phd in social work bc

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Social Work

Social Work provides students with backgrounds in social work, social policy, social development, opportunities for advanced scholarship, and professional growth in the context of research-intensive programs. Students are prepared for university teaching and research (theoretical and applied), including program evaluation. The program can also provide critical components for professional practice in research, policy analysis, and human service management.

Explore our Programs in Social Work

Master of social work, doctor of philosophy, faculty members in social work, student & alumni stories in social work.

Andrea Johnson

Darryl Gray

Explore our wide range of course-based and research-based program options!

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Welcome | Skwúls te Mestíyexw-Syó:s qas te Smomíyelhtel

At UFV's School of Social Work and Human Services, choose to study from one of our student-centered programs where you contribute to the knowledge base of social work through partnerships and collaborative research with professional and local communities. 

The UFV Social Work degree programs prepare students for social work practice reflecting principles of social justice, equality, and respect for diversity. The programs address the structural barriers that prevent people from reaching their full potential.

With a commitment to lifelong learning and a critical analysis of oppression, graduates will have the knowledge, skills, and professional social work values necessary to work collaboratively with individuals, families, groups, and communities in diverse and cross-cultural environments.

• Social work education is a critical process that respects diverse sources and forms of knowledge while encouraging dissent. We are committed to scholarship including debate on social work and social welfare, with particular attention to how social problems come to be defined and addressed.
• All individuals, families, groups, and communities are entitled to be treated with respect, with justice, and without discrimination. To that end, we seek to provide equitable educational opportunities and participation of those groups experiencing systemic oppression. Valuing our community base, we seek to promote social change.
• We encourage the use of evidence-based practice and contribution to the knowledge base of social work.

SWHS blog — News, events & stories

Rent Bank Case Worker, Mennonite Central Committee – Hybrid (May 10, 2024)

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 20:51:01 +0000

Perinatal Support Worker Assistant – Casual, Chilliwack Community Services (closes noon April 24, 2024)

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 17:00:03 +0000

Program Coordinator – Seniors Transportation, Casual PT, Chilliwack Community Services (closes noon, April 30, 2024)

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 22:46:02 +0000

Early Years Coordinator, Chilliwack Community Services (closes noon, April 28, 2024)

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 17:48:50 +0000

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We protect the public interest by establishing and supporting high standards for qualified Registered Social Workers.

Registration renewal period ended on January 31, 2024. If you did not renew your registration by January 31, 2024, your registration has been cancelled effective February 1, 2024. You can still reinstate your registration during the February 1 – April 30, 2024 reinstatement period. Please reinstate your registration in your online account no later than April 30, 2024.

The office of the BC College of Social Workers is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the  xʷməθkʷəy̓əm  (Musqueam people).

BCCSW’s Technology Standards of Practice provides guidance for maintaining competent and ethical social work practice when delivering technology-based services.

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Online Public Registry and Registrant Login Portal Issue – Resolved

We are pleased to inform you that the technical issue affecting the functionality of our Online Public Registry and Registrant Login Portal has been successfully resolved. We apologize for any…

New Job Posting: Professional Practice and Policy Associate

BCCSW is looking for a Professional Practice and Policy Associate. Read the full job description here: https://bccsw.ca/jobs/professional-practice-and-policy-associate/

2021 BCCSW Virtual Annual General Meeting, May 7, 2021, 3:30 pm

You are invited to a Zoom webinar. When: May 7, 2021 03:30 PM Vancouver Topic: BC College of Social Workers 2021 Virtual Annual General Meeting Register in advance for this…

2020 Virtual Annual General Meeting

BC College of Social Workers 2020 Virtual Annual General Meeting When: July 17, 2020 03:30pm (Pacific Time) Register in advance: After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information…

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Social Work (PhD)

Society needs researchers who have a deep understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion and who are prepared to address inequality and promote social justice.

