Majors & Tracks

Highly skilled clinical social workers are needed in a variety of settings including mental health and community health centers, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, substance treatment centers, family services, child welfare and children’s services, schools, geriatric facilities, housing agencies, criminal justice, and more.

Clinical social work practitioners learn how to use their professional relationships to engage in purposeful conversations and therapeutic activities while working with clients dealing with challenging life circumstances. Through coursework, field education, and supplementary programs, students develop competencies in assessment and diagnosis, treatment, and prevention for a variety of emotional and behavioral problems.

Clinical Practice focuses on individuals, families, and group work, drawing on knowledge of social, economic, environmental, and political systems to inform understanding of personal challenges. Frameworks for assessment and intervention include cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, family systems, and the Liberation Health model. Work is collaborative, strengths-based, and engages with the goal of self-determination in decision-making

Want more? Clinical Practice majors may choose to also minor in Macro Practice.

This program is ideal for those committed to championing change initiatives and tackling the root causes of social problems. Transform your passion into partnership with communities and organizations, drawing on the most relevant knowledge, policies, and strategies designed to improve living and social environments.

Macro Practice focuses on organizational, community, and system-level interventions where macro social workers tackle the root of social problems, including structural racism and oppression. You’ll learn to facilitate systemic change to promote equity and ensure all individuals, families, and communities have the opportunity to thrive. Through coursework, field education, and supplementary programs, students learn theory and develop skills in community organizing, human services management, leadership, planning, advocacy, and program and policy development.

Students and faculty work together to understand and develop ways to overcome intersecting oppressions based on race, gender, class, sexual orientation, identity, ability, and other social factors.

Clinical Practice majors may choose to minor in Macro Practice. Students from all MSW programs (On-Campus, Online and Hybrid) may choose to pursue a Macro minor.

If you wish to minor in macro practice, you’ll need to complete two of the following macro courses: 

• SSW MP 773 Human Services Management 
• SSW MP 781 Community Organizing 
• SSW MP 783 Planning and Program Development 

Macro Minor Project 

In addition to the required courses, the macro minor project provides you with an opportunity to gain macro social work skills. The project is completed during the advanced field placement and needs to be appropriate for the placement’s setting, strategy, and population. It is developed with input and approval from your field instructor and the macro field education coordinator. 

Current students can find resources for declaring a macro minor on this page under “Forms.”

Macro Minor Contact Information

Diane Crowley – Macro Minor Coordinator: crowleyd@bu.edu

On-Campus MSW Program

You can select either a Clinical Practice or Macro Practice major. On-Campus Clinical Practice majors may also choose to minor in Macro Practice.

Online MSW Program

You can select either Clinical Practice or Macro Practice as your major. Online Clinical Practice majors may also choose to minor in Macro Practice.

Worcester Hybrid MSW Program

You can select either Clinical Practice or Macro Practice as your major. Clinical Practice majors may also choose to minor in Macro Practice.

Social Work Licensing Requirements

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

Master of Social Work Licensing Disclosure