School of Social Work
Preparing Leaders in Social Work
Founded in 1904, Simmons was the nation's first school of social work and enjoys a rich history of training clinical social workers.
At Simmons, you will develop and advance psychotherapy skills as a social worker — through a social justice lens and in line with social work values. You'll join providers who are delivering crucial treatment in the areas of mental health, child welfare, health care, and advocacy, and who are committed to social justice in the United States and beyond.
Visionary Leadership
“Thanks to its outstanding practice and social justice-oriented faculty, the School has a longstanding reputation as a leader in clinical social work education and scholarship.” — Michael LaSala, Dean
Embrace Our Mission
The Simmons University School of Social Work will prepare you to practice social work in a complex, multicultural world. Our programs focus on the development of strong skills, career preparation, and readiness for the field.
Take the Next Step
Join a community of students who share a passion for scholarship, a dedication to community, a vision for change, and a commitment to social justice and human rights.
Answer Your Calling: Tap into Your Potential
Our program offers the opportunity to hone your skills in government and non-profits, hospitals, home visits, private practice, and schools. Your work will acknowledge and respond to the impacts of institutional racism, sexism, and homophobia on clients.
Get Involved, Get Inspired
Take advantage of resources and training provided by The Center for Innovation in Behavioral Health Education and Research (CIBER). The center advances research, practice, and teaching in behavioral health.
You will have the opportunity to integrate classroom learning into clinical practice. You'll learn to apply clinical skills with clients and become familiar with the many roles social workers play in agencies and communities.
Our programs will prepare you for a successful career in social work. You can pursue many roles, such as practitioner, policy expert, scholar, teacher, or leader.
What Makes Us Different?
As the oldest school of social work in the nation, Simmons School of Social Work offers a one-of-a-kind focus on clinical practice and psychotherapy skills. Employers recognize and trust the exceptional expertise our graduates bring to the field.
Our faculty are highly specialized in direct clinical practice — close to 90% of the faculty are engaged in practice within their community, and they take pride in mentoring and teaching students.
“I was learning interventions in class that I could practice with a client the next day.”
Rebecca McDermott ’24
MSW
“I like that Simmons values clinical experience and scholarship. It’s about making sure the research informs the practice, and the practice informs the research. You don’t find that in a lot of programs.”
Stephanie Wladkowski ’14
PhD
Applied Learning in Social Work Education
Discover innovative ideas and insights in our online journal. The School of Social Work created this publication to promote knowledge exchange among the social work field education community.
Note: ALSWE was previously known as Field Educator.
Spotlight on Social Work Students and Alums
Social Work Alum on Oncology Social Work at Dana-Farber
Josh Ozer ’24MSW is a clinical social worker at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston where he provides one-on-one counseling to patients as well as psychosocial support to their families and caregivers.
Simmons Welcomes New Cohort of Bonner Community Leaders
The Bonner Community Leaders Program is a unique opportunity for students who want to combine a strong commitment to service with personal growth, teamwork, leadership development, and scholarship. We spoke with Ellie Foss ’28, Jocelyn Miranda Landaverde ’28, Bridget Swezey ’28, and Soraya Timas ’28 about what drew them to the program.
Mother and Daughter Alumnae Reflect on Shared Simmons Pride
To commemorate Simmons’ 125th anniversary, we spoke with Karen MacKenzie ’10, ’12MSW and her daughter Jennifer “Jen” DiRico ’12MBA about graduating alongside one another, Simmons’ spirit of inclusivity, and the formative power of a women’s-centered education.
Simmons Social Work Doctoral Student Awards Kindest Kids in America
Jessie Hansen ’26DSW recently started the program The Kindest Kid in America, which awards young students who are exemplars of kindness. Hansen is a representative of Think Kindness, an organization that aims to promote acts of kindness in school and communities.
Simmons Masters in Social Work Student Interviewed for GBH's Wake Up Well
Heidi HyunJin Lee was interviewed by GBH’s Morning Edition co-host Paris Alston for Wake Up Well, a segment focused on mental health.
Sandra Best Bailly ’94MSW Named President-Elect of Massachusetts Chapter of National Association of Social Workers
The Massachusetts Chapter of NASW is one of the largest chapters in the country, with a mission to “advance professional social work practice throughout the Commonwealth and advocate for equity and justice for all people.”
Coming Full-Circle: Simmons Alum with Veteran Parents Now Supporting Veterans in Need
Sarah Clinton ’17MSW is an Aftercare Social Work Case Manager for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program. In honor of July 4, we spoke with her about what drew her to social work and working with Veterans.
Simmons Alumna Shares the Challenges and Rewards of Mental Health Therapy
Christa Perry ’23MSW is a mental health therapist for Embark Behavioral Health, a national company that provides mental health treatment to teens and young adults. Based in Vienna, Virginia, Perry counsels individuals and families in the eight-week Partial Hospitalization Program and the 15-week Intensive Outpatient Program.
School of Social Work Highlights
Accredited Programs
Our BSW (On-ground and online) and MSW programs are fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
Hands-on experience
Our MSW students get more hands-on experience in the field than any other program in the Boston area.
High Rate of Licensure and Employment
Simmons students excel with their high pass rates on the licensing exam and high rates of employment within 6 months of graduation.
School of Social Work in the News
Associate Professor’s Research Links Drinking and Depression
School of Social Work Associate Professor Christina Sellers was quoted in an article, "Retirement and drinking don't mix."
Two Simmons Faculty Members Receive North Star Fellowships
Samuel Odom from the School of Social Work and Don Simmons from the School of Library and Information Science, have been named fellows by the North Star Collective Faculty Fellowship, which is designed to promote supportive community and racial healing for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) faculty members across New England.
Honoring the National Day of Racial Healing
January 21, 2025 — the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day — is the ninth annual National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH). Created by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, NDORH "is an opportunity to engage in collective action to create a more just and equitable world."
Simmons School of Social Work Welcomes New Faculty
Simmons University’s School of Social Work Programs welcomed four new faculty members this academic year, with expertise in addiction treatment, hospice and bereavement support, racism-based trauma, and military social work.
Women in Leadership and Social Justice
Local leaders recently gathered at Simmons University to discuss what it means to lead in today’s world. The event was part of the Unpacking Series and was hosted by the Simmons Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in collaboration with the Institute for Inclusive Leadership, the School of Management, the School of Social Work, and the Stephen D. London Center for Community Engagement and Social Justice.
Simmons Social Work Professor Featured in New Documentary Film
In a new documentary film, Never Cried: Boston’s Busing Legacy, sisters Leola Hampton and Linda Stark reflect on a trauma they endured fifty years ago. Dr. Gary Bailey, Professor of Practice and MSW Director of Simmons’ School of Social Work, makes appearances throughout the film.
Simmons School of Social Work Holds First Annual Veterans Day Celebration
On November 6, the Simmons School of Social Work hosted a hybrid Veterans Day celebration to honor servicemembers past and present, with a keynote address delivered by General Gary M. Brito, the 18th Commanding General of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command.
Professor Visits University of Johannesburg as Fulbright Specialist
Professor Johnnie Hamilton-Mason received a Fulbright Specialist Award this year. Recipients of the Fulbright Specialist awards are "selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, demonstrated leadership in their field, and their potential to foster long-term cooperation between institutions in the U.S. and abroad."
Upcoming Events
Info Session: On-Campus MSW Program
- Mar 29, 2025
- 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
- Kotzen Room, Ground Floor, Lefavour Building
Contact Us
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