Master’s Degrees in Social Work

Do a World of Good with an MSW Degree

What can you look forward to with a graduate degree in social work? Change for the better — for both you and the communities in which we live. Master of Social Work graduates from 51�Թ�� are leaders who focus on individuals and families to help build strong communities and societies. With a choice of four program options, you’ll delve into policy and research and do extensive fieldwork that gives you hands-on, real-world experience. What better way to learn and practice your trade?

You can also take advantage of our partnership with UMass-Dartmouth to earn a Master of Social Work and a Juris Doctor degree in only seven years.

U.S. News and World Report - Best Grad Schools - Health Social Work 2024 badge

Among the Top 100
Master of Social Work programs in U.S.

Social Work Graduate Program Highlights

Five program options to fit your schedule

Did you graduate with a BSW in the last six years? Advanced Standing is a two-year program especially for you. We also offer a full-time, two-year option and a part-time MSW program that can be completed in three or four years. We even offer a three-year, part-time MSW Saturday Hybrid Program to accommodate working professionals. In every case, your Master of Social Work courses will prepare you exceptionally well for a career in social work and related fields.

3 students sit at tables listening to their professor

Small classes keep you well connected, well informed

You’re never lost in the crowd in the MSW degree program at BSU. We take pride in offering small classes to students in our social work graduate programs. With a more personalized approach and faculty fully committed to ensuring you take away valuable, marketable skills, you’re on a fast track for career success.

BSU Social Work graduate at work posing with his open laptop standing at a reception desk

Field practice makes perfect

It’s not enough to simply learn about policy. Our graduate students put into practice what they learn from their Master of Social Work courses.

All social work graduate programs require fieldwork, which includes internships and work in real-world settings, in addition to Master of Social Work courses. Plus, you’ll conduct research as you build leadership skills and learn to work within systems.

Affordably priced, in state or out

Do you live in Massachusetts, or are you coming from out of town for our graduate degree in social work? You’ll find tuition for BSU’s Master of Social Work courses quite affordable. This way, when you graduate, you’ll have less debt and be able to focus on building your career — and enjoying it.

Scholarship funding

In the last three years, BSU’s School of Social Work has received major grants to support graduate social work students. When a student is accepted to the School of Social Work as an MSW student, they may complete and submit the application to be considered for available funding. Learn more about School of Social Work funding »

Placement made easy

The future can be especially bright for BSU Master of Social Work graduates. Students who graduate from our social work graduate programs find employment in a host of work environments, including schools, hospitals, court systems and the justice system. Many even go on to teach to share their love for social work with other students.

Program of Study for Social Work

Why BSU for a graduate degree in social work? Our program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The cornerstone of our MSW degree program is social justice. In fact, students and graduates of our Master of Social Work course understand the value of working together to bring about change to support social justice. All Master of Social Work students share our commitment by caring for diverse populations and strengthening the communities in which they live, work and learn.

Among the Master of Social Work courses you’ll enjoy are Dynamics of Diversity and Oppression, Human Behavior in the Social Environment and Social Work Practice.

Admission Requirements and Program Details

Click link below to reveal the program's admission requirements and program description.

Program details from 2024-2025 Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog

Part-time Option

The MSW program is also available as a . Under the part-time option, the MSW program can be completed in either three or four years.

Saturday Cohort Option

Our MSW Saturday cohort option is designed to accommodate working professionals through an intensive hybrid cohort model. Learn more about the MSW Saturday Cohort Option.

Graduate Program Coordinator: Dr. Wendy Champagnie Williams

Joint MSW/JD Program with UMass Dartmouth Law

The and the 51�Թ�� School of Social Work have a shared vision of social justice and service to the people and communities of the region and are pleased to offer a joint program that allows students to simultaneously earn a master’s in social work and a juris doctor degree. Due to the ability to apply credits earned in one of the programs in the other, the amount of time to earn the joint degree is less than would without the joint program. Each student will take their own pathway, given the elective courses they choose, however they will be provided with a course of study that suggests optimal coursework allocations per semester.

The joint JD/MSW program lets you integrate your social work studies and your law school education on either a full-time or part-time schedule, with classes offered in both day and evening hours. Both degrees may be completed full-time in 4.5 calendar years, and may be accelerated by taking summer courses. A part-time student typically completes both degrees in 5 to 6.5 years depending on the amount of summer study. Students must complete both degrees within 7 years. MSW degrees are awarded by 51�Թ�� and JD degrees by University of Massachusetts Law School-Dartmouth.

Students can take the program in a variety of different ways. They may choose to apply directly to both degree programs at their respective universities, or they may elect the dual program later in their course of study. Students can take the MSW portion part-time or full-time. Students may start with either the law school or social work courses and then transition into a merged curriculum.

“My time at Bridgewater honed my writing, research, public speaking, clinical, advocacy, and case management skills and grounded these in a culturally aware, ethical foundation. I credit Bridgewater's MSW program as the catalyst that enabled me to make a career change and to achieve the goals I set for myself when I applied to the program.”

Kate Robinson

MSW

Careers in Social Work

As a BSU graduate with an MSW degree, you’ll have the skills to work with individuals, families, groups and organizations and help address substance use, trauma and many other human challenges. You may even have the opportunity to analyze and recommend policies that support the public and private sector efforts and explore ways to support change. Your graduate degree in social work can open the door to:

Clinical Social Work
Community Development Corporations
Child Welfare and Human Service Agencies
Health Clinics and Hospitals
Schools
Private Practices

The outlook for employment in the social work space is especially bright, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Social worker jobs are expected to grow

12%

from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.

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