School of Social Work - Simmons College

A Rigorous Education
in Clinical Social Work
School of Social Work
SIMMONS COLLEGE
BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS

The Simmons
Advantage
Acclaimed training in clinical social work
Outstanding and diverse faculty who are
active practitioners, scholars, and researchers
Low student-to-faculty ratio
Full-time and extended-study options
Evidence-based approaches to clinical
challenges
Advanced-standing option for B.S.W.
graduates
Interdisciplinary and dual-degree options in
business and public health
Small, accessible campus in the heart of
Boston and the Longwood Medical Area

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 1
2 An educational promise to place you,
the student, first
page 3
Message from the Dean
5 Our student body: a diverse community
of dedicated people
8 Our vibrant academic community
supports—and inspires
page 9
Degrees Offered
page 10 Faculty Highlights
page 13 Faculty
page 14 Master of Social Work
page 17 M.S.W. Clinical Specializations
page 21 M.S.W./Urban Leadership Certificate Program
page 22 Advanced-Standing Program
page 23 Interdisciplinary and Dual-Degree Options
page 24 Special Courses
page 26 Field Education
page 30 The Doctoral Program
32 A lifetime of connections for personal
and professional growth
35 Boston—life at its fullest
36 Admission and financial aid
information

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An educational promise
to place you,
the student, first
At Simmons, we pledge to help you achieve a successful career, a
meaningful life, and a powerful return on your educational investment.
Our program is distinguished in many ways: an innovator in social
work education; nationally acclaimed faculty; alumni who are leaders in
their fields; and an ideal Boston location in the Fenway and Longwood
Medical Area.
We make sure that you have direct and frequent access to faculty who
know your name and understand your goals. Small classes, case-based
discussions, experiential learning, seminars, and student task forces contribute
to the personal and very practical learning experience at Simmons.
The School of Social Work (SSW) is highly regarded for its fieldwork
approach, which allows students to experience in-depth training in social
service settings. We also offer a supportive and distinctly collaborative
academic community one rarely finds at larger universities.
Bottom line? We want you to succeed.

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 3
Message from
the Dean
Dear Prospective Student,
Our School of Social Work is distinguished
by its emphasis on preparation for clinical
practice, by its high educational standards,
and by a school culture that values and is
shaped by its diversity. We are proud of our
100-year history of leadership in social work
education and our role in shaping the social
work profession.
Simmons is still leading the way today. We
have on our faculty a Fulbright Scholar, two
Hartford Scholars, two past presidents of
the Massachusetts Chapter of the National
Association of Social Workers (NASW),
one past national NASW president, and
the current president of the International
Federation of Social Workers.
Faculty research and scholarly interests span
a broad array of issues: domestic violence,
health care disparities, trauma, HIV/AIDS,
child welfare, social work leadership, gerontology,
evidence-based practice, ethics,
genetics, and immigration. Our innovative
M.S.W. Program includes a social action
requirement, opportunities for international
study, an Urban Leadership certificate option,
and clinical field education placements
in nearly 300 varied social service settings.
We provide opportunities for students to
focus their studies in one of four areas
of clinical specialization. Our new B.S.W.
Program is designed to prepare social workers
for generalist practice and to provide
a strong foundation for social work career
advancement.
Our Doctoral Program prepares experienced
social workers for careers in research and
higher education. Most importantly, Simmons
attracts people who want to work
directly with individuals, families, and communities
and who understand that the profession’s
commitment to social justice often
requires practitioners to have a high level of
social activism and civic engagement.
Daily, our students, faculty, and alumni work
to effect social change and improve lives.
We will encourage and challenge you to do
the same. I invite you to consider Simmons
for your social work education. We are
confident that you will feel supported and
inspired by our vibrant academic community
and will leave us well-prepared to engage
in professional social work practice.
Stefan Krug, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Dean and Professor
B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz
M.S.W., Simmons College School of Social Work
Ph.D., Simmons College School of Social Work

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Flexing Her Options:
Dominique Watson ’10 M.S.W.
Clinical Social Worker, Boston Emergency Services Team,
Boston, Massachusetts
After graduating from Smith College in 2006, Dominique Watson
landed a job in the IT industry. However, with a mother who’s a case
manager, a brother who’s an adolescent counselor, and a sister-inlaw
who’s a recent SSW grad, it wasn’t long before she found herself
more interested in working with people than PCs.
Easing into academia: Watson admits, though,
that she wasn’t ready to jump into a full-time M.S.W.
program. Her solution: Simmons’s flexible extended-study
program, which offers students the option
to start part time. “I took classes at night or on
Saturdays,” says Watson. “This allowed me to stay
at my job and warm up to a full schedule.”
Prestigious placements: Watson quickly caught her
family’s passion for the work. Field placements at
an elementary school and an adult outpatient clinic
at Boston Medical Center provided a rigorous and
stimulating foundation in clinical practice. Citing
Cognitive Behavioral Approaches & Treatments
and Realities of Racism and Oppression as favorite
classes, Watson reports that Simmons’s strong
integration between coursework and clinical placements
taught her “to connect to a client in crisis.”
Faculty who care: As graduation neared, Simmons
connections led Watson to several employment
opportunities. In addition to a SSW career
fair resulting in two offers, she says that Associate
Professor Linda Sanford and Assistant Professor
Dawn Belkin-Martinez were especially helpful with
advice and leads. Even after graduation, she receives
emails from these faculty members about upcoming
professional events.
In the end, Watson accepted a position at her internship
site, Boston Medical Center. As a member of
its Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST), she
responds to crisis calls throughout the city. This rich
and exciting work, says the Boston native, affords
her the most satisfying connection of all: “I love that
I can give back to the community.”

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 5
Our student body:
a diverse community
of dedicated people
The SSW is committed to celebrating and building a diverse school
community. Our students, faculty, and staff are comprised of people from
different ethnicities, races, classes, and backgrounds. Many SSW students
are experienced human service professionals who seek additional education
for personal and professional growth. Others are career changers, making
the transition to a more meaningful vocation. Yet some other students with
work or volunteer experience enter the SSW Program soon after completing
their undergraduate degrees.
All come together in a small class environment that creates a spirited
learning community. Students receive the support and challenge needed
to develop their social work skills and, ultimately, to become skilled clinical
practitioners. They gain knowledge of new theories and paradigms for understanding
themselves, society, and their clients. They learn about diversity
in the classroom and in field placements and embrace the opportunity to
connect with others who have very different life experiences.
Our students share a passion for scholarship, a commitment to community,
and a vision for change. They help others overcome life’s most difficult
challenges.
They make a difference in the world.

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Activities that complement learning
A SSW education is not confined to field placements and the classroom. Within our dynamic
school community, students take advantage of a variety of social and educational offerings.
The student government actively partners with faculty to develop regular events, such as:
Student/faculty colloquia: Faculty present scholarly work and exchange ideas with
students at informal wine and cheese gatherings.
GLBT Week: Linked to that week’s classroom learning, GLBT Week is an array of activities
designed to raise consciousness and build community. Activities have included a student
panel on coming-out experiences, a student-run workshop titled “Transgendered 101,” and
a photo exhibit from the Family Diversity Project.
Art & Life: The Gallery at the SSW: Several social work-themed shows are produced
every year and curated by faculty and students. Recent examples include an exhibit of drawings
by children from a Darfur displaced-person camp and a show of SSW student artwork.
Diversity Week: This week of activities celebrates the SSW commitment to diversity.
Recent programs include an international-themed community lunch, a presentation by
Muslim students on their experiences at Simmons, and a panel on immigration activism
in the Boston area.
Theater nights: Students and faculty attend local productions, such as Harriet Jacobs,
a play based on a slave diary, staged at a Cambridge theater.
“ Many of my clients are dealing with substance abuse,
complex medical problems, or mental illness, in
addition to their HIV/AIDS diagnosis. The well-rounded
clinical foundation I got at Simmons has prepared
me for any social work position. The school exposed
me to many different practices and therapies and helped
me to find my voice. If you’re looking to do clinical
practice, there is no better place to be.”
NATHAN BREWER ’10 M.S.W.
CLINICAL ADVOCATE, AIDS ACTION COMMITTEE OF MASSACHUSETTS

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 7
A Meaningful Place:
Matthew McCall ’07 M.S.W./Urban Leadership Certificate Program
Senior Consultant, Workforce Learning and Development, The Home for Little Wanderers, Boston, Massachusetts
A 2007 graduate, Matthew McCall works as a senior consultant advising on clinical
practices and services at the Home for Little Wanderers, New England’s largest child
and family agency.
“Simmons changed me into someone who not only can handle the responsibility
for agency-wide clinical training and oversight, but also program management and
operation,” he says. “I’m able to develop a vision for the Home.”
Learning to lead: According to McCall, the SSW’s
innovative curriculum on children and families and
the Urban Leadership Certificate Program’s emphasis
on facilitating change ably prepared him for a
position in the agency’s administration. As part of
his management responsibilities, he’s stepped in
to oversee a residential treatment program through
a time of transition, established philosophies of
treatment, and forged community and educational
partnerships.
“To help kids, you also need to be effective with
families and communities,” says McCall. “Simmons
gave me that specialized skill set.”
An invaluable resource: McCall retains strong
bonds to Simmons. He’s referred families to classmates
at other agencies and called up faculty members
Gary Bailey and Michael Melendez for insight
into practice issues. A SSW librarian helped McCall
locate some difficult-to-find research — and mailed
it. “Even though I’ve graduated, Simmons remains
committed to me and the work I’m doing,” he says.
Daily inspiration: McCall praises the SSW for
encouraging students to think hard about what it
is that motivates them — and to carry their answer
forward into their careers. McCall’s hasn’t changed:
“Despite everything that they’ve experienced, the
kids at the Home are so resilient and enthusiastic,”
he says. “If I can be part of that — even in a small
way — what an incredible thing to do with my life.”

