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University of British Columbia

Social Work: Master (MSW) (UBCV)

For information and to apply visit the institution's website:

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School of Social Work and Human Services

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• Social Work — master's degree

QUICK FACTS

Credential : Master's degree Duration : 2 years

Start date : September (Alt yrs Found./Advanced) Location : Abbotsford campus Cost : Details

• Practicum provides work experience and industry contacts
• The Advanced program includes a required 450-hour practicum with one of UFV's partner community organizations. The Foundational program includes two required 450-hour practicums. Please note: the Foundational practicum (SOWK 431)is NOT open to PLAR or challenge.
• Upon graduation, you meet the requirements to apply to register with the British Columbia College of Social Workers (RSW).
• Program eligible for financial aid

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

UFV's two-year Advanced Master of Social Work (MSW) equips you with the advanced practice knowledge and skills you need to move into a leadership role. The Advanced MSW program involves five-semesters, 30 credits and includes a required 450-hour practicum. The Advanced MSW program is offered every two years in even years.

A statistics course (STAT 104 or 106, or PSYC 110) or equivalent must be taken prior to starting the program. 

Graduates who do not have a Bachelor of Social Work can apply to our Foundational Master of Social Work program.

UFV's three-year Foundational Master of Social Work (MSW) involves one-year of undergraduate social work courses, which involves three-semesters, 33 credits and a required 450-hour practicum.  Students will then ladder into the MSW program, which provides an advanced practice knowledge and the skills you need to move into a leadership role.  The MSW component of the program involves five-semesters, 30 credits and includes a required 450-hour practicum.  The Foundational program is also offered every two years in odd years.

A statistics course (STAT 104 or 106, or PSYC 110) or equivalent must be taken prior to SOWK 704

A research course (SOWK 404) or equivalent must be taken prior to SOWK 704

Please note: the practicums in these programs (Foundational and Advanced) are not open to PLAR or challenge.

UFV's Master of Social Work program builds on the success of UFV's Bachelor of Social Work program, and draws on the expertise of the School’s experienced and diverse faculty members. Strong relationships and consultation with community agencies in the Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland enhance the delivery of the MSW, particularly in terms of practicum placements and supervision.

The program is CASWE–ACFTS nationally accredited.

View the Master of Social Work's (Advanced and Foundational) program outline in the UFV Academic Calendar

Program goals

The program goals include respect for Indigenous self-determination and a commitment to working in partnership with local First Nations communities. As well, the Master of Social Work encourages you to integrate principles of anti-oppressive and cross-cultural social work into your practice frameworks.

The program also emphasizes social work education through practices and partnerships that respect ethno-cultural diversity, development through research, and collaborative community work.

These goals are consistent with the principles of inclusion and social justice, and the mandates of UFV, the BC College of Social Workers, and the Canadian Association for Social Work Education.

CAREER EXPECTATIONS

The British Columbia 2025 Labour Market Outlook identifies social work as a high opportunity occupation with excellent projected employment rate.

When registered, social workers who have completed a master's degree find increased opportunities to move into leadership roles in the field. They may work as administrators, teachers, case managers, or program developers in human services. They may also conduct research or work in the area of policy development for social or government agencies.

In fact, many graduates of the Master of Social Work program have done exactly that, and now work in leadership positions, private practice, or teaching positions in the local and surrounding communities.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

View entrance requirements in the UFV Academic Calendar. There are two intakes:

• Option 1: Bachelor of Social Work graduates  (Advanced)
• Option 2: Non-BSW graduates with a degree in a related discipline. (Foundational) Related disciplines include Child and Youth Care, Criminology, Psychology, Sociology, and Education.

See Programs open for application   for application dates.

Application deadline for MSW programs is December 1.

OTHER ADMISSION CATEGORIES

This program is open to international students.

UPGRADING OPTIONS

Students who do not meet the entrance requirements can upgrade in order to meet prerequisites for university classes.

Make an appointment with an Upgrading and University Preparation advisor to discuss your upgrading needs.