Supported by world-class faculty , students undertake ground-breaking research that fosters social justice and promotes new understandings of social issues affecting individuals, families, organizations, and communities.

Program Highlights

• The country’s only Indigenized PhD in Social Work offering. Following a successful pilot in 2018, the program was implemented again in 2022.
• Small class sizes foster a strong sense of community among students and enable faculty to provide individual support and mentorship.
• 56% of students who graduated between 2016 and 2021 hold full-time faculty positions.
• For the 2023/24 academic year, 10 of our students were awarded external funding to support their research from either the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada or the Ontario Graduate Scholarship.
• One of our students was the recipient of the prestigious Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship.

Program Details

The PhD program includes two offerings: a general offering and Indigenous offering. Each offering involves the same program structure and milestones. Students complete seven required courses and one elective course, with an optional elective available. They then complete the comprehensive examination followed by the dissertation.

The Social Work PhD comprehensive examination is an important stepping-stone in students’ dissertation research. It provides students with the opportunity to develop deep knowledge of the theory and knowledge/research related to their area of interest, which both informs and frames their dissertation research.

General Offering

This offering reflects Western ways of knowing, though students are exposed to and encourage to consider Indigenous ways of knowing and research, decolonization, and critical methods in their research. This offering is open to both full-time and part-time students and is offered annually except with the second offering is implemented.

Indigenized Offering

This offering is situated in Indigenous knowledges and embraces Indigenous teaching methods, such as circle, ceremony, and land-based learning. This offering is designed for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. It is open to full-time students and is offered every 4-5 years.

This offering is a critical part of the Faculty of Social Work’s commitment to indigenization and decolonization and responds to recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It also helps to respond to the growing demand for Indigenous scholars within higher education.

Courses are taught by Indigenous scholars from the Indigenous Field of Study (IFS). Course content privileges Indigenous scholarship and discourses relevant to Indigenous issues in practice, research and education. Indigegogy is a term that is employed by the IFS team to capture the Indigenous theories and practices that underpin the transformative Indigenous educational process. Indigegogy in each course is wholistic in design and flow from Indigenous ways of seeing, being, knowing, and doing. Course pedagogy involves the sharing circle in the presence of medicines, ceremony, and Elders, and land-based learning, when possible.

Graduates take their place in the circle of Indigenous knowledge, restoring and generating indigenous knowledge. Graduates understand "how" to gather knowledge, carve pathways, research, engage in Indigegogy, how to take their places within the academy or teaching and research positions and maintain their Indigeneity and Indigenist frameworks.

Field Learning Option

Students for whom field experience in a particular setting is necessary to advance their ability to conduct their research may request permission to enrol in the Field Learning Option. The student identifies the setting, negotiates the details of the role, and submits a written proposal for the Field Learning Option to the associate dean of the PhD program and the PhD committee for approval. If taken, the field learning option would fulfil an elective.

Program Structure

Full-time students are expected to complete their coursework within four terms and their comprehensive examination in two terms. They usually complete the program in 4-5 years.

Full-time students receive minimum guaranteed funding and are eligible to apply for Ontario Graduate Scholarships, SSHRC or CIHR doctoral awards.

Term One (Fall)

• SK790: Social Work Thought and Theory
• SK791: Epistemology and the Nature of Social Work Knowledge

Term Two (Winter)

• SK704: Applied Quantitative Research Methods
• SK805: Applied Qualitative Research Methods

Term Three (Spring)

• SK820: Doctoral Seminar 
• SK894: Writing for Publication 

Term Four (Fall)

• SK801: Advanced Qualitative Data Analysis 
• Required Elective 

Terms Five (Winter) and Six (Spring)

• SK893: Comprehensive Examination

Terms Seven to 12

• SK899: PhD Dissertation

Part-time students complete a maximum of two courses per term and expected to complete the comprehensive examination within four terms.

They follow the same curriculum as full-time students and are expected to complete courses in the terms the courses are offered to full-time students.