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Our vibrant academic
community supports —
and inspires
The SSW faculty are accomplished, devoted leaders. They’re experienced
clinicians, researchers, and scholars who love to teach and who draw on rich
practice and research experience to illuminate classroom lessons.
Teaching for us are a Fulbright Scholar, two Hartford Scholars, two past
presidents of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of
Social Workers (NASW), one past national NASW president, and the current
president of the International Federation of Social Workers. Equally committed
to service as they are to scholarship, the SSW’s abundantly talented
faculty members offer extensive field-tested experience.
Their research and scholarly interests span a broad array of social issues,
from addiction and gerontology to trauma and immigration. Often the “go to”
resource in their area of expertise, our professors publish widely in premier
social work journals, present at major symposiums, and organize conferences
on urgent issues such as interpersonal violence and health care disparities.
For 100 years, we’ve led the way in social work education. Every day,
our students, faculty, and alumni strive to implement social change and
improve lives.
We’ll help you fulfill your goals — and find your voice.

Degrees Offered
Master of Social Work
M.S.W./Urban Leadership Certificate Program
Interdisciplinary Social Work/Public Health
Training Opportunity with the Harvard School of
Public Health
M.S.W./MBA
Ph.D. in Social Work

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Professors who practice what they teach
Quality education begins with quality teachers. The SSW faculty will help you prepare professionally
because they are successful professionals themselves — and because they are
dedicated to teaching and mentoring students.
SSW professors are actively engaged as clinicians, consultants, educators, researchers,
and community leaders. Their research, scholarship, and experience cover a wide range of
issues, including child welfare, pediatric chronic illness, gerontology, health care disparities,
trauma, HIV/AIDS, refugees, family bereavement, racism and oppression, social work leadership,
evidence-based practice, and social policy in the United States and around the world.
Our faculty serve on the boards of numerous agencies and organizations, such as the
AIDS Action Committee, the National Association of Black Social Workers, and the Episcopal
City Mission.
Highly accessible
All faculty offices are located in the SSW building to provide students
with direct and frequent contact with professors outside of the classroom.
Says Melissa Sorrell-Kimble, ’11 M.S.W.: “The Simmons faculty
are very supportive and available. Whether it’s by email, over the
phone, or meeting on campus, they’re there to help you.”
FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS
Associate Professor Gary Bailey is the first African-
American and the first American in 20 years to be
elected president of the International Federation of
Social Workers.
Dana Leeman
Assistant Professor
Lynn Sanford
Associate Professor
Professor Ruth Grossman Dean volunteers as a
clinician at Boston’s South End Community Health
Center and recently completed a qualitative study of
suicide prevention work with homeless youth at an
urban agency.
Professor Mary Gilfus has been investigating the
effects of domestic violence for more than 30 years
and works with Jane Doe Inc., the Massachusetts
Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic
Violence. Her current research interests include social
work practice and domestic violence services in Cuba.
Assistant Professor Thom Harrigan works with adult
males who were sexually abused in childhood and
adolescence and conducts national and international
trainings on the topic, most recently in Tokyo and
Kyoto.
Assistant Professor Dana Leeman serves on the
Massachusetts chapter and international boards of
the Association for the Advancement of Social Work
with Groups.
Associate Professor and Hartford Faculty Scholar
Peter Maramaldi is an expert in interdisciplinary
approaches to health promotion and gerontology.
He is also a clinical instructor at the Harvard School
of Dental Medicine, where he works with interdisciplinary
teams to improve the health and well-being
of patients and families.
Professor Kathleen Millstein is on the Board of
Advocates of Jewish Family and Children’s Services
and is a steering committee member of the Boston/
Haifa Project, where she collaborates with social
service leaders from the two cities on projects related
to children and families at risk. She also has conducted
research in Israel.
Associate Professor Linda T. “Lynn” Sanford
specializes in working with youth convicted of
sexual assault or homicide and is the author of three
respected books on trauma. She recently received
the “Legacy of Caring” award from the Devereux
Foundation for her contributions to improving the
lives of children and adolescents with emotional
and behavioral needs.

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 11
Hope Away From Home:
Hugo Kamya, M.Div., M.S.W., Ph.D.
Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Applied Community Research
As a young man growing up in Uganda, Professor Hugo Kamya was a student at a time when
students were persecuted, jailed, and even killed. He fled to Kenya, continued his studies, and
upon graduating immigrated to the U.S. Political unrest in Uganda at that time made it impossible
for Kamya to return home.
The situation cast him as an unwitting émigré — and profoundly influenced his social work career.
“It’s become a passion of mine,” says Kamya, “to look at how people adjust to new environments
and to engage immigrant communities in research that benefits them. Community-based participatory
action research is an important commitment for social work.”
Deeply personal practice: Kamya’s recent research
is with Sudanese and other African refugees and immigrant
populations — in particular, young refugees
who have emigrated from war-ravaged Sudan to the
Boston area. Kamya is currently involved in a project
interviewing refugee children (many of whom have
post-traumatic stress disorder) and working with
their families on adjustment issues. “My hope is to
integrate the painful experiences of their pasts into
a new future,” he says.
Wide-ranging interests: Kamya also has delved
extensively into issues related to HIV/AIDS, often
traveling to Uganda and other African countries to
conduct trainings and research, collaborate with
governmental and other types of organizations, and
serve at clinics. His work has expanded to focus on
issues of social development in Africa.
As a member of the Simmons Suicide Prevention
Education Initiative team, he helps train social workers
in the work of trauma and prevention of suicide
among immigrant populations.
Classroom connection: Kamya’s work has found a
home in his teaching. “I use what I’ve learned in my
research to illustrate various points to students and
to advance my own teaching and practice.”
His students, in return, reward him with fresh perspectives.
“I’m continually amazed at the diversity
of students at the school,” he says. “They come
from such varied experiences and contexts. Their interest
in learning extends to a curiosity about things;
they ask questions. Those questions are generative.
They allow me to pose questions to myself.”

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The Science of Change:
Michelle Putnam, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Applied Community Research
Associate Professor Michelle Putnam epitomizes a very important combination at the
SSW: the scholar-practitioner. “I believe that integrating research, teaching, and practice
is central to building and translating knowledge into change,” she says.
It’s an approach that yields critical and far-reaching results — both in the field and
at the SSW.
An exciting initiative: Putnam, with Professor Hugo
Kamya, launched the SSW’s Center for Applied Community
Research (CACR). Its mission? To provide
advanced training and supportive collaborations to
generate research that’s simultaneously innovative
and useful to clinicians.
Putnam sees the Center as an extension of the
SSW’s enduring commitment to evidence-based
practice. “Simmons has long been a home for
distinguished scholars with an applied focus,” she
explains. “The CACR builds on this tradition, while
at the same time initiating new efforts that increase
the breadth and depth of scientific research at Simmons.”
According to Putnam, the Center plans to host
an internal scientific research fair for faculty and
students; professional development activities for
faculty, doctoral, and master’s students in the area
of research; and a working paper series open to
faculty and students.
Research that resonates: As for her own endeavors,
Putnam has dedicated her practice and research to
the lives of people aging with disabilities. Currently,
she is analyzing national data to extract variables
that will help determine exactly how many Americans
comprise this population. “Something this simple
could have an immediate effect,” she says. “Once we
know the numbers, we will be able to make a more
informed argument for practice or policy change.”
Among like minds: Putnam, as a scholar-practitioner,
feels she’s in good company at Simmons. “The
faculty are invested in our students and community,”
she says. “We have many excellent role models who
both speak from experience and are well-versed in
current scholarly and scientific-practice knowledge.”

