Additional Programs
LOUIS LOWY CERTIFICATE IN GERONTOLOGICAL
SOCIAL WORK
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM IN SOCIAL WORK AND PUBLIC HEALTH
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM IN SOCIAL WORK AND THEOLOGY
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM IN SOCIAL WORK AND EDUCATION
INTERDISCIPLINARY PhD PROGRAM IN SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL WORK
LOUIS LOWY CERTIFICATE IN GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIAL WORK
Students enrolled in the master’s degree program at
the Boston University School of Social Work who have successfully completed 16 credit hours of courses with a gerontological focus are eligible for the Louis Lowy Certificate in Gerontological Social Work. Dr. Lowy was a professor of the School of Social Work and an internationally renowned gerontologist. For information, contact Robert B. Hudson, PhD, Professor and Chair, Social Welfare Policy Department (rhudson@bu.edu; 617-353-3748).
Lowy-GEM Program in Aging
The Lowy-GEM Program in Aging provides an innovative master's-level social work training program, focused on preparing MSW students to become leaders and practitioners in the field of gerontological social work, with the knowledge and skills to meet the unique needs of this growing population.
The Lowy-GEM Program is based on a collaborative partnership between BUSSW and thirteen health and social service organizations serving elders in the neighborhoods of Roxbury, Dorchester, Brighton, Brookline, Cambridge, and the South End. Participating students receive stipends through the Louis Lowy Fund in Gerontology and Social Welfare Policy. They may enter the Lowy-GEM Program in either the foundation or advanced year. The program is equally suitable for clinical and macro students who are either full- or part-time.
- The program consists of the following components:
Stipends for participating students; - An internship comprised of a primary placement in one of the consortium agencies, as well as a concurrent enrichment experience in a second agency;
- A monthly seminar taught at participating agencies and at BUSSW;
- Ongoing professional development programs on topics related to gerontological social work, throughout the 2–4 years in the MSW Program;
- The opportunity to earn the Louis Lowy Certificate in Gerontological Social Work;
- Post-MSW career guidance and mentorship.
Underlying the Lowy-GEM Program in Aging is the belief that MSW students trained in this model will develop a sophisticated understanding of the needs of older clients and their families, the services available to meet those needs, and the complexities of providing client-centered care within interacting multiple health and service systems. For further information, contact Reeve Goldhaber, MSW (reeve@bu.edu; 617-353-7009).
Dual Degree Program in Social Work and Public Health
Please note: The GRE is required of all students applying to the School of Public Health for the dual degree program.
The dual degree program in Social Work and Public Health, established at Boston University in 1981, is a three-year course of study leading to both the Master of Social Work (MSW) and the Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees. The program may be pursued on a full- or part-time basis.
This program recognizes the emerging and varied roles of social workers in the contemporary health care system, and trains students to participate as dually-trained professional public health social work leaders in health policy, research, prevention, administration, and clinical practice.
Students are generally admitted to one of the two schools and complete that school’s basic coursework. Before the end of the first year, application is made to the other school. Students in each school are held to the same admission standards as other students. Tuition and financial aid are based on the school in which the student is taking the majority of credits (the current primary school of residence).
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM IN SOCIAL WORK AND THEOLOGY
Please note: The GRE is required of all students applying to the School of Theology for the dual degree program.
The School of Social Work (SSW) and the School of
Theology (STH) offer three joint degree programs:
MSW/MTS (Master of Theological Studies): approximately three and a half years of coursework including some summer work.
MSW/MDiv (Master of Divinity): approximately four and a half years of study.
MSW/DMin (Doctor of Ministry): Requires a prior MDiv degree with three subsequent years of community ministry or chaplaincy before applying. Six years maximum are allowed to complete this program.
The overall purpose of these dual degrees is to add a faith dimension to professional social work practice, and to add an urban clinical or macro practice dimension to theological studies.
Students are encouraged to apply initially to STH, or may simultaneously apply to both schools. Tuition and financial aid are based on the school in which the student is taking the majority of credits (the current primary school of residence).
A GPA of 3.0 or better is required for admission to and continuance in the dual degree programs. The programs
are not open to students who have already completed one of the joint degrees at another graduate school.
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM IN SOCIAL WORK AND EDUCATION
Please note: The GRE is required of all students applying
to the School of Education for the dual degree program.
The dual degree program in Social Work and Education was established at Boston University in 1988 in the recognition that both social workers and educators are deeply involved in working with children and families who are at risk. The goal of the program is to enable students to develop skills in both professional arenas and to take leadership in designing and administering creative programmatic responses to the changing needs of schools, families, and communities.
The program is a multifaceted course of study leading to the dual master’s degree—Master of Social Work (MSW) and Master of Education (EdM)—or to an MSW and a doctorate in Education (EdD). Teacher certification may also be obtained with additional coursework that is not part of the dual degree.
Applicants may use either of two methods to apply to the dual degree program. Applicants are encouraged to apply to the School of Social Work or the School of Education through the normal channels and, at the end of the first semester of matriculation, apply to the second school.
A grade point average of 3.0 or its equivalent in previous undergraduate or graduate coursework is required. The
most recent grades (i.e., the last two years of undergraduate study) or recent graduate study will be given priority.
Students applying to the doctorate (MSW/EdD) degree
program must have at least three years’ experience in education or a related field. Tuition and financial aid are based on the school in which the student is taking the majority of credits (the current primary school of residence).