Phone: 604-504-7441 ext. 4279 Toll free: 1-888-504-7441 ext. 4279 Email: [email protected]

• Social Work — bachelor's degree
• Social Service Worker — diploma
• School and Community Support Worker — certificate
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• Master of Social Work (MSW)

Go to programs search

The MSW at UBC can be achieved within one of three fields of practice: Health and social care; Family and Children's Services; Social and International Development. Organized around an ethic of social care and social justice, each stream of practice shares some core courses and electives germane to the student's field of practice. Related practicum experiences build on knowledge and skills cultivated in the classroom. Typically, students complete a practicum in the field of practice addressed in their area of concentration.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

• Founded in 1928, the School of Social Work is the oldest social work training institution in British Columbia.
• With a focus on social justice, the School prepares students for advanced social work practice at undergraduate, master and doctoral levels.
• The School of Social Work has 16.5 full-time faculty and enrolls approximately 65 Master's students each year.
• We are small enough that students and faculty can enjoy regular one-on-one contact.
• Our Field Education Coordinators provide personalized service to seek practicum placements suited to students' individual learning goals.
• The School of Social Work's MSW program is fully accredited by the Canadian Association of Social Work Education.
• The School of Social Work is home to the Centre for Inclusion and Citizenship and the Centre for Research in Personhood in Dementia.

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 93

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior degree requirements.

Applicants must have completed a Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) degree.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 intake, application open date, canadian applicants, international applicants, deadline explanations.

Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.

Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.

Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

• Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Master of Social Work (MSW)

Criminal record check, citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Options

Graduates are most often employed in human service organizations and health care, the public service, and non-governmental organizations both in Canada and internationally. They may work in direct practice, policy analysis and development or community development. Students enter the program with social service experience and as a professional program, the MSW builds on that experience and prepares them for career advancement in their field of practice.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Master of Social Work (MSW). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion rates & times.

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Baines, Donna (Social work; Age-Friendly Cities; decent work and good care for older people in residential and home care; impact of neoliberalism on Indigenous social work education; impact of neoliberalism on non-Indigenous social work education)
• Bratiotis, Christiana (Social work; interventions in the context of hoarding; organizational processes involved in hoarding task forces; service utilization)
• Caragata, Lea (Social oppression and marginalization; Counselling, welfare and community services; Social policy; welfare systems; Poverty; labour markets; lone mothers; social policy; youth provisioning)
• Charles, Grant (Psychosocial oncology, intellectual disabilities, family interventions and at risk youth)
• Ibrahim, Mohamed (mental health; addiction among new immigrants and refugees; global mental health)
• Karki, Karun
• Kia, Hannah (LGBTQ2S+ health; LGBTQ2S+ aging; social work and other professional practice with sexual and gender minorities; effective social work practice with trans and gender diverse people; poverty, sexual and mental health issues among diverse LGBTQ2S+ populations)
• Lee, Barbara
• Montgomery, H. Monty
• O'Connor, Deborah (family support to frail or mentally impaired seniors; formal support services, Dementia, the interface between living with dementia, family care, and the use of formal support services)
• Wilson, Tina (Social work; social work and environment; history and philosophy of social work; critical social theories; generational standpoints; Social justice; social work rhetoric)
• Yan, Miu Chung (Issues related to settlement and integration of immigrants and refugees, labour market experience of new generation youth from racial minority immigrant families, and community building roles and functions of neighbourhood-level place-based multiservice organizations )

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work (PhD)

At the UBC Okanagan Campus

Further information, specialization.

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.

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Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

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Here, you can choose from more than 300 graduate degree program options and 2000+ research supervisors. You can even design your own program.

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Boston College MSW in Social Work

Social Work is a concentration offered under the social work major at Boston College. We’ve pulled together some essential information you should know about the master’s degree program in social work, including how many students graduate each year, the ethnic diversity of these students, and more.

If there’s something special you’re looking for, you can use one of the links below to find it:

• Graduate Cost
• Online Learning
• Student Diversity

How Much Does a Master’s in Social Work from Boston College Cost?

Boston college graduate tuition and fees.

Part-time graduates at Boston College paid an average of $1,768 per credit hour in 2019-2020. This tuition was the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. The following table shows the average full-time tuition and fees for graduate student.

Does Boston College Offer an Online MSW in Social Work?

Boston College does not offer an online option for its social work master’s degree program at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the Boston College Online Learning page.

Boston College Master’s Student Diversity for Social Work

Male-to-female ratio.

Of the students who received their master’s degree in social work in 2019-2020, 82.0% of them were women. This is less than the nationwide number of 87.2%.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

Around 32.3% of social work master’s degree recipients at Boston College in 2019-2020 were awarded to racial-ethnic minorities*. This is lower than the nationwide number of 42%.

