School of Social Work
Driving Social Change
Mission Statement
At Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW), our mission is to develop dynamic and diverse social work practitioners, leaders, and scholars through rigorous teaching, innovative research, and transformative community engagement. We strive to advance a just and compassionate society that promotes health and well-being and the empowerment of all oppressed groups, especially those affected by racial, social, and economic inequalities.
A leader in social justice education, advocacy, and research, BUSSW offers a Master of Social Work (MSW) program in five Massachusetts locations, an online program, and a fully funded PhD in Social Work.
The Master of Social Work is available in full-time, part-time, online, and hybrid/blended formats. The school is located on BU’s Charles River Campus in Boston, where students can enroll in full- and part-time in-person programs. Part-time programs are offered in Bedford and Fall River (fully in-person), Worcester (hybrid in-person/online format), and Cape Cod (blended in-person/online format). The Online MSW Program is a part-time degree available throughout the United States*.
*Applicants must be living within the 50 states at the time the program begins in order to participate. Those living in US territories, countries outside of the US, and military bases outside of the 50 states are ineligible for the Online MSW Program.
Our faculty is at the forefront of practice, research, and training with diverse populations in areas such as:
- Aging and gerontology
- Children, youth, and families
- Communities, policies, and practice
- Disability
- Health and public health social work
- HIV and AIDS
- Mental health
- Refugees and immigrants
- Substance abuse
- Suicide prevention
- Trauma
Students take advanced coursework to develop and deepen their competence according to their special interests and talents, and major in either clinical or macro social work practice.
Diversity in Student Population
BUSSW is dedicated to attracting and nurturing students with diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, and economic backgrounds; students with disabilities; students of all gender and sexual identities; and students of various ages and life experience.
BUSSW also offers a special scholarship for students with disabilities—the Wendy Carol Byers Memorial Scholarship. To support students with disabilities, all of the school’s sites are wheelchair accessible. The staff also works closely with the Boston University Disability & Access Services office to provide appropriate support for students.
Accreditation
Boston University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), one of six nationally recognized accrediting agencies. The MSW degree program at the Boston University School of Social Work is also fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