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 13
“ I practiced social work across a diverse range of practice areas
for more than 25 years before moving into interdisciplinary
research, held faculty appointments in other parts of the country,
and currently collaborate across a wide range of local, national,
and international networks. As a result, I can say with confidence
that clinical social work training at Simmons is as good as it gets
anywhere in the world.”
PETER MARAMALDI, M.S.S.W., M.P.H., PH.D., L.C.S.W.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND HARTFORD FACULTY SCHOLAR
FACULTY
Gary Bailey, M.S.W.
Associate Professor,
B.A., Tufts University;
M.S.W., Boston University School of Social Work
Dawn Belkin-Martinez, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Co-Director of the
Urban Leadership Certificate Program,
B.A., University of Arizona;
M.S.W., Simmons College School of Social Work;
Ph.D., Simmons College School of Social Work
Silvana Casteneda, M.S.W.
Assistant Professor,
B.A., University of Wisconsin, Madison;
M.S.W., Simmons College School of Social Work
Sherdena D. Cofield, M.S.W., Ed.D.
Assistant Dean for Academic Programs and Diversity,
B.A., Ashland College;
M.S.W., Michigan State University;
Ed.D., Boston University School of Education
Ruth Grossman Dean, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Professor,
B.A. and M.S.W., University of Pittsburgh;
Ph.D., Boston College School of Social Work
Wendy Emory, M.S.W.
Assistant Professor,
B.A., Hollins College;
M.S.W., Simmons College School of Social Work
Phyllis N. Fonseca, M.S.W.
Assistant Professor and
Coordinator of Extended-Study Programs,
A.B., Princeton University;
M.S.W., Smith College School for Social Work
Abbie K. Frost, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Associate Professor,
B.A., M.S.S.A., and Ph.D.,
Case Western Reserve University
Mary Gilfus, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Professor,
B.A., St. Lawrence University;
M.S.S.W., Boston University School of Social Work;
Ph.D., Brandeis University, The Heller School
Ellen Goodman, M.S.W.
Assistant Professor and Director of Field Education,
B.A., University of New Hampshire;
M.S.W., Simmons College School of Social Work
Johnnie Hamilton-Mason, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Professor and Co-Director of the
Urban Leadership Certificate Program,
B.A., Boston State College;
M.S.W., Simmons College School of Social Work;
Ph.D., Smith College School for Social Work
Thomas Harrigan, M.S.W.
Assistant Professor & Assistant Director,
Field Education,
B.A., State University of New York;
M.S.W., Boston College School of Social Work
Emeline Homonoff, M.S.W., D.S.W.
Associate Professor,
B.A., Smith College;
M.S.W., Simmons College School of Social Work;
D.S.W., Boston College School of Social Work
Denise Humm-Delgado, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Associate Professor,
B.A., Marymount Manhattan College;
M.S.S.W., Columbia University School of Social Work;
Ph.D., Brandeis University, The Heller School
Katherine Jungreis, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Clinical Associate Professor,
B.A., Barnard College;
M.S.W., Smith College School for Social Work;
Ph.D., Simmons College School of Social Work
Hugo Kamya, M.Div., M.S.W., Ph.D.
Professor and Co-Director of the Center for
Applied Community Research,
B.A., University of Nairobi;
M.Div., Harvard University;
M.S.W., Boston College School of Social Work;
Ph.D., Boston University School of Social Work
Stefan Krug, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Dean and Professor,
B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz;
M.S.W., Ph.D., Simmons College School of Social Work
Dana Leeman, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor,
B.A., Clark University;
M.S.W., Boston University School of Social Work;
Ph.D., Simmons College School of Social Work
Peter Maramaldi, M.S.S.W., M.P.H., Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Hartford Faculty Scholar,
B.A., Montclair State University;
M.S.S.W., Columbia University School of Social Work;
M.P.H., Columbia University School of Public Health;
Ph.D., Columbia University
Michael P. Melendez, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Professor,
B.A., University of Arizona, Tucson;
M.S.W., Boston University School of Social Work;
Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University
Kathleen H. Millstein, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Professor,
B.A., Tufts University;
M.S.W., Smith College School for Social Work;
Ph.D., Boston College School of Social Work
Nancy Levitan Poorvu, M.S.W.
Clinical Assistant Professor,
B.A., Clark University;
M.S.W., Simmons College School of Social Work
Michelle Putnam, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Center
for Applied Community Research,
B.A., University of Michigan;
M.G.S., Miami University;
Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Jennifer Putney, M.S.W.
Clinical Assistant Professor,
B.A.S.W., University of New Hampshire;
M.S.W., University of Denver
Linda T. Sanford, M.S.W.
Associate Professor and Faculty Coordinator of the
Trauma and Interpersonal Violence Specialization,
B.A., M.S.W., University of Washington
Suzanne K. Sankar, M.S.W.
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and
Associate Professor,
B.A., University of Michigan;
M.S.W., Simmons College School of Social Work
Beverly C. Sealey, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Associate Professor,
B.A., University of Massachusetts;
M.S.W., Simmons College School of Social Work;
Ph.D., Brandeis University, The Heller School
Tien Ung, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Faculty Coordinator of
the Child and Family Specialization,
B.A., Brandeis University;
M.S.W., Ph.D., Boston College School of Social Work

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 14
MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK
Exceptional preparation in clinical social
work, scholarship, and social action
Simmons’s nationally regarded Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) Program provides a rigorous
clinical social work education for women and men. The Program is highly respected for
its fieldwork component, with internships three days per week in both years of the Program.
We offer a progressive, hands-on curriculum that infuses education and practice with social
justice values and multicultural perspectives. Small classes, a collaborative environment,
and accessible faculty make the Simmons experience personal and supportive.
The Simmons M.S.W. Program reflects our commitment to providing a personalized,
coordinated, and integrated learning experience. Faculty advisors supervise each student’s
course load and work with students to help them select field education placements that
meet their goals.
Options for Completing the M.S.W. Degree
THE FULL-TIME PROGRAM
Students in the full-time M.S.W. Program typically
require two years to complete their degree. They are
assigned a field placement for three days a week
for both years of the Program and take classes two
days per week.
THE EXTENDED-STUDY PROGRAM
The Extended-Study Program offers students the
option to expand a two-year program into two-and-ahalf,
three or four years. The first year of the Program
could be called part-time, as students devote two
days a week to classes and study. Simmons offers
flexible scheduling to accommodate working professionals;
however, not all Program requirements
can be met in the evening. In the subsequent years,
students must plan four or five days per week for
classes and field placements. Most students complete
the Program in three years.
THE ADVANCED-STANDING PROGRAM
The Simmons School of Social Work offers a
12-month Advanced-Standing Program to qualified
applicants with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work
(B.S.W.) who have graduated within the last five years
from a program accredited by the Council on Social
Work Education (CSWE). The Program includes one
three-days-per-week (24-hour) field placement from
September to August, concurrent with a total of eight
advanced-level courses.
BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM
Starting in 2012, the Simmons School of Social Work
will offer an undergraduate degree in social work:
a bachelor of social work (B.S.W.). For more information,
contact SSW admissions at 617-521-3939 or
ssw@simmons.edu.

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 15
Foundation and Advanced Clinical Years
FOUNDATION YEAR COURSES
Social Policy and Services I
Human Behavior in the Social Environment I
Social Work Research
Social Work Practice
Fieldwork Year I
Social Policy and Services II
Human Behavior in the Social Environment II
Realities of Racism and Oppression in Today’s World
Social Work Practice
Fieldwork Year I
ADVANCED CLINICAL YEAR/SPECIALIZATION
Advanced Clinical Practice
Evaluation in Social Work Practice
Introduction to Social Work with Groups
Assessment and Diagnosis
Fieldwork Year II
Elective (clinical)
Elective (social action)
Elective (clinical)
Elective (clinical)
Fieldwork Year II
Full-time program can be completed in 2 years
Extended program can be completed in 2 ½, 3 or 4 years
SAMPLE ELECTIVE COURSES
Addressing Violence
Advanced Group Work with Vulnerable Populations
Advocacy and Social Action with Disability and
Chronic Illness
Alcohol, Drugs and Social Work Practice
Attachment and Neurobiology in Social Work Practice
Child and Adolescent Trauma
Clinical Practice with Immigrants and Refugees
Clinical Practice with Individuals:
A Psychodynamic Model
Clinical Social Work with Addictions
Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches and Treatments
Developing an Interdisciplinary Approach to
Health Management for Older Adults
Evidence-Based Practice in Substance Abuse
Family Approaches in Clinical Social Work
Healthcare Policy and Advocacy in Social Action
International Social Work
Leadership Development in Anti-violence Work
Leadership Skills for Social Work Practice
Multiple Faces of Trauma
Narrative Approaches
Neurobiology of Dual Diagnosis for
Social Workers: Assessment and Treatment
Play Therapy: Theory and Techniques
Practice with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness
Radical Social Action: Don’t Mourn, Organize!
Role of Religion and Spirituality in
Clinical Social Work
Social Work in Schools
Social Work Practice with Domestic Violence
Social Work Practice with Older Adults
Spanish for Social Workers

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 16
Reaching Out to Help:
Tien Ung, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Faculty Coordinator of the Child and Family Specialization
For 10 years, Tien Ung handled cases of domestic violence, child abuse,
and neglect for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families
(DCF). Later, she served as a clinician and forensic evaluator at a family
trauma center. Yet her work helping families, children, and adolescents
hasn’t diminished since she entered academia — it’s deepened.
Researching the risks: Recently, Ung was selected
by Boston’s Asian Task Force Against Domestic
Violence (ATask) to be project consultant for a
grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The aim: to help prevent dating violence among
immigrant teens. Ung, who’ll go on to create a
practice model for ATask, describes the three-year
study as “an amazing opportunity to engage in real
community-based research.”
The project explores an idea that threads through
much of Ung’s career: the role of social capital, or
how the quantity and quality of an individual’s social
network — say, neighborhood resources — affect
whether risks such as depression and poverty explode
into interpersonal trauma. “I’m interested in
the types of communities that perpetuate violence,”
says Ung, “not the types of people.”
A serendipitous calling: Surprisingly, Ung came
to social work by happenstance. After graduating
from Brandeis University with a degree in psychology
in 1993, she applied to the Peace Corps as a way
to return to Vietnam (her family had left in 1975).
However, to please her mother, she also put in for a
“real job” at DCF. The agency hired Ung on the spot.
Fluent in Vietnamese (and Italian), she was first assigned
to cases involving Vietnamese families.
“It was very humbling,” she recalls. “I went from
thinking about parents as perpetrators and children
as victims, to developing a much broader awareness
of the complicated factors and forces that come
together to trigger maltreatment.”
Passing on her perspective: As faculty coordinator
of the specialization in Child and Family, Ung is
able to pursue her unflinching devotion to the front
lines while sharing her expertise and passion with
her students. “I want to continue to sit with families
and understand the deep and complicated nature
of their violence,” she says, “and to help others see
them in a different light.”