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies .

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Boy accidentally smashes 3,500-year-old jar on museum visit

A 3,500-year-old jar has been accidentally smashed into pieces by a four-year-old boy during a trip to a museum in Israel.

The Hecht Museum in Haifa told the BBC the crockery dated back to the Bronze Age between 2200 and 1500BC - and was a rare artefact because it was so intact.

It had been on display near the entrance of the museum without glass, as the museum believes there is "special charm" in showing archaeological finds "without obstructions".

The boy's father, Alex, said his son "pulled the jar slightly" because he was "curious about what was inside", causing it to fall.

Alex also said he was "in shock" to see his son next to the smashed jar and at first thought "it wasn't my child that did it".

However, after calming the boy down he spoke to the security guard, Alex told the BBC.

The Hecht Museum said the child has been invited back to the exhibition with his family for an organised tour after the incident happened a few days ago.

"There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police," Lihi Laszlo from the museum told the BBC.

"In this case, however, this was not the situation. The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly."

A specialist in conservation has also been appointed to restore the jar, and it will be returned to its spot "in a short time".

The boy's father Alex said they will feel "relieved" to see the jar restored but added they are "sorry" because "it will no longer be the same item".

The museum told the BBC that "whenever possible, items are displayed without barriers or glass walls".

And "despite the rare incident" the museum said it intends to continue this tradition.

• World's oldest known lipstick traced back 5,000 years
• World's oldest masks go on display in Jerusalem
• American tourist arrested for smashing Jerusalem museum statues

The jar was most likely originally intended to be used to carry local supplies, such as wine and olive oil.

It predates the time of the Biblical King David and King Solomon and is characteristic of the Canaan region on the eastern Mediterranean coast.

Similar items of pottery found during archaeological digs are usually broken or incomplete when unearthed, making this intact jar "an impressive find" when it was discovered, the museum added.

The Hecht Museum is in the grounds of the University of Haifa in northern Israel and collects items of archaeology and art.

• Faculty & Research

Online MSW Program

An innovative part-time msw program delivered online.

The Online MSW Program at Boston University School of Social Work offers an innovative part-time format with majors in Clinical Practice or Macro Practice and 3 track options, ensuring that each student’s graduate program is tailored to their academic and professional experience. Clinical Practice majors may also choose to minor in Macro Practice.

Students fulfill the requirements for the MSW degree by:

• Taking required and elective courses in a convenient online format, that includes both self-paced learning and a live component.
• Attending weekly required Live Classroom sessions.
• Completing 1 or 2 field internships (depending upon track) within or near their geographic areas.

The curriculum at BUSSW emphasizes diversity, ethics, populations-at-risk, and social and economic justice, which is integrated throughout foundation and advanced MSW courses.

Visit the BU Bulletin for more detailed information on courses and requirements. 

Student Experience

Hear from  Atlanta-based Carmetra Johnson (SSW’18) in the video below as shares her experience as a student in the Boston University School of Social Work’s Online MSW Program.

Online Program Structure

The part-time Online MSW Program can typically be completed in 6–9 consecutive semesters, depending on the track. Courses are taken sequentially, most lasting for 7 weeks.

3 Options To Complete The MSW Degree:

• Traditional Track: Consists of 65 credits which can be completed in 3 years over 9 semesters (fall, spring, and summer). Students take foundation and advanced courses online, attend weekly required Live Classroom sessions held Sunday or Monday nights, and complete 2 field internships for a total of 1,200 hours in the field.
• Human Service Experience Track (HSE) : Open to applicants with a minimum of 2 years of full-time supervised human services experience. Consists of 65 credits which can be completed in 3 years over the course of 9 semesters (fall, spring, and summer). Students take foundation and advanced courses online, attend weekly required Live Classroom sessions held Sunday or Monday nights, and complete a single 1,000-hour field internship.
• Advanced Standing Track :  Open to applicants with an undergraduate social work degree from an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The undergraduate social work degree must have been earned within 6 years of entry into the program. Consists of 43 credits (or 40 credits if the student passes the Research 1 Waiver Exam) which can be completed over 6 consecutive semesters (no additional transfer credits will be accepted toward the MSW degree). Students enroll in courses online, attend weekly required Live Classroom sessions held Sunday or Monday nights, and complete a single advanced 1,000-hour field internship .