Following admission to the program, in collaboration with the associate dean of the PhD program, the student develops a plan for completing their courses.

Please note, part-time students are not eligible for the minimum guaranteed funding package or for Ontario Graduate Scholarships, SSHRC or CIHR doctoral awards.

Faculty Research

Our faculty members pursue a range of research interests across the micro-macro practice spectrum from the local to global contexts. They use various research methodologies, including critical, feminist, and Indigenous methods.

Our research centres, programs, and chairs include the Centre for Indigegogy , Manulife Centre for Community Health Research , the Social Innovation Research Group , Walls to Bridges , Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Global Adversity and Wellbeing, and the Lyle S. Hallman Chair in Child and Family Welfare.

Core Research Areas

Aligned with social work’s mission and values, faculty’s research addresses these core areas:

Community-Engaged Research for Inclusion

Faculty conduct research in partnership with marginalized and vulnerable communities and work toward social justice and social transformation. Faculty are deeply engaged with the community and engage is scholarship that is driven by community priorities, centres community voices, and advances social justice and inclusion.

Indigenous Scholarship and Decolonizing Relationships, Knowledges, and Practices

This area includes Indigenous scholarship by Indigenous faculty members as well as research and knowledge mobilization related to decolonizing practices and relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Common to these topics is strong recognition, respect and value placed on Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing, being and doing.

Adversity, Trauma, Wellbeing and Social Change

Faculty engage in research exploring the connections between various forms of adversity and, trauma, and wellbeing, with the goal of facilitating positive wellbeing, belonging, and inclusion. This work informs interventions at the micro and macro levels, including challenging systems of oppression that underpin various forms of adversity.

Gender and its Intersections

Faculty examine the ways gender and gendered experiences (i.e., expressions, identities, sexualities, and embodiment) are shaped by and intersect with factors such as racism, colonialism, patriarchy, cisgenderism, heterosexism, ableism, poverty, and religion. Faculty explore topics such as violence against women, criminal justice, immigration and refugee issues, disability, and 2SLGBTQ+ realities.

"The PhD program provided opportunities for me to build lifelong relationships with colleagues and friends. I am thankful for the care put into fostering these opportunities to connect and the mentors that helped guide my journey". 

Christine Mayor (PhD ’22)

Take the first step in your graduate education and apply to one of our graduate programs. Follow our three-step admission process — we’ll walk you through how to apply and prepare for your first day as a graduate student.

• Start: Fall (September)
• Format: Full-time or part-time
• Application deadline: Extended to Jan. 31

Attend a Virtual Information Session

Learn more about our program and register for one of our Virtual Information Sessions. 

• Wednesday, November 29, 2023 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Register on Zoom . 

Admission Requirements

• A Master of Social Work (MSW) or equivalent from a related discipline with a minimum A- standing.
• Three or more years of post-MSW practice experience, but other combinations of practice, education, and lived experience may be considered. We particularly value practice with diverse marginalized communities and populations.
• Strong critical and analytic abilities and a passion for intellectual and personal growth and research that fosters social justice, inclusion, and well-being.
• Potential and motivation to pursue independent research that reflects social work values.
• Please note, we do not require prospective students to pre-arrange an advisor as this is a process we believe best occurs when part of the program. However, feel free to contact faculty with whom you might want to work to discuss your research interests. In your application you are asked to identify faculty with whom you would like to work.

Application Checklist

Applications must be complete to be considered. The annual application deadline is usually mid-January. The application includes assessments from referees and a statement of intent, which includes a proposed research plan, therefore we recommend you start developing your application early. Applications are assessed by faculty serving on the PhD program committee. We reserve the right to interview applicants and consider applications until the program is full.

After you have submitted your  OUAC application , paid the non-refundable application fee, and Laurier has received your application, you'll receive an email from [email protected] advising you to upload the additional required documentation to   Laurier’s Online Registration and Information System (LORIS) .

