The Children, Youth & Families specialization recognizes the integration of the development of children and youth within the family unit and larger social environment. Families, in all forms, are integral to human development and manifest numerous cultural values and attributes to the next generation. Children and youth are foundational target populations in social work, and the field has been particularly focused on the promotion of their healthy growth and development. Additionally, the protection of children, addressing child and family mental health through prevention and treatment programs, and community-based youth initiatives are among major practice areas within the social work profession.

Requirements:

• Three advanced elective courses (9 credits), one of which is a required integrated seminar
• An advanced field placement in the area of specialization

The seminar integrates theory and knowledge and their application to practice with children, youth, and families. Numerous courses are currently available in the curriculum. Additionally, appropriate courses in other BU schools and the consortium school may be used to fulfill the specialization requirements.

The Behavioral Health specialization combines theory and skill development to enable MSW graduates to promote behavioral and mental health in multiple domains, including co-occurring substance abuse and trauma, with special focus on the current opioid overdose crisis and other public health concerns in various community-based settings. Students learn to advance health equity as members of interdisciplinary teams and prepare for professional leadership to assure behavioral health systems address social determinants of health, as well as needs of specific individuals, families, and communities. Program graduates enter the workforce understanding the unique role of social work to enhance addiction prevention and intervention with racial/ethnic and economically diverse populations facing multiple challenges in an ever-changing practice environment. The specialization emphasizes a broad definition of behavioral health, including physical, emotional, psychological, environmental, and other social dimensions, not just the absence of injury or disease, and seeks to reinforce core social work values including social justice, human dignity, and respect for and empowerment of individuals and communities.

Requirements:

One of the courses selected must be SSW IS 801, a 3-credit integrative seminar that will be conducted over two semesters of the student’s final MSW program year. The seminar will include mixed teaching and learning methods, in and out of the classroom, and will require a “capstone” project designed to demonstrate attainment of specialization competencies. The specialization will also require the completion of two additional courses. Students may choose any two advanced SSW electives. Students may also seek permission from the specialization coordinator to substitute applicable courses from other graduate programs at Boston University toward satisfaction of the specialization requirement. Additionally, students are required to complete an advanced field placement.

Aging is a lifelong process involving a complex interplay between biological, psychological, social, economic, and political factors. This specialization applies principles of social justice to analyze conditions that impact the lives of older adults and examines the role of power, privilege, and structural inequality in producing health disparities across the life course. Social workers play a vital role in working with individuals, families, and organizations as well as local, state, and national communities to optimize opportunities for health, economic well-being, and quality of life of older adults.

Requirements:

• Three advanced elective courses (9 credits), one of which is a required integrated seminar conducted over two semesters during the student’s final MSW program year
• An advanced field placement in the area of specialization

The seminar integrates theory and knowledge and their application to practice with children, youth, and families. Advanced elective courses may include Clinical Practice with Older Adults (CP 807), Social Policy and Programs in Aging (WP 704), and HB electives with aging content (e.g., HB 849 Social Perspectives on Health and Illness, HB 723 Adult Psychopathology, Family Therapy). Additionally, appropriate courses in other BU schools and the consortium school may be used to fulfill the specialization requirements. An advanced field placement in the area of specialization is required.

Trauma exposure is nearly universal. The field of trauma has exploded in the last several decades with advances in neurobiology, increased attention to evidence-based and evidence-informed interventions in trauma, and widespread recognition of violence across multiple contexts. Because trauma is a rapidly evolving field, social workers need integrated and cutting-edge training to work with and on behalf of diverse populations who are affected by wide-ranging traumatic experiences, including gender- and race-based violence, interpersonal and/or community violence, natural disasters, combat trauma, and terrorism. Specialization students will learn the foundations of trauma-informed and multi-level practice and policy, and apply this knowledge to prevention, intervention, and policymaking to mitigate the impact of violence and trauma on individuals, families, communities, and societies.

Requirements:

A foundational “platform” course is required for this specialization, plus two advanced elective courses (9 credits). Clinical Practice students should plan to take either SSW CP 782, SSW CP 803, or SSW CP 804, as well as the Advanced Seminar in Clinical Practice (SSW CP 814). In addition to the new platform course, Macro students may select other trauma-focused electives within SSW, another BU school, or the consortium. An advanced field placement in the area of specialization is required.