Please note : If a student would like to change tracks, this must be done during the application phase and prior to the application deadline. Unfortunately, students cannot transfer to another campus (ex: Charles River Campus to Online Campus) to change tracks once they are enrolled in the program.

Field Education

Our Field Education team has extensive experience placing students in the geographic areas in which they live, throughout the U.S.

Field internship support for online students is done through a collaborative effort that ensures each student’s learning needs are met. Those who are currently working in the social work field may be able to complete one of their two internships at their place of employment, however, the internship must differ significantly from the student’s current position, with supervision provided by a different, qualified supervisor. Once a student is enrolled, our dedicated team works individually with each student to evaluate the most appropriate field placement options.

Learn more about field education at BU School of Social Work.

Please note that students are expected to complete the majority of their field internships during weekday business hours.  Some agencies require or are able to offer limited evening and/or weekend hours.

As a student enrolled in the Online MSW Program, you’ll receive the same support available to students in the On-Campus Program. Our online classes are small, with no more than 15 students per group. BU faculty members interact with their students using a user-friendly web-based learning portal. Class content incorporates online lectures, simulations, videos, audio, interactive animations, discussion boards, and weekly Live Classroom sessions.

Members of BUSSW are readily available and committed to providing our online students with a high-quality educational experience.

Online students at BUSSW access their courses through the Boston University Online Campus portal . Coursework can be accessed online anytime, day or night. Students also enroll in weekly, required Live Classroom sessions that are held for 1 to 1.5 hours a week on Sunday and Monday evenings. Students register for these sessions in advance. You can view an online course demo  here .

You can view the support offered for online students by visiting the following web pages:

• BUSSW Online Program
• BU Online Learning

Eligibility

Applicants living within the 50 states at the time the program begins are eligible to enroll in the Online MSW Program. Those living in U.S. Territories, countries outside of the U.S., and military bases outside of the 50 states are ineligible.

Boston University allows students to enroll in online programs regardless of immigration status. However, online students are not eligible for F-1 immigration sponsorship through Boston University, and the ISSO does not require an admissions file for online students.

Accreditation

Boston University School of Social Work is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

Social Work Licensing Requirements

Social work licensing requirements do vary from state to state. Please be sure to check specific regulations for your state of residence available through the following resources:

Master of Social Work Licensing Disclosure

Have more questions about our online program?

Visit our frequently asked questions page to learn more.

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Social Work Library

Search library resources.

Suggest a title to purchase, email: [email protected]

Phone: 617-552-0109 Contact Us for Help [email protected] Social Work Library, McGuinn B38 Boston College 140 Commonwealth Ave. Chestnut Hill, MA 02467-3810

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• Last Updated: Aug 26, 2024 6:14 PM

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BCSSW staff collaborate to foster student success

Students walk outside McGuinn Hall, home of the Boston College School of Social Work.

Teresa Schirmer’s office is located on the first floor of McGuinn Hall, directly across from the student lounge at the Boston College School of Social Work .

That’s intentional, says Schirmer, BCSSW’s associate dean of student experience.

“I try to be accessible and keep my door open,” she said. “If students want to speak with me, give me feedback, or just let me know how things are going, then I’m available to them.”

Schirmer’s open-door policy is one small example of a deeply ingrained commitment on the part of BCSSW staff to help students become some of the best social workers in the world. Year after year, a close-knit team of field advisors, career specialists, enrollment managers, and others work together to ensure that students have what they need to excel in class, in the field, and in life, whether they have just set foot on campus or are on the cusp of graduating. 

The support is individualized, designed to meet students where they are in their personal and academic journeys. And it’s unwavering, with guidance never more than a phone call, an email, or a knock on a door away. 

Joseph McLaughlin, one of four assistant directors of field education at BCSSW, prides himself on building an immediate rapport with new students. Even before he dives into the details of experiential learning, he asks them where they grew up, what their family lives are like, and how they want to use their social work degree to stand up for the common good.

“I think part of my approach is just getting to know the students, not just talking about the requirements of the field,” he said.

Teresa Schirmer, associate dean of student experience.

This strategy impressed Jillian Ouellette, MSW’24, who worked with McLaughlin to land two internships. 