An application for admission to our PhD in Social Work program must include:

• The Application Summary , which is generated after you complete your OUAC application (log back in to OUAC to retrieve it).
• Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work. Documents must be dated within the past six months.
• A completed statement of intent (see below for details).
• A resume of your academic and work experience. Include a history of your research experience, publications, presentations/workshops given, and any other information you feel will interest the admissions committee. Distinguish between paid and volunteer positions, and practicum and full- or part-time work.
• A sample of your scholarly writing (10-20 pages in length). This may be a chapter of your master's thesis or a paper written for a graduate course.
• Completed reference forms . Three academic references are required. Note: Reference forms are electronically submitted to Laurier by the referee and do not need to be uploaded.

Statement of Intent

As you complete the   statement of intent   keep the following points in mind:

• Answers each of the questions outlined on the form, with most of your attention given to your research interests and proposed research plan.
• Conveys your motivation for pursuing a PhD in social work in terms of your education, practice experience (not limited to paid work), and lived experience, and how these connect to your research interests, which reflect the social work profession’s mission and values.
• Reflects reflexivity and self-awareness regarding your positionalities, especially if proposing to conduct research with a community you are not a member of. 
• Provides evidence that you examined the scholarly literature, including theory, regarding your area of interest and how your proposed study fits with these. Ideally conveys how your research might advance understanding of the topic.
• Includes a clear and answerable research question that aligns with the research issue you plan to address in your doctoral research.
• Presents a coherent and feasible research plan (methodological approach, sampling, and data collection and analysis) that address your research question and is appropriate to research population. Because of space limitations, the research plan does not need to address minor points, such as how confidentiality will be maintained.

English Proficiency

Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential to graduate studies at Laurier. Applicants whose language of instruction during their previous postsecondary education was not in English must submit evidence of proficiency in English. If applicable, results from accepted testing services must be uploaded to  LORIS .

Your Next Steps

Questions? Contact Michael Woodford, associate dean of the PhD program, at [email protected] .

"The collegiality of peers, staff, and faculty was a valuable and cherished part of my experience. The physical spaces for students to work and engage with each other created a great extension to classroom learning. My advisor’s commitment guidance and support were essential in creating an intellectually stimulating experience that challenged me and deepened my critical thinking."

Bibi Baksh (PhD '22)

Kitchener Location

This program is available at the Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work in the heart of downtown Kitchener . This fully renovated historic building houses seven classrooms (including a unique circular classroom), a computer lab, a 2,000 square foot library, an interview-viewing room, a large conference/lecture hall, a community meeting space, a student lounge, and a spiritual room.

Close to 300 graduate students are based in Kitchener, just minutes away from Laurier’s Waterloo campus where they can access a full range of student supports and a variety of campus amenities.

Learn more about Laurier's campuses .

Tuition and Funding

Full-time domestic students will benefit from bursary and teaching assistantship opportunities at the university. 

All full-time domestic students receive the PhD minimum guaranteed funding (MGF) package of two teaching assistantships and a scholarship.

The Faculty of Social Work welcomes international students to the PhD Program. International students who have confirmed funding from a third-party, such as their employer or a scholarship program in their home country, will be considered for admission beginning in the 2024/25 admission year.

Learn more about  admission requirements for international applicants.

"In addition to preparing me to become a researcher, the PhD program helped me to become a more compassionate and informed practitioner and lecturer. Most importantly, it afforded me an opportunity to learn new ways of thinking and challenge myself on difficult topics."

Jennifer Scarborough (PhD '21)

In addition to becoming faculty members, our graduates assume research, policy analysis, and leadership roles in human service organizations.

Your Path to Post-Degree Success

ASPIRE is Laurier's professional skills development training program for graduate students. The program helps you craft an individualized, extracurricular learning plan tailored to your professional journey and entry to the workplace .

If you are looking for more information about this program, have questions, or want to set up a meeting, contact a member of our team. 