INTERDISCIPLINARY PhD PROGRAM IN SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL WORK
The Interdisciplinary PhD Program in sociology and social work is a doctoral program of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. It is directed primarily to master’s-level social work professionals who wish to enhance their professional competence through further study at the doctoral level. The primary goal of the program is to prepare scholars of social welfare, who will assume leadership positions in universities, governmental agencies, and volunteer organizations.
Central to the program’s mission is promoting research and scholarship that link social work’s professional concerns with sociological theories and methods. Core theory material in the program addresses classical and contemporary sociological theories, the organizational dynamics of the social work profession, and perspectives on American social policy and programs. Courses in research methods address both qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Advanced doctoral students choose specializations in both sociology and social work. The research and teaching interests of the social work and sociology faculties span a wide range of theoretical, methodological, and substantive areas, including urban studies, substance abuse, mental health, gerontology, child welfare, family studies, medical sociology, deviance, political economy, institutional analysis, race and ethnic relations, social stratification, and policy analysis.
Graduate students may also benefit from resources available at many of the specialized centers of Boston University. These include the Institute for Geriatric Social Work, Center for Anxiety & Related Disorders, Center for Addictions Research & Services, Health & Disability Working Group, African Studies Center, and Gerontology Center. Students also have access to the Social Work Computer Laboratory for the conduct of their own research projects.
More information about the program is available by writing Interdisciplinary PhD Program, Boston University School of Social Work, 264 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215, calling 617-353-3765, or sending an e-mail to sswphd@bu.edu.
Application and Admission Admission is open to those who hold a Master of Social Work degree or who hold a master’s degree from an allied discipline or profession and who have practice-related experience relevant to the objectives of the program. Applicants are required to submit the results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Applicants should have a background in basic inferential statistics. Applicants are accepted for September admission. Completed applications for admission and financial aid should reach the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences office no later than January 15.
Financial Assistance Financial support is available to both incoming and continuing students. The Graduate School awards graduate student fellowships on a competitive basis. Research assistantships are frequently available through grants awarded to members of the program faculty. Teaching fellowships are awarded to students who have demonstrated competence in areas of the curriculum where teaching assistance is needed.
Curriculum and Course Requirements Students must meet all University and program requirements for the PhD. Full-time residence for all three semesters’ coursework is recommended. A minimum of 12 courses (48 credit hours) is required for the post-master’s PhD degree, as indicated below.
Core Program All students must complete two courses in sociological theory—GRS SO 701 Advanced Sociological Theory (Classical) and GRS SO 708 Contemporary Sociological Theory—and two courses in social work theory—SSW WP 901 Sociology of the Social Work Profession and SSW WP 903 Perspectives on Social Welfare Policy. All students must complete three courses in research methods/statistics—GRS SO 702 Proseminar in Research Methods, SSW SR 906 Qualitative Research Methods, and CAS MA 684 Multivariate Analysis.
Specializations Specialized study is required in two fields, with one to be an established area of concentration in sociology and the other to be a related area in social work. Students must complete two courses (8 credit hours) in their sociology specialization and three courses (12 credit hours) in their social work specialization. Sociology concentrations may be selected from the substantive specializations in the Department of Sociology, including deviance, social stratification, and urban studies, among others. Social work specializations may be selected from social welfare policy or from clinical research, and substantive foci may include aging, child and family welfare, and substance abuse, among others.
Qualifying Examinations and Critical Essay There is a written examination requirement in social work theory. A critical essay is also required. The essay is to be an assessment and synthesis of the student’s two specialized subfields within sociology and social work. Upon completion of the essay, the candidate must pass an oral examination in the indicated specializations.
Residency Requirement Each student must satisfy a residency requirement of a minimum of two consecutive regular semesters of full-time graduate study at Boston University. Full-time study in this context is full-time commitment to the discipline as determined by the department. Without necessarily implying full-time course enrollment, this commitment permits access to libraries, laboratories, instructional staff, and other academic facilities of the University, including the department of concentration. Doctoral students holding appointments as teaching fellows or research assistants are considered full-time students for purposes of the residency requirement provided that the time beyond that required by their appointments is devoted fully to their graduate program. In order to graduate, students must be registered part- or full-time in the semester or summer term in which they complete degree requirements, as well as in the preceding semester.
Dissertation Program approval of the dissertation proposal is obtained through a prospectus consultation examination. Two or more members of the affiliated program faculty supervise the candidate during preparation of the dissertation. This written document is to be a scholarly contribution to knowledge, presented clearly, precisely, and in good literary style. Candidates are encouraged to publish selected parts of their dissertation in professional journals and the entire dissertation as a book.
Final Oral Examination Candidates, upon completion of the dissertation, present themselves for a final oral examination before a committee of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. The examination is based primarily on the dissertation and related issues in the field of concentration.
Social Work Doctoral Course Offerings
SSW SR 904 Quantitative Clinical Research
Methods in Social Work Practice
SSW SR 906 Qualitative Analysis of Clinical Data
SSW WP 900 Social Program Analysis and
Evaluation
SSW WP 901 Sociology of the Social Work
Profession
SSW WP 902 Implementing Social Policy
SSW WP 903 Perspectives on Social Welfare
Policy
For detailed course descriptions, please visit the Social Work Doctoral Course Descriptions found on the School of Social Work Website.
Published by Trustees of Boston University
One Silber Way
Boston, MA 02215
28 October 2009
Boston University
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