can choose to specialize in Clinical Practice or in Macro Practice social work. In addition to having a track for traditional students who have no prior experience in the field, BU’s School of Social Work has a Human Services Experience (HSE) track that is designed for college graduates who have spent at least two post-baccalaureate years working full-time in a human services field. The HSE track only requires students to complete one 1000-hour field practicum.

Regis College offers a 100% online MSW program with a Clinical Social Work Practice specialization. The program has a 60-credit traditional track that can be completed in 32 months by full-time students. As part of the program, students engage in 1080 hours of field education at approved sites in their geographic locale. The Clinical Social Work Practice curriculum includes coursework in clinical evaluation, advanced clinical practice with individuals and families, clinical assessment and diagnosis, and clinical social work policies and administration.

Simmons University has a fully online traditional MSW program with an Advanced Practice in Clinical Social Work specialization and optional certificates in Groups and Families Practice, Trauma Practice, and Mental Health Practice. This is a 65-credit program that can be completed in as few as 16 months by full-time students who can take classes year-round, 23 months by students who do not take summer courses, or 32 months by part-time students. As part of the program’s 65 required credits, students engage in 1120 hours of site-based field education.

Westfield State University’s MSW program is offered in an online format for traditional students. The online program option provides the same training and instruction as the school’s campus-based program. The online program has a Clinical Practice concentration with four specializations: Child, Youth, and Family; Health Social Work; Substance Use and Addictions; and Latinx Community Health. Traditional students complete 66 credits in order to graduate. This includes 900 hours of site-based field education. Full-time students can complete the online MSW program in two years. Part-time students can choose between a three-year and a four-year completion plan.

Advanced Standing MSW Programs in Massachusetts

Many MSW program have an advanced standing track for qualified students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program. Advanced standing status allows BSW graduates to complete their MSW studies without having to repeat the foundational coursework and field practicums that they completed as part of their undergraduate degree. As a result, advanced standing students can generally earn an MSW degree in two semesters (one year) of full-time enrollment, or three to four semesters (two years) of part-time enrollment, depending on the structure of the program.

It is important to note that not all BSW graduates may qualify for advanced standing status. Many programs require advanced standing applicants to have earned their BSW within the last five to ten years. Some programs also require or prefer advanced standing applicants to have demonstrated academic excellence in their undergraduate program by achieving a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale in all of their courses and/or in their social work major. BSW graduates who do not qualify for advanced standing status can still apply to traditional standing tracks in order to pursue an MSW degree.

All of the eleven schools in Massachusetts that offer MSW programs have advanced standing tracks for qualified BSW graduates. Four of these schools offer online advanced standing MSW programs.

Advanced Standing Campus-Based MSW Programs in Massachusetts

Anna Maria College has an Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice MSW program with an advanced standing track that is designed for BSW program graduates who attended a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program, earned their degree within the last five to seven years, and achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale. This is a fully campus-based program that requires students to engage in 620 hours of in-person, off-site field education. Advanced standing students complete a 30-credit curriculum that provides advanced training in clinical and macro practice social work. Full-time advanced standing students can graduate from the program in one year, while part-time students typically take two years to earn their degree.

Boston College (BC) has a campus-based MSW program with an advanced standing track that requires applicants to hold a BSW degree conferred within the last five years by a CSWE-accredited program. In addition, advanced standing applicants are expected to have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better in the final two years of their BSW program coursework. Students who are granted advanced standing status complete a 44-credit curriculum that includes a 720-hour field practicum. The program has a 12-month, full-time enrollment plan for students who matriculate in June, and a 16-month enrollment plan for students who opt to matriculate in January. Advanced standing students who choose the January start date can choose between a Clinical Social Work specialization or a Macro Social Work specialization. Only the Clinical specialization is available to advanced standing students who opt for the June start date. The Clinical and Macro specializations offer fields of practice in Children, Youth, & Families; Global Practice (January start only); Health; and Mental Health.

Boston University (BU) offers a campus-based MSW program with an advanced standing track through its School of Social Work at its Charles River Campus in Boston, as well as at campuses in Bedford, and Fall River. All three sites require advanced standing students to hold a BSW degree conferred by a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program within the last six years, and to have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale.

Students granted advanced standing status by the BU School of Social Work begin the program with 22-25 of the 65 credits required to graduate. They complete 40-43 credits of upper-division graduate coursework that includes a 1000-hour field practicum. Full-time students can complete the advanced standing requirements in one year, while part-time advanced standing students take two to three years to earn their degree. Students who enroll in program offered at BU’s main campus have the option of a Clinical Practice or a Macro Practice specialization and can choose from four concentrations: Behavioral Health; Children, Youth & Families; Aging Practice, Policy & Social Justice; and Trauma & Violence. The Clinical Practice specialization is also offered at the off-campus sites in Bedford and Fall River. The Macro Practice specialization is only offered on-campus in Boston or via BU’s online MSW program (see below).