Program Inquiries 

If you are looking for more information about the program or want to discuss next steps, you can email Michael Woodford, associate dean at  [email protected] .

Learn About Our Faculty

To contact other members of our team, or l earn more about the interests of our faculty members, visit our contacts page.  

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• Research guides

Social Work: Doctoral Student Resources

Find dissertations, featured resources.

• Outstanding Social Work Doctoral Dissertation Award From the Society for Social Work and Research
• Boston College Open Access Publishing Fund Publish in open access journals and get funding for article processing fees.
• Journals in Social Work and Related Disciplines: Manuscript Submission Information (pdf) Includes impact factors
• ProQuest Dissertations and Theses This link opens in a new window Citations and abstracts to more than 2 million dissertations and masters theses in all fields produced in North American colleges and universities from 1861 to the present, and from around the world since 1988. The full text of dissertations published since 1997 is also available for download.
• Open Access Theses and Dissertations "Resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world"
• eScholarship@BC The institutional repository of Boston College. Includes BC theses and dissertations.
• Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) Provides open access to electronic theses and dissertations in worldwide repositories.
• British Library EThOS The British Library’s open access to UK theses.

Helpful Websites on Literature Review

• Writing a Literature Review This guide was written by Brendan Rapple, the Education Librarian at Boston College. It is relevant to many types of social science writing.
• Literature Review Resources This useful guide from the University of Washington provides links with tips for doing a literature review.
• Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students A useful guide from NC state.
• << Previous: Find Journals
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• Last Updated: Oct 25, 2023 4:18 PM
• Subjects: Social Work
• Tags: guide , social_work , social_work_doctoral , social_work_doctoral_research_help , social_work_phd , social_work_research_doctoral

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Master of Social Work Program

• Full-time MSW Program
• Part-time MSW Program

Field Education

• Advanced Standing
• Dual Degrees

Educating Tomorrow’s Social Work Practitioners

Students in our top-ranked MSW program aren’t just scholars—they’re also researchers who collaborate with faculty on compelling projects and practitioners who spend 2-3 days per week working in schools, nonprofits, and hospitals through our robust field placement program.

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Chart your course to difference-making. 

Choose a specialized practice: clinical or macro.

We challenge and prepare our clinical program students to integrate evidence-based interventions and culturally sensitive practice with individuals, couples, families, and groups. Students become proficient in assessment and diagnostic classification and learn to develop professional therapeutic alliance and relationship skills.

Through coursework and field practice, students are exposed to a broad overview of therapeutic interventions and have an opportunity to develop advanced practice skills and therapeutic techniques.

Two-Year Program Curriculum       Three-Year Program Curriculum

Macro social work aims to affect change within large systems at the community, organizational, and policy levels. BCSSW’s macro specialization focuses on social innovation and leadership, emphasizing the development of ideas, mechanisms, and new social arrangements to enhance community capacity to address complex social challenges. Students train in the foundations of participatory community-based social work practice and research and learn recent advances in human-centered design, systems thinking, and other analytical tools to drive innovation, address complex social problems, and enable sustained social impact.  

In their coursework and field internships, students gain practice skills that focus on advocacy, leadership and administration, financial management and resource development, and novel approaches to drive social change and advance the common good.

Two-Year Program Curriculum      Three-Year Program Curriculum

Choose a field of practice

Within either specialized practice (clinical or macro), you will develop expertise by selecting a field of practice. The six fields of practice offered at BCSSW are:

Afrocentric Social Work

Children, youth, & families, global practice, latinx communities.

• Mental Health

Explore Fields of Practice

Learn in the field

Students in the School of Social Work receive professional training from organizations throughout the Greater Boston area, providing them with critical on-the-ground experience that enhances their classroom learning and prepares them for a successful career. We've cultivated strong relationships with our agency partners, enabling you to choose from more than 1,000 opportunities. You'll receive mentoring and support every step of the way.

Customize your experience

Study full time and finish in two years, study part time and finish in three years.

