As a Lesley MSW student, you’ll join a close-knit cohort, forming relationships with your peers as you move through the program together. Small class sizes and extensive faculty mentorship give you and your classmates the opportunity to collaborate, learn from, and support one another. As an MSW student, you can also pursue coursework and electives in Lesley’s Education program.
Social Work
Master’s in Social Work At-a-Glance
Credit details
- 60 credits
- 27 Core Social Work Practice Credits
- 24 Experiential Credits
- 9 Elective Credits
Program details
- Program begins in fall
- Program duration:
- Six semesters including summers (full-time study)
- Three semesters (Advanced Standing)
- Earn an advanced generalist master's degree with practicum opportunities across social work practice areas and populations
- Students can take electives focused on different areas of social work practice and/or in other Lesley graduate programs
A Personalized Approach to Serving Vulnerable Communities
Lesley’s Master's of Social Work (MSW) is a highly personalized, interdisciplinary program preparing graduates to lead with empathy, compassion, and purpose. As an MSW student, you’ll train alongside peers and faculty in a close cohort and engage in rigorous training through two immersive practicums totaling 1,000 hours of direct practice training. The program focuses on preparing students to work effectively with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities with populations across the lifespan in areas such as: mental health, health, education, criminal justice, policy and advocacy, and neurodiversity. Social work students will develop the skills and knowledge necessary to support and advocate for clients with diverse needs. You can choose to work closely with students in Lesley’s Threshold Program, underscoring our commitment to training clinicians able to support neurodiverse populations. Students can join our Scholar Partner Program for immersive training, with guaranteed practicums upon acceptance offering valuable hands-on experience in your chosen field. Upon graduation, you will be prepared to thrive in a variety of social work roles and settings.
The Lesley Difference
A Distinctive Approach to Practical Learning
Through our Scholar Partner Program, you’ll work alongside these same peers during multiple practicums with some of the area's leading mental health organizations. These practicums, many awarded at the time of acceptance to Lesley, help you contextualize what you’re learning in the classroom, allow you to explore different career paths within the social work field, and provide you crucial real-world field experience.
As part of your studies, you’ll also have the option to work with students in our Threshold Programs through our Scholar Partner Program. By supporting neurodiverse students living and working on the Lesley campus, you’ll gain a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities inherent in serving this population, and you'll build the skills and gain the experience that allows you to empower their growth, social development, and independence.