“He was so helpful and kind,” said Ouellette, who recently finished a field placement at Project Bread, a nonprofit that works to address food shortages in Massachusetts. “He thoughtfully got to know me and his other advisees so that he could best understand what experiences we were looking to gain from our field placements.”

Susan Coleman , who’s led the field education program as its assistant dean since 2011, said that her team carefully matches students with field advisors. It was no accident that Ouellette, a macro student specializing in health, was paired with McLaughlin, who primarily works with students on the macro track.

“Students deserve present, focused, and helpful resources,” said Coleman, whose team includes McLaughlin, Elizabeth Casavant, Sarah Hood, Aniruddha Kulkarni, Matthew Orlando, Ximena Soto, and Kenna Sullivan, all of whom help burgeoning social workers navigate field education. “There’s a lot of attention to detail that goes into ensuring that each student has their own kind of individual experience in the matching process.”

Coleman and her team have cultivated relationships with more than 1,000 field agencies in Boston and beyond. But that list is ever-expanding, built in part on the particular needs of their students.  

Take Rachel Harris, who emailed Coleman to set up a time to chat about her upcoming internship as she was wrapping up her first year in the MSW program. Harris, MSW’24, was a little nervous about her future.  

She was a part-time student who had been working full-time at the Donald McKay K-8 School in East Boston. She loved teaching middle school science to students with learning disabilities and emotional challenges and couldn’t fathom leaving them to start working somewhere else in order to satisfy the requirements of field education.

Joseph McLaughlin, assistant director of field education.

Harris asked Coleman whether she could do her internship over the summer so she could keep working at McKay in the fall. Coleman, in turn, suggested Harris look into the possibility of staying at McKay and doing her internship there. Eventually, Harris got the OK from her school, thanks in no small part to Coleman’s advice.  

“Honestly, the idea hadn’t really occurred to me, and then she really encouraged me to look into it,” said Harris. “Her flexibility about the idea and encouraging me allowed me to meet a supervisor who taught me so much and was so supportive to me in my social work practice.”

Harris’s relationship with Coleman exemplified her experience with staff throughout BCSSW. “Every staff member that I met seemed very open toward all the students, and I think that’s really nice and special,” she said. “You don’t have to wait for an opening— all of their doors are metaphorically open all the time.”

Schirmer’s reach extends beyond the walls of her office in McGuinn Hall. She hosts an annual, off-campus retreat for incoming students, teaches a section of Basic Skill in Clinical Practice, and advises the Student Collective , which oversees nine student groups and committees dedicated to promoting acceptance and inclusion.

It’s all part of her never-ending effort to have her finger on the pulse of the student population. “We want to make sure that we hear people, that we listen to what they’re saying, and that we’re open to their feedback as well,” she said.

Susan Coleman, assistant dean of field education.

Although Ouellette studied macro social work, she took Schirmer’s section of Basic Skills in Clinical Practice and loved it. Then, after building a strong relationship with Schirmer in class, Ouellette reached out to her teacher for help securing a position as a graduate assistant in another department on campus.

“She treated the students in the class with a great deal of respect and understanding, and you can see how that translates into her work with all students as the associate dean of student experience,” said Ouellette. “Her door is often open, and she welcomes anyone into her office to hear what is going on with them and to hopefully point them in the right direction if they need assistance in any way.”

Cindy Snell, director of Career Services and Alumni Relations, plays a major role in preparing students for professional success. Her Career Services office, supported by a dedicated staff committed to lifelong professional development, makes it easy for students to tap into a huge jobs database, connect with potential employers, polish their resumes, participate in mock interviews, attend annual recruitment fairs, and more.

Starting at orientation, Snell encourages students to schedule appointments with Career Services to talk about how they can use resources, the curriculum, and their field education experiences to pinpoint their professional goals.

“Sometimes it’s having conversations to tease out what issues are important to them, what roles they want to play, and what geographic location they’re looking for,” says Snell, who recently created a comprehensive guide to navigating the career process. “We help guide them, either by connecting them with alums they can have informational interviews with or encouraging them to participate in some of our career exploration events.”

Cindy Snell, director of Careers Services and Alumni Relations.

Her office routinely responds to the specific needs of students through specialized programming. On one occasion, a final-year student said that she didn’t know much about workplace benefits and would welcome a workshop on what a typical job offer provides. 