Full-Time Program of Study

Part-Time Program of Study

You can add an optional certificate to your MSW degree:

Advanced Research  Aging Populations & Gerontology Black Leadership Child Welfare  Design Thinking for Social Change Global Humanitarian Practice Latinx Leadership  Leaders for Equity and Justice in the Workplace  Neuroscience & Social Work  Refugees & Immigrants  School Social Work    Trauma *Early Childhood Policy and Leadership (Lynch School)  

Certificate Details

Combine your MSW with a JD, MBA, or MA in Theology & Ministry.

Explore Dual Degrees

Our MSW program consists of 12 required courses and 5 electives. 

Each semester there are 50+ electives to choose from..

Browse Electives

Fields of Practice  

Our MSW program offers six concentrated fields of practice pathways that include specialized coursework and advanced field education placements. 

The Afrocentric Social Work field of practice centers on the African Diaspora and Black experiences, inclusive of continental Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Central America, and the United States. The Afrocentric perspective is an ontological and epistemological orientation that places African people as participants and agents shaping their life chances and experiences. It will equip MSW students with a holistic approach towards a critical examination of social work from an African-centered perspective. Students will be exposed to Afrocentric thinking and practice modalities – clinical and macro – that function as staples of social work with Black communities.  Students will have historical and contemporary contexts of the vast African diaspora that makes up the many “Black communities” globally. They will obtain an overview of the African worldview and the history, culture, and contributions to the world civilization of African-descended people applied to social work practice. 

Clinical and Macro Social Work

Required course: Advanced Practice in Afrocentric Social Work

Our innovative Children, Youth, & Families curriculum will prepare you to assess individuals and families and to develop and implement evidence-based intervention strategies that improve the health and resilience of families and their communities.

Children, Youth, & Families students intern in settings such as schools, private non-profits, community health centers, and organizations working on issues related to trauma, poverty, family homelessness, health and behavioral health, immigrant integration, and a host of growing family issues confronting society. In the advanced practice course, students delve deeply into learning how to create engaging, activity-based therapy groups for youth, as well as learning several parenting and family therapy models. Additionally, specialized courses in school-based social work will prepare you for meeting the academic requirements for the Department of Education School Social Work license in Massachusetts and some other states.

Clinical Social Work

Required course: SCWK 8872 Advanced Clinical Interventions with Children, Youth, & Families

Macro Social Work

Required course: SCWK 8885 Management of Organizations Serving Children, Youth, & Families

Global Practice will prepare you to work effectively in the fields of global social work, humanitarian aid, and international development. You will learn different approaches to addressing complex social issues that often transcend national boundaries and affect much of the world’s population. Your work will be guided by the principles of human rights, human security, human development, and the promotion of sustainable solutions to social problems.

As a Global Practice student, you will have the opportunity to work domestically or internationally with one of our many intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizational partners. Examples of this work include providing training and support for case managers serving refugees and asylum seekers; drafting immigration policies; developing programs to promote peace or prevent gender-based violence; writing grant proposals; monitoring and evaluating child protection programs; or helping develop organizational policies for effective and sustainable practice.

Our Global Practice graduates work in the U.S. and overseas in a range of positions that involve direct practice, program development, management, evaluation, research, training, capacity building, and policy. From policy development in Washington, DC., to program development in Cambodia, our graduates contribute to policy, practice, and research that improve the lives and well-being of individuals, families, and communities around the world.

Required courses include: SCWK 7797 Frameworks and Tools for Global Practice SCWK 8806 Global Policy Issues and Implications

Related Links

Global Program on Migration, Refugees, & Humanitarian Assistance

Our primary goal is to prepare you for advanced practice in clinical services, advocacy, or management roles in the field of health care.

You receive specialized knowledge, skills, and training in the areas of assessment, evidence-based interventions, policy, planning, and management techniques. Clinical students focus on developing strong assessment skills and learning evidence-based treatment interventions to work with individuals, couples, families, and groups in healthcare settings. Macro students specialize in developing the policy, planning, and management skills to become effective advocates and leaders at the local, state, or national level.