Bridgewater State University offers its campus-based MSW program with an advanced standing track for BSW graduates who earned their degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program, graduated within the last six years, and achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their most recent 60 college credits. The program has Clinical Social Work curriculum. Advanced standing students complete 35 credits, including 600 hours of field education. Bridgewater State’s advanced standing MSW program track is designed to be completed in four semesters, or two years.

Salem State University’s campus-based MSW program is offered in an advanced standing format for BSW graduates whose degree was conferred within the last five years by a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program. Advanced standing students complete 44 credits, which includes a minimum of 500 hours of field education. The program has an Integrated Health and Behavioral Health Practice specialization curriculum that trains students in clinical and macro practice social work. Advanced standing students can complete this program in one calendar year of full-time enrollment or in two years of part-time enrollment.

Simmons University offers a campus-based MSW program with an advanced standing track that requires applicants to have graduated from a CSWE-accredited BSW program within the last five years with an overall GPA of 3.0 on a four-point scale. The program has an Advanced Practice in Clinical Social Work specialization. Students have the option of pursuing certificates in Health Care and Social Work, Public Policy, Trauma Practice, and School Social Work while earning their degree. The 34-credit advanced standing program track is designed to be completed in as few as nine months by full-time students. The program also has 17-month and 24-month completion plans. Advanced standing students are required to complete 672 hours of field education while earning their degree.

Smith College offers its campus-based MSW program in an advanced standing format for students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program, provided the degree was conferred within the last six years. Advanced standing students complete 76 quarter-hour credits, of which 30 quarter hours are devoted to 960 clock hours of field education. The program utilizes a structure that allows students to attend all of their classes during three successive ten-week sessions held in the summer. The rest of the year is devoted to fieldwork and field education seminars. This is a Clinical Social Work MSW program that is designed to be completed in 15 months of full-time enrollment.

Springfield College has a campus-based MSW program that grants advanced standing status to qualified students who hold a BSW degree earned within the last five years from an undergraduate program that is accredited by the CSWE. The program has an Advanced Generalist Practice specialization that provides training and instruction in clinical and macro practice social work. Advanced standing students are required to complete 32 credits, which includes 600 hours of field education. The MSW program is offered in several formats. Students can take daytime or evening classes on the school’s main campus during the week and graduate in three semesters of full-time enrollment. Courses that meet in the evenings are offered in hybrid format that combines campus-based and online instruction. Alternately, students can enroll in weekend classes, either at the college’s main campus in Springfield or at a satellite campus in Worcester. The weekend program option is part-time and takes four semesters for advanced standing students to complete.

Westfield State University offers its Clinical Practice MSW program in a campus-based format with an advanced standing track for qualified students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited program. In addition, advanced standing students must have an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.8 or higher, and a 3.0 or higher GPA in all social work major courses. Westfield State’s Clinical Practice curriculum allows students to choose from among four specializations: Child, Youth, and Family; Health Social Work; Substance Use and Addictions; and Latinx Community Health. Advanced standing students are required to complete 37-credits, inclusive of 500 hours of field education. Full-time advanced standing students can graduate from the program in one year, while part-time students typically take two years to earn their degree.

Advanced Standing Online MSW Programs in Massachusetts

Boston University offers its online MSW program in an advanced standing format for BSW graduates whose degree was conferred by a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program within the last six years. BU also requires advanced standing applicants to have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale. The online program has a curriculum that allows students to major in Clinical Practice or in Macro Practice social work. The advanced standing curriculum consists of 40 or 43 credits, depending on whether or not incoming students achieve a passing score on social science research methods exam. It also includes a 1000-hour field education placement that must be completed at a site approved by the program. This is a part-time online program that takes two years for advanced standing students to complete.

Regis College offers a fully online MSW program through its School of Health Science. The program has an advanced standing track for qualified students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program that was conferred within the last six years. Students who qualify for advanced standing status complete a 30-credit Clinical Social Work Practice curriculum that includes a 600-hour field practicum. Full-time advanced standing students can graduate from the program in as few as 16 months.

Simmons University’s online MSW program is offered in an advanced standing format for qualified students who hold a BSW degree conferred by a CSWE-accredited program within the last five years. In addition, advanced standing applicants are expected to have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better. The advanced standing program track consists of 34 credits, including 672 hours of field education. It has an Advanced Practice in Clinical Social Work curriculum that gives students the option of earning a certificate in Groups and Families Practice, Trauma Practice, or Mental Health Practice. Online advanced standing students can earn their degree in as few as 16 months.

Westfield State University has an online MSW program with an advanced standing track that requires applicants to have earned a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program. Advanced standing applicants are also expected to have an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.8 or higher and a 3.0 or higher GPA in all social work major courses. The MSW program has a Clinical Practice focus that allows students to choose from among four specializations: Child, Youth, and Family; Health Social Work; Substance Use and Addictions; and Latinx Community Health. The advanced standing curriculum consist of 37 credits, including a 500-hour, site-based field practicum. Full-time advanced standing students can graduate from the program in one year. Part-time advanced standing students generally take two years to earn their degree.