Snell connected with an alumnus, now the vice president of a large human services agency, and created an online workshop in which the graduate walked participants through typical benefits, discussed salary negotiations, and outlined career opportunities at his agency.

“I really like creating programs and responding to what students need at any given time,” said Snell. “I think that ability to be creative and pull in alums who might be informative to students is my favorite part of my job.”

Snell, Schirmer, Coleman, and their colleagues said that they meet regularly to address the needs of students. It is with a deep sense of empathy and compassion that they go to work each day, hoping to ensure that every one of the nearly 600 MSW students at BC are well-positioned to reach their professional goals.  

“I want students to feel like we’ve got them, that there’s a safety net for them here,” said Coleman. “And if I don’t know the answer to something a student asks, I know someone else knows it, and I will make sure those connections happen. We all feel like we share that responsibility.”

Liz Cinquino, director of student services and advising

Jamelia Willock, MSW’24, leaned heavily on Coleman throughout her stint in the  part-time MSW program, especially during her first year in the program in fall 2021. 

Willock was still working full time when she enrolled at BCSSW, she recalled, and worried that she wouldn’t be able to complete her field education without quitting her job. But Coleman assuaged her fears and guided her through the process of landing her first internship, a position as a clinical social worker at a mental health practice called Activated by Wellness.

“Sue sat with me, told me about opportunities to be creative with funding for field practicums, and pointed me to other avenues I didn’t know existed,” said Willock. “She provided me encouragement when I doubted myself, made me aware of opportunities that I may be a fit for, and sometimes just listened and offered support when I needed it most.”

Willock credited Liz Cinquino, director of student services and advising , with helping her map out a course schedule that fit into her life and her budget. 

“Liz, a master of her craft, took her time and went over the three-year track schedule with me, which brought me a sense of ease and assurance that I was off to a great start,” said Willock. “I checked back in with her almost every semester and, while I’m sure she had a million things to do, she always provided a graceful and timely response to my questions.”

Nicole Ng, academic support assistant.

Willock urged new students to find one or two staff members who they can depend on during their journeys through the MSW program. For her, they were Coleman and Cinquino. 

“Having Sue in my corner was one of the most instrumental pieces to my success as a student,” said Willock. Of Cinquino, she said: “Liz was a wealth of knowledge in navigating BCSSW and if she didn’t have the answer to a question I had, she knew who to go to.”

Many students rely on Nicole Ng, an academic support assistant. Ng does a lot of work behind the scenes, planning events, updating the MSW Handbook, and formatting syllabi. But she also sets up testing accommodations for students; proctors exams; ensures that global practice students have what they need to work overseas; and handles the logistics for three travel courses.

Ng routinely gets thank you notes from students who participate in these courses and even received a Frida Kahlo fridge magnet from one group that visited the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona.

“I feel like I’ve touched every part of the School,” said Ng. “In big and little ways, I help a lot of different people support the students.” 

Paula Coutinho, associate dean of enrollment management

Unlike Ng, Paula Coutinho doesn’t work directly with students once they’ve enrolled at BCSSW. But she does play a crucial role in ensuring that the students who come to the School are set up for success from Day 1.

As the associate dean of enrollment management , Coutinho regularly organizes info sessions in which prospective students learn about the benefits of a BCSSW education from current students. She’s instrumental in setting up meetings between prospective students and the founding directors of the Latinx Leadership Initiative and the Black Leadership Initiative, two cohort-based programs that train students to address challenges facing the Latinx and Black communities. And she’s always ready to give prospective students copies of a detailed guide for financing their graduate degree at BC. 

“I really believe in this program. I had a wonderful experience here as a student, and I hope that prospective students can see that it’s centered around their success,” said Coutinho, BA’99, MSW’03, whose efforts are supported by Assistant Director Corina Bourantas and Admissions Assistant Sarah Lepsevich. “My ultimate goal is for them to see that they will belong here and that we’re rooting for them.”

Small wonder that her favorite part of her job is meeting with prospective students. “I have the privilege of answering their questions and reassuring them that BCSSW would be a great fit for them in so many ways,” she said.

Here’s what students need to know about field education at BCSSW

Busy schedule? The part-time MSW program at BCSSW might be right for you

How bcssw’s career services office will help you chart a path to professional success.