Our graduates work in a panoply of health and behavioral health settings ranging from hospital based to community based, acute care to rehabilitation facilities, forensic services and homeless services, outpatient clinics and substance abuse programs, state agencies, and grass roots organizations. With Massachusetts leading the way in national health care reform, you will be exposed to the rapidly changing organization and delivery of health care.

Clinical Social Work

Required course: SCWK 8873  Integration of Behavioral Health & Medical Care Practice

Required course: SCWK 8897 Planning for Health and Mental Health Services 

The Latinx Communities field of practice trains MSW students to work with Latinx communities in the U.S. and around the world. Our innovative program includes culturally-centered coursework and field placements, tailored mentoring, self-advocacy training, and career development guidance.

From an asset-based approach, you will develop a nuanced understanding of the barriers Latinx populations encounter in accessing equitable education, social services, and health care, as well as a deep understanding of how to implement evidence-based interventions that address systemic inequities.

Following a cohort model, you will take core classes taught in Spanish and intern at a field placement with one of our many partners in the Greater Boston area that serve the legal, medical, behavioral health, immigration, and educational needs of the Latinx community.

Please note, unlike the other fields of practice, you must apply to the Latinx Communities Field of Practice prior to starting your first year in the MSW program. Learn more about this field of practice and how to apply by reviewing our frequently asked questions .

Required course: SCWK 8837 Social Services with Latinx Populations in the US

Trauma-Informed Mental Health

Our primary goal is to prepare you for advanced practice in clinical services, advocacy, or management roles in the dynamic field of trauma-informed behavioral health.

You receive specialized knowledge, skills, and training in the areas of assessment, evidence-based interventions, policy, planning, and management techniques. Clinical students focus on developing strong trauma-informed assessment skills and learning evidence-based treatment interventions to work with individuals, couples, families, and groups in behavioral health settings. Macro students specialize in developing the policy, planning, and management skills to become effective advocates and leaders at the local, state, or national level.

Our graduates work in a variety of settings that often require trauma-informed skills. Settings range from hospital based to community based, acute care to rehabilitation facilities, forensic services and homeless services, outpatient clinics and substance abuse programs, state agencies, and grass roots organizations. With Massachusetts leading the way in national health care reform, you will be exposed to the rapidly changing organization and delivery of behavioral health.

Required course: SCWK 8874 Adult Psychological Trauma 

Macro Social Work

Certificates.

Our certificates give students the opportunity to build knowledge in subject-specific areas of social work.  Certificates require the completion of three specified courses within a chosen area. 

Advanced Research

Scwk 7747 research methods in social work practice.

Offered: Fall semester

SCWK 9964 Intro to Statistics & Data Analysis

Offered: Fall semester This is a doctoral course. Permission from the instructor is necessary.

SCWK 9960 Regression Analysis for Social & Behavioral Sciences

Offered: Spring semester This is a doctoral course. Permission from the instructor is necessary.

Aging Populations & Gerontology

Swck7721 human behavior and the social  environment, scwk8823 practice in health and mental health settings  with older adults, scwk8802 policy for aging society: issues and  options.

Offered: Spring semester

Black Leadership

Scwk 7723 re-thinking diversity.

Offered: Fall semester 

SCWK 8844 is History of Activism in Black Communities

Offered: Falls semester 

SCWK 8845 Afrocentric Organizations

Offered: Spring semester 

Child Welfare

Scwk 8805 policy issues in family & children’s services, scwk 8880 social work practice in child welfare , scwk 8822 child and adolescent trauma: clinical assessment and treatment.

Offered: Summer, Fall and Spring semesters 

Latinx Leadership

Scwk 8854 advanced clinical practice with latinx populations (in spanish) .