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 17
M.S.W. CLINICAL SPECIALIZATIONS
Meeting the demands of
contemporary practice
Clinical specializations build on Foundation Year required courses and the first-year field
placement to expand a student’s assessment, intervention, and practice evaluation skills.
Students may choose from four different specializations, each addressing the specific needs
of particular client populations. Although electing a specialization is not required, SSW
concentrations allow students to delve deeply into an area of interest and related skills development
through a combination of electives taught by faculty experts and a second-year field
placement working in a related practice setting.
CHILD AND FAMILY SPECIALIZATION
This specialization educates students for careers
in schools, child protection settings, hospitals, and
community-based mental health centers that include,
though are not limited to, residential services, outreach,
health and education services, and home-based
therapy. Child and family social work practitioners
endeavor to improve child and family well-being by
seeking out protective factors that exist within individuals
and in the social contexts (e.g., family, school,
work, neighborhoods, and communities) where
children and families live.
Through this process, child and family practitioners
work with people in their communities to draw on
protective factors as a means to build capacity. As a
result, children and their families learn how to succeed
in social environments challenged by stress,
poverty, disorganization, and/or oppression. Students
in this specialization will learn skills in collaboration,
assessment, child and family therapy, and multisystem
interventions.
Sample Electives for Child
and Family Specialization:
SW-425 Family Approaches in Clinical Social Work
SW-595 Child and Adolescence Assessment
and Diagnosis
SW-539 Social Work in Schools
SW-566 Play Therapy: Theory and Practice
SW-482 Social Work Practice with Domestic Violence
TRAUMA AND INTERPERSONAL
VIOLENCE SPECIALIZATION
Viewing early-attachment disruptions, neglect,
trauma, and family, community, and global violence
as a spectrum, this specialization prepares students
to practice with victims and survivors, as well as their
families and communities. Students also gain skills
to work in settings such as courts, jails or prisons.
Electives and field placements educate students to
develop their competency and comfort level with a
range of clients.
Students learn the social ecology of the criminal justice
system, how to be an effective “guest” in a “host”
environment (e.g., prison, court, police station,
district attorney’s office, etc.), and the assessment
and treatment of involuntary clients informed by
strengths-based models that embrace social justice.
Students become equally equipped to work with juvenile
and adult clients; males and females; victims and
offenders; and individuals, families, and groups. The
specialization also provides post-graduate opportunities
for learning in specialty areas of intervention.
Sample Electives for Trauma and
Interpersonal Violence Specialization:
SW-482 Social Work Practice with Domestic Violence
SW-528 Child and Adolescent Trauma
SW-529 Forensic Social Work
SW-582 Attachment and Neurobiology in
Social Work Practice
SW-588 Case-Based Learning in the Treatment of
Childhood Trauma

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 18
SPECIALIZATION IN MENTAL HEALTH
AND ADDICTIONS
This specialization prepares students for careers in
mental health and/or addictions. This includes work
with clients struggling with severe and persistent
mental illness; those with addictions; and those with
co-occurring mental illness and substance-abuse
disorders who receive care in acute care settings such
as inpatient units, detoxification settings, and partial
or day hospitals. The specialization is also designed
for students who wish to work with clients with
psychological and social problems of a less severe
nature who receive help in mental health clinics and
family agencies.
In conjunction with aligned field settings, electives
provide students skills in rapid and thorough assessment,
evaluation, and formulation. Students learn
to use several treatment modalities such as psychodynamic
therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and
group therapy. They will become skilled at developing
various treatments and will deepen their theoretical
understanding of mental illness, neurobiology, addiction
behavior, and the treatment processes.
Sample Electives for Mental Health
and Addictions Specialization:
SW-438 Alcohol, Drugs and Social Work Practice
SW-462 Advanced Group Work with Vulnerable
Populations
SW-475 Narrative Approaches
SW-483 Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches and Treatments
SW-536 Practice With Severe and Persistent Mental Illness
SW-571 Clinical Social Work with Addictions
SW-584 Psychodynamic Approaches to Work with Adults
SPECIALIZATION IN HEALTH AND AGING
Students in this specialization may concentrate
in health or aging, or can combine both areas for
a dual focus.
Students will be prepared for careers as clinicians,
case managers, program directors, and administrators
providing social work services in a range of health
care settings, including neighborhood health centers,
community and rehabilitation hospitals, large urban
medical centers, AIDS service organizations, home
and community-based programs, long-term care institutions,
and hospice programs.
Health
Students focusing on Health will develop skills and
expertise in clinical work with individuals and families
in health care settings, skills in larger systems interventions,
and an understanding of the social work role
in interdisciplinary collaboration. Course content for
this specialization reflects a diverse area of concerns,
including experiences of illness, disabilities, and
chronic conditions; spirituality; end-of-life care; and
ethical and legal dilemmas. The psychosocial dimensions
of care will be viewed in the context of current
health care delivery systems.
Aging
This specialization focuses on the full range of health
and mental health services for older adults, including
those who remain in their own homes and communities.
Course content reflects the areas of concern found
in the health concentration, but also emphasizes life
span, long-term care, and specific aging-related issues.
Psychosocial dimensions of care are viewed within the
context of health and social care systems.
Health and Aging students have access to a diverse
array of field placements and will learn relevant clinical
skills for work with individuals and families in sites
such as acute care hospitals, mental health facilities,
social care agencies, assisted-living facilities, nursing
homes, substance-abuse clinics, and faith-based
organizations.
Sample Electives for Health/Aging Specialization:
SW-478 Social Work Practice in Health Care
SW-501 Social Work Practice with Older Adults
SW-583 Advocacy and Social Action in Gerontology
SW-463 Advocacy and Social Action with Disability and
Chronic Illness
SW-507 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Health Care
Management of Older Adults
(at Harvard Medical School)
SW-554: Health Care Policy and Advocacy in Social Action

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 19
Helping the Hard Cases:
Lynnette Littles ’09 M.S.W.
Forensic Social Worker, MHM Services, Inc., at Bridgewater State Hospital,
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
As a forensic social worker with MHM Services, Inc., at Bridgewater State Hospital,
a facility for incarcerated adults with mental health issues, Lynnette Littles handles a
caseload of 21 men charged with or convicted of crimes of assault.
A difficult population, to be sure, yet Littles says, “I absolutely love my job.”
Perfect match: The men, it turns out, are exactly the
clients whom Littles wanted to help. “They have a
double strike against them: they have mental illness
and they’re incarcerated,” she explains. “They don’t
have much support. But working with them one-onone
often allows them to be more open and to make
a connection.”
A future in forensics: After 20 years in the healthcare
industry, Littles returned to college to complete
her B.A. degree at the University of Massachusetts.
Compelled to move ahead in her career, she decided
to go directly to graduate school and was accepted
at Simmons. Littles’ first-year field placement was
at Solutions for Living, a community-based family
agency. For her second year, she interned at the
Department of Mental Health unit at the Erich Lindeman
Center and the Solomon Carter Fuller Mental
Health Center — and found her calling.
According to Littles, this placement “gave me the
understanding and experience to work in forensic
social work. It helped to strengthen my knowledge
of diagnoses and to feel more comfortable and
confident with recognizing psychiatric symptoms.”
Significant steps: In addition to evaluating clients’
ability to stand trial, diagnosing mental illnesses
and substance abuse, and facilitating attorney/client
communication, Littles runs a violence prevention
group comprised of 10 patients.
Littles’ experience, in fact, has reinforced her hope
for the men: “You never know if one word you say
can change someone’s perception.”

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 20
Leading by Example:
Johnnie Hamilton-Mason, M.S.W., Ph.D.,
and Dawn Belkin-Martinez, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Co-Directors of the Urban Leadership Certificate Program
Johnnie Hamilton-Mason and Dawn Belkin-Martinez like to say that they’re training
“clinician activists”: social workers who can facilitate activism on a personal level
and challenge oppressive systems. The term certainly fits with Simmons’s commitment
to social justice — and the life’s work of these visionary professors.
What sparked their careers: Hamilton-Mason
began hers 30 years ago at Boston City Hospital as
a medical follow-up coordinator for children with
elevated lead levels. Belkin-Martinez started in the
mid-’80s teaching English as a Second Language to
Latino immigrants.
Why urban populations: “People in urban areas
are underserved and marginalized,” says Hamilton-
Mason. “And the world can be quick to blame the
individual for high rates of poverty or crime. Yet
change often comes when we look at the larger
institutional and cultural factors that impact urban
populations. We teach students how to negotiate
that change in communities and organizations and
to develop ways to empower the individual.”
How they define leadership: With a “little L,” says
Martinez. “We view it from the perspective that
everybody is a leader,” she explains. “It doesn’t
matter what your title or job description is. When
you lead by the way that you conduct yourself,
people look to you for guidance and role-modeling.”
What they bring to the classroom: Hamilton-
Mason travels the world, from Jamaica to South
Africa, as a consultant and educator for the National
Association of Black Social Workers — and still sees
clients at Boston’s South End Community Health
Center. She also participates in the Hurricane
Katrina Research Collaborative at the University of
Texas, Austin, for which she is exploring the impact
of post-traumatic stress on female African-American
evacuees. For the last 14 years, Martinez has worked
as a family therapist for Latino immigrant families
at Children’s Hospital in Boston. In 2005, she
helped to create the Liberation Health Group, a
community-based advocacy organization focused
on social justice in health care and social services.
“We’ve had different opportunities and exposures,”
says Hamilton-Mason, “but our values and philosophies
on leadership are very similar.”
Adds Belkin-Martinez: “We teach the Gandhian
philosophy of being the change you want to see
in the world.”

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 21
M.S.W./URBAN LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Leadership and community action
in clinical social work
Clinical social workers recognize that the problems an individual suffers frequently reflect
larger issues in his or her community. In order to help the individual, it may be necessary to
effect change at a societal level. With this focus, students in our Urban Leadership Certificate
Program (ULP) develop the skills and confidence to work as leaders, advocates, and activists
in the communities they serve.
ULP students earn a master’s degree in social work, plus a certificate in urban leadership
in clinical social work. Several components distinguish the ULP from the regular M.S.W.
Program. ULP students take Leadership in Action for Social Work Practice and Leadership
Skills for Social Work concurrently with their field internships, allowing them to connect
leadership theory with practice — to identify, implement, and practice leadership skills. They
also complete a yearlong agency-based project that examines a barrier to service. Students
have the opportunity to analyze the root causes of the problem, examine the personal,
cultural, and institutional factors that contribute to the problem, and develop an action
plan that identifies both short- and long-term interventions. Finally, ULP students take four
“mini” courses: oral presentation skills for social workers, grant writing, community politics,
and one elective. Full-time students can complete the Program in two academic years. The
M.S.W./Urban Leadership Certificate Program also can be completed in three to four years.
Summer classes provide a flexible extended-study option.
This Program attracts a diverse group of students, including career changers, seasoned
professionals, and recent college graduates with substantial work and volunteer experience.
Their goal: to develop a skill set that they can use at multiple levels individually, organizationally,
and at the community level.
ULP FIELD PROJECT EXAMPLES
A collaborative evaluation and planning process for homeless women
veterans at a shelter, identifying key priorities and action plans
The creation of a team at a child welfare agency to bolster participation in
an initiative for fathers
A workshop series for public middle school parents to empower them to
discuss difficult issues with their children
An investigation into the availability of substance abuse treatments at a
prison and the recruitment of the mental health team to increase options
“Being in the Urban Leadership Certificate Program enriched my
experience at Simmons a hundred times over. We were encouraged
to seek out true challenges and not take the easy way out. I really
learned how great leaders lead. I learned what I can do.”
SARAH CLEVELAND ’10, M.S.W./URBAN LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
IN-HOME CLINICIAN, WAYSIDE YOUTH AND FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK,
FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 22
“ I am a more ‘balanced’ practitioner
now that I have the theory (Attachment,
Neurobiology, and Social Work
Practice were my favorite classes)
and clinical skills behind my natural
desire for service. Simmons took
my experience to another level;
the school was able to meet me
where I was at and really engage
me. I graduated a better professional
and a better individual.”
VICTOR ORTIZ ’10 M.S.W
ADMISSION COORDINATOR, Y.O.U., INC.,
WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
ADVANCED-STANDING PROGRAM
Exceptional One-Year Preparation
in Clinical Practice
The Simmons Advanced-Standing Program builds on skills and knowledge learned
at the Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) level and provides students with an
outstanding and in-depth education in clinical social work. The Advanced-Standing
Program is especially designed to meet the learning needs of B.S.W. students
transitioning to graduate education. Highlights of the program include:
A one-semester seminar planned exclusively for advanced-standing students
that focuses on the integration of theory and practice
A clinically focused three-semester field placement in an advanced year
field placement
The opportunity to select an area of specialization in one of four advanced
clinical specializations
Students graduate from the Advanced-Standing Program eligible to sit for the
L.C.S.W. license exam and are prepared for jobs in a full range of clinical social work
positions, including jobs in medical social work, mental health, aging services, and
child and family services.
Applicants with a B.S.W. who have graduated within the last five years from a
program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) can apply for
the three-semester Advanced Standing Program. The program includes a three-dayper-week
field placement from September to August (13 credits) and 24 credits of
advanced coursework.
Outstanding Achievement:
Victor Ortiz ’10 M.S.W., a graduate of
the Advanced-Standing Program, earned
prestigious, nationally competitive scholarships
from the National Association
of Social Workers Foundation and the
Council on Social Work Education.

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 23
INTERDISCIPLINARY AND DUAL-DEGREE OPTIONS
Delivering a flexible future
INTERDISCIPLINARY SOCIAL WORK/PUBLIC HEALTH TRAINING
OPPORTUNITY WITH THE HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
AND THE SIMMONS COLLEGE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
There is substantial interest in combining education in social work with education
in public health. Faculty and staff at the Simmons School of Social Work (SSW)
and faculty at Harvard School of Public Health will collaborate with interested
students to facilitate such an opportunity.
For additional information please contact:
Peter Maramaldi, M.S.S.W., M.P.H., Ph.D., L.C.S.W.
at the Simmons School of Social Work
peter.maramaldi@simmons.edu
or
Ms. Trish Lavoie, Senior Coordinator,
Maternal and Child Health/Children Youth and Families,
Harvard School of Public Health
tlavoie@hsph.harvard.edu
Interdisciplinary Social Work/Public Health Training Opportunity with the Harvard
School of Public Health and the Simmons College School of Social Work provides
highly qualified M.S.W. and Ph.D. students with the opportunity to combine the
applied clinical expertise of a social work degree with comprehensive scientific
public health training. Graduates of each of these degree programs enter the workforce
with advanced skills to address health and mental health needs of diverse
populations. Career paths include program and policy development, administration,
and evaluation in international and domestic organizations. Potential employers
include NGOs, departments of health, humanitarian agencies, advocacy
coalitions, hospitals, and health-care organizations.
“The dual degree gave me the skills to think on the
individual level and the larger systems level and to look
at issues from both perspectives. I’m able to interact
with people from multiple disciplines, especially policymakers,
and relate to each point of view.”
ALEXANDRA SCHEPENS ’09 M.S.W., M.P.H.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH POLICY ANALYST, THE COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS
JUSTICE CENTER, NEW YORK CITY
M.S.W./MBA
The M.S.W./MBA is an option available to applicants who are interested in the exciting
opportunity to earn both an M.S.W. from the Simmons School of Social Work and
MBA from the Simmons School of Management for clinical practice, leadership, and
administration in nonprofit organizations. With both Simmons degrees, graduates will
be prepared for careers that draw upon their unique skill sets: management, clinical
practice, or a combination of roles further enhanced by the learning in each program.
This coordinated degree program was created in 2006. Currently, after admission
to both programs, schedules are developed based on individual student needs. Usually,
the student enters the one-year MBA program first, with the M.S.W. program following,
making this a full-time, three-year program.
“The M.S.W./MBA is a natural combination for building multifaceted
leadership skills, clinical credibility, and an understanding
of business management. I found the programs really complemented
each other and challenged me to think about issues
in a more comprehensive way.”
JESSICA EVES ’10 M.S.W./ URBAN LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE PROGRAM; ’09 MBA
INTERNAL CONSULTANT, BUSINESS CONSULTING GROUP, BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD
OF MASSACHUSETTS, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 24
SPECIAL COURSES
Exploring international perspectives
and strategies for social change
“ I hardly knew any Spanish but learned
quickly in Cuernavaca. The program
accommodates to your level; my classes
had no more than five people, and I
received one-on-one instruction in social
work vocabulary. I can now connect
with Spanish-speaking families in a way
I couldn’t before.”
ELIZABETH RETTIG ’11 M.S.W.
TRAVEL/STUDY IN INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL WORK
Given the rapidly increasing amount of work with immigrant, refugee, and international
populations, it is crucial for social workers to have direct exposure, knowledge,
and sensitivity to diverse cultures. As part of its global social work initiative,
the SSW provides opportunities for international study.
Human Services in Developing Countries
This course examines the impact of social problems, with a focus on HIV/AIDS
in Uganda and the role of the social work profession in international social development.
It explores the utilization of various professional methods to promote
self-sufficiency, social integration, social change, social action, and social justice in
a developing country. The focus of this course is to learn how social work practice
skills (micro and macro) can be applied to the needs of a developing country.
Students spend three weeks in Uganda studying social problems and learning about
the cultural context of the delivery of human services in a developing country.
Spanish Language Study for Social Workers
Nationwide, the growing number of organizations that serve non-English-speaking
populations has caused a sharp rise in the demand for bilingual social workers.
In recognition of this need, the SSW offers short-term Spanish language immersion
programs designed for social workers. One option is a month-long course that takes
place at the Center for Bilingual and Multicultural Studies in Cuernavaca, Mexico,
where students live with host families and participate in cultural excursions to
learn about social services in Mexico. For individuals who cannot travel to Mexico,
students also may study Spanish by taking beginner, intermediate, or advanced
classes in conversational Spanish for social workers right here at Simmons.
“ My trip to Uganda was amazing! I was able to practice my clinical
skills outside of my comfort zone and experience very different needs.
I gained so much from the professionals and clients I met — it was
rewarding to see that my skills could have a positive impact in return.”
KRISTEN ARCHIBALD ’10 M.S.W./URBAN LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
POLITICAL ACTION AND STRATEGIES
In partnership with George Washington University and George Mason University,
Simmons offers a political action elective that culminates with a week in Washington,
D.C. The course, Political Action and Strategies for Professional Social Workers,
allows students to witness firsthand the nation’s political process. Each year,
the class focuses on a current issue of importance to social workers that is being
debated in Congress. Students look at programs such as Medicaid, examining
issues related to policy development and implementation. They also meet key
social work leaders and advocates, including National Association of Social Workers
lobbyists, legislators, and policy researchers.
“The course gave me a lot of insight into the inner workings of policy.
I learned that it’s possible — and important — to mesh the clinical and
political worlds to become a better advocate for my clients.”
MIA HOGAINS ’11 M.S.W.