Offered: Summer semester 

SCWK 7777 Service to Migrants: A Border Perspective

Offered: Spring semester (limited enrollment based on seat availability; travel required)

Leaders for Equity & Justice in the Workplace

Scwk 7723 re-thinking diversity: systems of oppression & privilege , scwk 8847 creating the inclusive workplace: topics in organizational justice, scwk 8838 dismantling organizational bias through evidence-based practice, neuroscience and social work certificate, scwk 7721 human behavior and the social environment, scwk 7724 neurobiology of stress & resilience in the life.

Offered: Summer and Spring semester 

SCWK 7726 Neuroscience of Human Relationships & Development 

Refugees & immigrants, scwk 7723 re-thinking diversity: systems of oppression & privilege, scwk 7794 immigrants & refugees, scwk 7719 migration, politics, and social work: the challenge of justice and care.

Offered: Summer semester

SCWK 7777 Services to Migrants

Offered: Spring semester (limited enrollment based on seat availability; travel required) 

School Social Work

This certificate is for clinical students only.

This certificate does not alone meet the requirements for MA. Dept. of Ed. School Social Worker license.

SCWK 8855 Clinical Practice with Children and Families

Scwk 8881 school social work: program development and educational policies, scwk 8858 clinical practice in schools, scwk 8856 clinical practice with adults, scwk 8855 clinical practice with cyf, scwk 8822 child and adolescent trauma: clinical assessment and treatment .

Offered: Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters, and required for all clinical mental health field-of-practice students who want this certificate

SCWK 8874 Adult Psychological Trauma

Scwk 8879 advanced trauma theory and treatment modalities , early childhood policy and leadership* (lynch school).

We are now accepting applications for the next cohort of students interested in the Certificate in Early Childhood Policy and Leadership.

The next cohort will begin in Spring 2024. 

Applications are due October 31, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.

Contact:  buonopaf@bc.edu

This is an interdisciplinary certificate between BC Lynch School of Education and Human Development and the School of Social Work. 

There are four components of the ECPL certificate that must be completed to earn the certificate.  Students must: 

• Take three courses from a list of approved courses. One course must be selected from each of the following three domains: science of early childhood development; policy development and evaluation; and leadership, advocacy, and partnerships. There is a list of courses that satisfy each domain offered through the Lynch School or School of Social Work. Both in-person and virtual course options are available under each domain. For more information on coursework, please see the program of study for this certificate. 
• Participate in a monthly seminar, targeting key issues related to early childhood policy, research, practice, advocacy, and leadership. 
• Complete a three-month paid summer internship in a local, national, or international setting to solidify skills in policy analysis, research, research translation, program development, or leadership in the early childhood field. 
• Translate learning from the internship and certificate courses by completing a capstone project, such as a policy brief, academic paper, or policy analysis.

Additional Information

Global Humanitarian Practice

Scwk7721 human behavior and the social environment (fall semester), scwk8853 global humanitarian practice (fall semester), scwk8807 global migration and forced displacement (spring semester), design thinking for social change.

The Design Thinking for Social Change certificate will engage students in the theories, methods, and practice of design thinking—a non-linear, iterative process that aims to create innovative solutions to social problems from the clinical to macro levels.

Required courses:

Scwk 8800 basic skills in macro practice (fall semester), scwk 8843 theories of design thinking for social change (summer semester), scwk 8848 practicing design thinking for social change (fall semester), tuition & aid.

Of students receive some type of scholarship

Our Students

Our current students and alumni serve communities locally and across the globe, sustaining positive social change through critical work.  

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Class of 2022 Outcomes

Were employed within one year of graduation

Received starting salaries of $50,000+

Passed licensure exam on first attempt

From the Field: Social Work in Action

“Dispatches from the Field” showcases the relationships BCSSW students foster and the impact they have through fieldwork—in Greater Boston and around the world.

Dispatches from the Field

Quick Links

Msw program, research projects, equity, justice, & inclusion, facts & figures.