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 25
On the Pulse:
Michael Melendez, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of the Foundation Curriculum
Michael Melendez, Professor and Chair of the Foundation Curriculum, has an ear
to the ground and an eye to the future. Ever attuned to new trends and critical
needs in the social work field, he ensures that the SSW curriculum delivers a highly
versatile, advanced, and marketable set of diagnostic and psychotherapeutic skills.
“Our goal is to train clinical social workers who are creative, flexible, adaptive, and
capable of complex thinking,” he says.
Bridging classroom and community: Melendez
credits the SSW faculty’s commitment to front-line
work in shaping syllabi that integrate cases, issues,
and interventions culled from real-world experience.
“We’re not ivory-towering this,” he explains. “We’re
not just academicians. Every one of our faculty is
actively involved in the field — in clinical work in
various settings, in policy, in organizational consultation.”
Rich and varied background: Count Melendez
among them. His career runs broad and deep: he’s
served on boards, presided over the Massachusetts
Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers,
conducted trainings in cultural competency,
researched evidence-based, spiritually-oriented
therapy, and consulted for several community organizations,
often related to the impact of AIDS/HIV
and substance abuse on families. Currently, he is a
senior consultant for a residential program serving
Latina women with addictions.
A cutting-edge curriculum: Melendez also
assiduously follows and assesses social work
trends — another key to Simmons’s progressive
practice sequence. The curriculum reflects new
research, evidence-supported practice modalities,
and contemporary social work needs.
A recent example: As insurance policies dictate
shorter treatment periods for patients, students
taking the Advanced Clinical Practice class now
learn four different evidence-based brief treatment
models. Likewise, the SSW curriculum addresses
the increasingly multidisciplinary nature of the field.
“Our students talk and understand cross-disciplines,”
says Melendez. “We’re training them for the
multiple roles of social work — and all the possibilities
of the degree.”

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 26
FIELD EDUCATION
Putting theory to work
Simmons students apply their academic knowledge through direct-practice internships with
individuals, groups, agencies, and larger systems. Prior to entering the M.S.W. Program,
students meet with our field education faculty to assess interests, discuss learning goals,
and arrange an internship plan. First-year internships provide a strong foundation of social
work practice skills. Second-year internships focus on advanced clinical skills.
FULL-TIME PROGRAM
Internships are three days (24 hours) per week from
September to May for both years of the M.S.W. Program.
Students take a total of four courses concurrently
the other two days. Summer class options and
evening classes allow some flexibility.
EXTENDED-STUDY PROGRAM
Internships, taken during the second and third years
of the Program, are three days (24 hours) per week
from September to May. Some students stretch the
Program to four years, interning their third and fourth
years. Students can choose to do placements 16
hours per week for 11 months.
EMPLOYMENT AS FIELD PLACEMENT
On occasion, students who are currently employed by
a human service agency may be permitted to do their
first-year internship as a supervised “job placement”
at their current agency, if the agency can provide work
assignments in a different department or program,
allowing students to work with a new client population.
Students interested in this option must apply to
the field department. Only placements that meet the
strict criteria are approved. Only one placement can
be a job placement.
ONE-YEAR PLACEMENT
The one-year placement option is designed as a part
of the three-year Extended-Study Program for students
who have substantial experience in social work.
Students who meet the guidelines and are accepted
to the Program take two additional classes and complete
one extended field placement during their third
year. This is a highly selective program, intended for
students who can demonstrate substantial experience
in a clinical social work role. Students apply to this
program during the first year of enrollment.
ADVANCED-STANDING PROGRAM
Students accepted into the Advanced-Standing
Program receive credits for all foundation year
courses and one semester of field experience.
Advanced-Standing students will have one extended
field placement. Internships are three days (24 hours)
per week, over three semesters, from September to
early August. Most students complete the Program
within one year.
“ A lot of thought and care has gone into matching me with
placements that offer the support I need and the learning
I want. After working with kids at the Academy of Physical
and Social Development my first year, I’ll be a social
work intern in the substance-abuse program at Fenway
Community Health Center to flesh out my experience.”
KELLAN MCNALLY ’11 M.S.W.
Simmons’s M.S.W. requires more field education than most schools
offer, with internships three days per week for both years of the
program. The extra hands-on experience makes our graduates very
attractive to agencies and employers — and many are offered jobs
by at least one of their internship sites.

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 27
FIELD PLACEMENTS
SSW students receive exceptional professional
training at more than 300 field placement sites
throughout New England, ranging from schools
and hospitals to government agencies and private
organizations. Here are some of our field placement
partners:
AIDS Action Committee
Alliance for Inclusion and Prevention
Andover Public Schools
Bay Cove Treatment Center
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Big Sister Association
Boston Area Rape Crisis Center
Boston Juvenile Court Clinic
Boston Medical Center
Boston Public Health Commission
Boston Public Schools
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Brookline Center
Cambridge Health Alliance
Casey Family Services
Children’s Charter
Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Codman Square Health Center
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Department of Children and Families
Dimock Community Health Center
Faulkner Hospital
Fenway Community Health Center
Framingham State College
Friends of the Children Boston
Jewish Family and Children’s Services
Justice Resource Institute
Harvard Law School – Criminal Justice Institute
Home for Little Wanderers
Lahey Clinic
Latino Health Institute
Martha Eliot Health Center
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts Mental Health Center
MCI-Norfolk Correctional Complex
McLean Hospital
Roxbury Tenants of Harvard
Stone Center at Wellesley College
South End Community Mental Health Center
VA Medical Centers
Victory Programs
Y.O.U., Inc.
An
Expert
in the
Field:
Ellen Goodman, M.S.W.
Assistant Professor and Director of Field Education
If there is an agency or organization that meets Simmons’s high
standards for field placement, Ellen Goodman knows it. Yet her role
as director of field education isn’t just about the Rolodex. True to
Simmons’s student-focused mission, Goodman strategizes placements
with the individual in mind, delivering what many describe as
a life-changing experience.
Personalized planning: “We’re always asking, ‘What does this student need?’”
says Goodman. “Everybody comes in with different experiences, gifts, and goals.
We work closely with students and think about who they are, what they’re interested
in, and where they’ll be challenged and succeed.”
Familiarity with the front lines: Goodman is especially attuned to students’
needs because she’s been there herself. A graduate of the SSW, she has worked
with children and adults in community mental health, clinical research, outpatient
psychiatry, and medical settings. As a result, she understands the process
of self-awareness that’s critical to experiential learning.
“We support students however we can, partnering with them as they assess their
strengths and conceptualize where to go next,” she explains.
More than an internship: With clinical work at the heart of its M.S.W. Program,
Simmons commits more resources to this area than many other social work
schools. Goodman oversees staff dedicated to the specific needs of Advanced-
Standing and Extended-Study Programs students and acts as a mentor for career
planning. Her membership on the Curriculum Committee ensures a close integration
of practice and theory in nearly every course.
As Goodman puts it: “Field education enters the thinking of everything we do.”

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 28
The Simmons M.S.W.—
a degree in demand
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, social work employment is
expected to increase through 2018. The aging baby boom generation is driving
the demand for gerontology social workers. Likewise, the need for social
workers specializing in substance abuse and medical and public health is
predicted to rise.
“ While we very much hold on to traditional ways of doing social work, we
also recognize the need to teach students the most current, evidence-based
practices. We are constantly reviewing our curriculum to integrate new forms
of treatments, interventions, and resources. We’re training social workers
for today’s job market.”
MICHAEL MELENDEZ, M.S.W., PH.D.
PROFESSOR AND CHAIR OF THE FOUNDATION CURRICULUM
Over 30 percent of Simmons social work students are
offered jobs by at least one of their internship sites.
WHERE THEY LANDED
A sampling of first jobs for recent SSW graduates
Clinical Social Worker in the emergency department
of Boston’s Children’s Hospital
Social Work Supervisor at the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts Department of Children
and Families
Director of Substance Abuse Prevention for the
City of Gloucester
Clinical Social Worker at HEARTH, Inc., a Bostonbased
supportive housing organization for formerly
homeless and at-risk elders
Clinical Social Worker at Latino Health Institute,
Boston
Director of LGBT Services at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology’s Division of Student Life
Behavioral Health Policy Analyst for the Council of
State Governments Justice Center in New York City
Clinical Social Worker at the Veterans’
Administration Boston Health Care System
Stabilization Coordinator for the AIDS Action
Committee, Boston
Clinical Social Worker at Hebrew Senior Life, Boston
Clinical Social Worker at Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute/Breast Clinic
Fellow, Ruderman Fellowship in Gerontological
Social Work at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center
Family Counselor at the Center for Family Life in
Brooklyn, New York
Coordinator for Mobile Crisis Services/HES in
Haverhill, Massachusetts
Mental Health Therapist for Kaiser Permanente
Health Care in Portland, Oregon
College Counselor in the Simmons College
Counseling Center
Medical Social Worker in Cardiology at Boston’s
Massachusetts General Hospital
Addictions Specialist at the North Charles Institute
for the Addictions in Somerville, Massachusetts
Founding Director of the Matahari: Eye of the Day,
a Boston-based organization that helps create
community solutions to end human trafficking
and gender violence

Career Choices for
Clinical Social Workers
Work Settings for
Social Workers
Addictions counselor
School social worker
Medical social worker
Emergency services worker
Outpatient mental health therapist
Policy analyst
Home-based child and family worker
Adoption social worker
Case manager
Housing advocate
Child welfare worker
Psychotherapist
Forensic social worker
Employee assistance social worker
Program evaluation coordinator
Family therapist and couples counselor
Program director
Department chief
Agency CEO
Home-based family services agencies
Public schools and residential schools
Court clinics
Prisons
Psychiatric hospitals and day-treatment
programs
Emergency rooms
Mental health clinics
General hospitals
Public child welfare offices
Adoption and foster care agencies
College counseling centers
Assisted living and home-care agencies
Elder services agencies
AIDS services organizations
Family violence services
(community- and hospital-based)
Health clinics
Homeless shelters
Addictions services
VA hospitals and military bases
CAREER SERVICES SUPPORT
Comprehensive career education center
Career fairs
Workshops and panels
Alumni networking
Licensing test preparation
Online and social media resources

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 30
THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM
Preparing practice-scholars
Grounded in the recognition that direct practice and scholarly inquiry are complementary,
Simmons’s Ph.D. in Social Work prepares advanced clinical scholars for careers that significantly
impact the direction of our profession, particularly in research and higher education.
The Doctoral Program builds on our school’s mission to contribute to the development of
the social work profession in a multicultural society, to enhance the human service delivery
system, and to work toward the goal of social justice.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
Designed for practicing social work clinicians, the
Doctoral Program is offered on a part-time basis.
No clinical practicum is required, although students
should currently be involved in clinical practice.
Graduation requires a total of 45 credits (15 courses),
plus successful completion of a comprehensive
qualifying paper and the doctoral dissertation.
The class schedule ordinarily consists of two courses
during each of the two semesters (fall and spring),
with additional opportunities for elective course study
in the summer. Doctoral-level courses are demanding,
and students must plan accordingly. Students
typically find that six to ten hours a week per course
of outside classroom work is necessary to accommodate
reading and writing assignments. Most students
complete the program, including their dissertation
defense, in five to seven years.
COURSEWORK
The Program allows for flexibility. However, all
students are required to take the following 11 courses
(33 credits):
SW-650: A Research Framework for Viewing
Clinical Practice
SW-651: Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis
SW-652: Introduction to Multivariate Statistics
SW-654: Qualitative Research Methods
SW-631: Ways of Knowing in Clinical Practice
SW-610: Theoretical Approaches to Understanding
Human Behavior, Development, and Change
SW-630: Advanced Clinical Practice
SW-670: Integrating Public Policy Issues and Outcomes
Into Social Work Research
SW-671: Learning and Teaching in Higher Education
SW-632: Writing the Stories of Clinical Social Work
SW-653: Dissertation Proposal Seminar
“ I chose Simmons because it has the reputation as ‘the’
clinical practice social work program. It honors and builds
on my 20 years of practice experience while giving me
the skills to be a researcher. The supportive faculty are
not only interested in my topic but also me as a person
— what I want to do and where I want to be.”
TAMARA CADET, DOCTORAL CANDIDATE

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 31
THE COMPREHENSIVE PAPER
The comprehensive paper represents a major
transition point in a student’s progress through the
Doctoral Program. Written and submitted after two
years of coursework, the comprehensive paper signals
a student’s readiness to develop a dissertation
proposal. Based on the knowledge and skills gained
in earlier courses, the “comps” reflect a student’s
ability to conceptualize a clear and compelling topic;
to organize, effectively present, and critique knowledge
relevant to that topic; and to propose a research
focus informed by a review of relevant literature.
THE DISSERTATION
The production of a dissertation and its oral defense
are major components in doctoral education. The
dissertation is both a product and a process. As a
product, it must address, in a creative and original
way, a substantive area of concern to social work in
an attempt to advance professional knowledge and to
contribute to the ongoing development of the profession’s
knowledge base. As a process, the dissertation
is an educational endeavor in which the student demonstrates
the ability to integrate social work practice,
knowledge, and theory with sound empirical research
principles.
A RICH AND VARIED BODY OF KNOWLEDGE
SSW doctoral candidates conduct thorough, thoughtful
research, generating powerful dissertations. Some
recent topics include:
Reclaiming and Constructing Identities:
The Journey Out of Homelessness for Persons
With Mental Illness
Self-perceived Unpopularity in Children and
Adolescents: Its Antecedents, Characteristics, and
Relationship to Later Maladjustment
To Hear and to Respond: The Influence of Zen
Buddhist Meditation on the Practice of Clinical
Social Work
Helpful and Unhelpful Interactions Between
Professionals and Parents of Children with
Cognitive Challenges: A Developmental Perspective
Adaptation and Transformation: The Transition to
Adoptive Parenthood for Gay Male Couples
Young, Urban, Unwed Fathers: Depressive
Symptoms, Problem Behaviors, and Psychosocial
Correlates
El Sufimiento de los Colombianos en Nueva
Inglatera: Como Salen Adelante (Suffering of
Colombians in New England: How They Cope)

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 32
A lifetime of connections
for personal and
professional growth
Simmons stands as a prominent member of the country’s social work
community. Our students, faculty, and alumni serve in the field as well as
on the boards of numerous agencies and organizations. Together, they
create a close-knit and vital professional network.
From first job to longer-term career development, we’re dedicated to your
success. Our outstanding Career Education Center offers lifelong guidance
for alumni, including career counseling, résumé reviews, and interview
critiques, while the Miller/Knopf Career Resource Library houses the latest
career information and resources. Each spring, we welcome leading employers
to campus for the School of Social Work Career Fair. The SSW also sponsors
regular networking events and panel discussions on current job trends
with representatives from major employers. All these events and services
are open to current students and alums.
Learning is a lifelong pursuit. Our graduates return to campus to participate
in certificate programs on topics relevant to advanced clinical practice,
such as the Relational and Multi-Contextual Treatment of Trauma and EMDR
(Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). Alums are eligible to
audit classes and are regularly invited back to attend symposia and professional
conferences.
The School of Social Work has an active, service-oriented Alumni Association
whose mission is to create an engaged national alumni community, to
assist in student recruitment and programming, and to promote the values
and standards of the social work profession. The Alumni Association participates
throughout the graduate experience in welcoming students, in mentoring,
networking, and job search, and in assisting students as they transition
into the alumni community.
Our “Alumnet” online community allows all of our alumni to connect and
network with classmates, receive news of upcoming events and important
Simmons happenings, and, above all, nurture lifelong friendships.
We support you in the transition from classmate to colleague. And wherever
your degree takes you.

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 33
A Safe Escape:
Anna Mancuso ’10 M.S.W.
Clinical Social Worker, The Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights,
Boston, Massachusetts
As a clinical social worker at the Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human
Rights, Anna Mancuso assists refugees and asylum-seekers searching for a better life.
In one day, she may counsel a Kenyan woman fleeing female genital mutilation,
support a Tanzanian rape survivor, and advise an Iraqi man about medical coverage.
“I’m providing therapy and psychosocial support to survivors of torture and war
trauma,” she explains.
Building self-awareness and skills: Mancuso
arrived at Simmons with a B.A. in history and a
master’s in public health — and a desire to turn her
interest in global human rights into a social work
career. Her first experience working with trauma
survivors came in her second-year field placement
at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for
Violence Prevention, a clinic for survivors of interpersonal
violence. At first, admits Mancuso, she was
nervous every time her pager buzzed, yet soon, her
response changed. “I became much more confident
in my skills and my role,” she says. “I realized that
social work isn’t about fixing everything but about
being willing to sit with people in their discomfort
and trauma.”
Collaborative classes: Mancuso says that the room
Simmons gives students to discuss their field placements
with advisors and classmates provided a
safety net of support and resources. “We spent a lot
of time in class presenting cases and talking about
people’s work,” she says. “It was a group process.”
In her current position, Mancuso applies practice
theories gleaned from her Assessment and Diagnosis
and Psycho-Dynamic Approaches to Clinical
Diagnosis classes. The results of the work never
cease to move her. “My clients have survived incredible
circumstances, yet they still see hope,” she
says. “There is something so rewarding and inspiring
about helping people who are so down come
back up.”

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 34
On Call:
Samantha Tarcov Block ’10 M.S.W.
Clinical Social Worker, Massachusetts General Hospital,
Boston, Massachusetts
Samantha Tarcov Block met her first social worker at age 16, when
her brother underwent frequent hospitalizations for a chronic illness.
Today, she’s the one helping patients and families as a clinical social
worker at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston.
Small classes, big benefits: In choosing Simmons,
Block says that it was love at first visit. “Everyone I
met, both faculty and students, was really excited
and dedicated,” she explains. “I thought, ‘This is
what I want to do and where I belong.’” A 2006
graduate of Boston University with a degree in
psychology, she praises the intimacy of the Simmons
program. “The professors want students to
succeed,” she says. “They challenged me but also
guided and inspired. Their passion for the work was
tangible, and they applied rich clinical expertise to
whatever we were studying.”
Real-world relevance: Block entered the program
looking to build on clinical skills she developed as a
caseworker for a child protection agency. In her first
placement, she continued her work with kids, this
time, as a counselor at a public school. A secondyear
internship in the organ transplant program at
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center cemented her
interest in medical social work. Her role: counseling
patients awaiting new livers and kidneys.
One woman’s story, in particular, still inspires. “I
sat with her through some heavy times,” says Block.
“To see her through transplant and discharge, then
to hear about her walking into the clinic after being
so debilitated, is a powerful experience I’ll always
carry.”
Eminently equipped: As a member of a multidisciplinary
team serving an in-house medicine floor at
MGH, Block assists with a wide range of challenges,
from substance abuse to end-of-life care. Yet the
“every-day-is-different” nature of the job doesn’t
intimidate her.
“I feel confident,” she says. “The combination of the
excellent coursework, professors, and clinical placements
at Simmons has thoroughly prepared me.”

SIMMONS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 35
Boston—life at its fullest
Ever since Simmons became the nation’s first institute of higher learning to
offer training for clinical social workers in 1904, our location in the heart of
one of America’s most vibrant cities has provided a rich variety of resources
for our students.
The historic, tree-lined Simmons campus is located on the borders of
Boston’s vibrant Fenway neighborhood and the Longwood Medical Area,
which is alive with music and fine arts, health care and research, public
debate and commentary, and the resounding cheers of diehard baseball fans
at legendary Fenway Park. Located in a state-of-the-art building, the SSW
provides a carefully crafted, technologically sophisticated environment for
learning, teaching, research, and administration.
Simmons joins Boston’s many colleges and universities, as well as hospitals,
research centers, restaurants, performance venues, and world-class museums
to create a neighborhood that is truly the soul of our city. Imagine spending
a morning at the incomparable Museum of Fine Arts, followed by lunch
at a sidewalk café, and an evening at a concert, jazz club, or film festival —
all within walking distance of campus.
“ I wanted to pursue my social work degree in a setting
with a rich Latino immigrant community, and Boston
definitely fit the bill. The options for field placements and jobs
are just endless here. There is so much to choose
from; it’s one level up from where you’d be anywhere else.”
MARIN KIRBY DE LEON ’11 M.S.W./URBAN LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

WWW.SIMMONS.EDU/SSW 36
Admission and financial aid information
MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK
Admission Requirements
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an
accredited college or university, achieving at least a B
(3.0) average. An interview is not required. However,
applicants are strongly encouraged to meet with the
director of admissions or schedule a phone interview.
Please submit a completed application file that includes
the following:
Completed application form
Non-refundable application fee
Résumé
Three- to five-page personal statement of career
goals and how the program supports them
Official college transcripts, indicating graduation
date
Three letters of professional or academic
recommendation
TOEFL scores, if English is not the first language
Source of income statement
(for international students)
Application Deadlines
The SSW offers fall (September) and spring (January)
enrollment. We strongly encourage early application.
The application deadline for fall enrollment is December
15 for early acceptance (non-binding) or February
15 for regular admission. The spring enrollment deadline
is October 15. Applicants applying for readmission
also must conform to this schedule. Please note:
Incomplete application files will not be reviewed until
all materials are received.
TRANSFER STUDENT APPLICANTS
Transfer students are encouraged to apply to the SSW.
Acceptance is based on the strength of each applicant
and on available openings. Transfer students should
submit all admission materials for the M.S.W. degree.
In addition, applicants should include a current
transcript from their M.S.W. program, a statement
outlining their reasons for transferring, and a letter of
good standing from the dean or director of their current
M.S.W. program.
ADVANCED-STANDING OPTION
FOR B.S.W. GRADUATES
Admission Requirements
Applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree in social
work (B.S.W.) and who have graduated from a
college or university accredited by the Council on
Social Work Education (CSWE).
Applicants who have completed a B.S.W. program
within the last five years can apply for the threesemester
Advanced-Standing Program.
Advanced-Standing applicants must have achieved at
least a B (3.0) average in all B.S.W. coursework and an
overall 3.3 grade point average. In addition, applicants
must have completed a clinically focused internship
under an M.S.W. supervisor. Please submit a completed
application file that includes the following:
All admission materials requested for the M.S.W.
degree
Of the three letters of recommendation, one must
be from the M.S.W. supervisor of the applicant’s
B.S.W. internship*
In addition to the statement of professional and
educational intent, Advanced-Standing applicants
must include a two- to three-page summary of their
B.S.W. internship learning, including: social work
models and approaches utilized; a case example that
exemplifies how the applicant applied theory to guide
his or her understanding of the case and intervention
or treatment plan; and a self-assessment of learning
to date, including goals and challenges anticipated
in an advanced clinical placement
A copy of the applicant’s most recent B.S.W. field
placement evaluation
*Applicants who have been employed in a clinical
social work position for a minimum of one year
following the completion of their B.S.W. may submit
a letter of reference from an M.S.W. employment
supervisor.

www.simmons.edu/ssw
PH.D. IN SOCIAL WORK
Admission Requirements
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an
accredited institution, with an appropriate distribution
of liberal arts courses. In addition, they must
hold a master’s degree from a program in social work
accredited by the Council on Social Work Education
(CSWE).
Please submit a completed application file that
includes the following:
Completed application form
Non-refundable application fee
Official transcripts of all past or current
academic work
Résumé
Written case presentation
Three letters of professional or academic
recommendation
Personal statement of career goals and how the
program supports them
TOEFL scores, if English is not the first language
Miller Analogy Test scores within the past five years
Interview with a member of the Doctoral Committee
after favorable review of admission materials
The Ph.D. program commences in the fall semester.
Completed applications should be received no later
than February 1.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Simmons welcomes applications from international
students. In recent years, the school has enrolled students
from countries including Korea, Uganda, Israel,
Italy, Canada, China, and Japan. Students for whom
English is not the first language are required to submit
a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
score that demonstrates satisfactory proficiency: a
minimum score of 600 on the paper test, 250 on
the computerized test, or 105 on the Internet-based
test is required. Simmons must receive test scores
directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
International students also must submit a Certificate
of Finances Form that demonstrates proof of ability
to pay tuition and living expenses while enrolled at
Simmons. The school cannot issue an I-20 until we
have received the required statement. Please arrange
with your bank, sponsor, or government to complete
our Certificate of Finances Form, which is available
online or by request. We regret that we are not able
to provide financial assistance or teaching assistantships
to international students.
Visa requirements dictate that international students
on an F-1 student status complete their course of
graduate study within a two-year period. Students
should plan to use summer sessions to take courses
in order to remain in compliance.
For more information about international student
admission to Simmons, please contact the
SSW Admissions Office, or visit our website,
www.simmons.edu/ssw/international.
FINANCIAL AID FOR U.S. CITIZENS
For U.S. citizens and permanent residents, the
options for financial assistance include federal loans,
grants, and scholarships. Awards vary from year to
year depending on the number of applicants, their
financial need, and available resources. Applicants are
strongly encouraged to apply for financial aid at the
same time they apply to the school.
A complete application includes the Simmons
Application for Graduate Financial Aid, the Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and any additional
supporting documents that may be required.
Deadlines for financial aid applications are March 1
for the summer and fall, and October 1 for the spring.
For more information, including the graduate student
Guide to Applying for Financial Aid, visit our Student
Financial Services website, www.simmons.edu/sfs.
CONTACT US
Please contact the SSW Admissions Office at
617-521-3939 or ssw@simmons.edu if you have
questions about the application process, a program,
or the school. We are happy to schedule visits, including
a class visit, campus tour, or meeting with a
faculty member. We also encourage you to attend
one of our information sessions. Visit our website,
www.simmons.edu/ssw, for information.

School of Social Work
300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115-5898
Phone: 617-521-3900
Fax: 617-521-3980
Email: ssw@simmons.edu
www.simmons.edu/ssw
Simmons College and the School
of Social Work reserve the right
to change its courses, programs,
tuition and fees at any time.
Simmons College does not
discriminate unlawfully on the
basis of race, color, national
origin, age, sex, disability, sexual
orientation, religion, ancestry,
genetic information, or veteran
status in admission to, access
to, treatment in, or employment
in its programs and activities in
accordance with state and federal
law, including but not limited
to, Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964, Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title
IX of the Education Amendments
of 1972, the Age Discrimination
Act of 1975, and the Code of
Federal Regulations Parts 100,
104, 106, and 110. The College’s
Office of Human Resources,
300 The Fenway, Boston, MA,
02115 (telephone: 617-521-2084)
has been designated to handle
inquiries regarding the College’s
nondiscrimination policies concerning
employment. All other
inquiries should be directed to
the Office of the President, Simmons
College, 300 The Fenway,
Boston, MA, 02115 (617-521-
2073). Inquiries concerning the
application of nondiscrimination
policies may also be directed to
the Assistant Secretary for Civil
Rights at the U.S. Department of
Education, Office for Civil Rights,
330 C Street, SW, Washington,
DC, 20202.
School of Social Work Mission Statement
The mission of the M.S.W. Program is to prepare
master’s-level practitioners with the knowledge and
skills for clinical social work practice in a multicultural
world. The Program is grounded in a values perspective
that emphasizes client strengths and diversities
and actively opposes all forms of oppression and
injustice. The educational experience is designed to
help students develop critical thinking and problemsolving
abilities, as well as ethical and cultural sensitivity,
self-awareness, and a professional identity as a
social worker.
Students will learn multiple social work roles and
skills necessary to be effective within evolving fields of
practice. Graduates will be able to work with a variety
of populations and social issues, using a broad and
flexible array of interventions at an advanced level.
They will be able to work with individuals, families,
groups, and communities to facilitate development
and change in the service of social justice.
A Definition of Clinical Social Work Practice
A disciplined process for collaboration, in service of
social, emotional, and behavioral change for individuals,
groups, families, organizations, and communities.
Clinical social work draws on knowledge of human
development, relational and group process, cultural
learning, and social policies. It employs evidenceinformed
methods that facilitate change through
dialogue and collective action. It is grounded in a
history of commitment to social justice and guided
by a professional code of ethics.
02/11 8200
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