Smith College School for Social Work

Smith College School for Social Work Smith College School for Social Work: Clinical Social Work, Anti-Racism, Education & Research

M.S.W., Ph.D., & Continuing Education programs

For nearly a century, the Smith College School for Social Work has provided graduate social work education to people of all genders around the world. Our program is internationally recognized for its dedication to and specialization in clinical social work, as well as for our commitment to academic excellence. We have a longstanding commitment to anti-racism, which shapes our curriculum, our expec

tations of ourselves and our students, and the culture of our program. A nationwide internship network that provides us with the opportunity to affiliate with the leading clinical training agencies complements our rich curriculum. With a student-faculty ratio of four-to-one, our faculty are highly accessible and deeply interested in our students’ professional development. Almost 5,000 graduates can attest that their degrees from Smith College School for Social Work have been powerful tools in their searches for employment within the social work profession and in their development as social work leaders.

06/16/2026

POV: you have to run errands around campus during an SSW summer.

06/11/2026

Senda the bear providing steady, relational emotional support to students during the Deans’ Ice Cream Social today.

Opening Ceremony kicked off summer 2026 with intention setting, photobooth fun, a community-made playlist DJ'd by Lorele...
06/02/2026

Opening Ceremony kicked off summer 2026 with intention setting, photobooth fun, a community-made playlist DJ'd by Lorelei Erisis, associate director of admissions, sweet treats, and great food by Smith College Dining. Organized by 4C (Committed to Creating Culture and Community) fka ARPG, connections new and old grounded everyone to start the intensity of summer in community.

Photos by Shana Sureck Photography.

06/01/2026

First hugs before the kickoff of summer classes.

Senda the Bear, Smith College's new mascot, welcomed new SSW students at Orientation on Friday with high fives and selfi...
06/01/2026

Senda the Bear, Smith College's new mascot, welcomed new SSW students at Orientation on Friday with high fives and selfies.

05/30/2026

New Student Orientation yesterday had so much fresh energy- meeting new faces, getting connected to on-campus resources, lunch with new friends on the lawn, a welcome from the dean and learning what to expect at SSW. Orientation continues today- see you at Opening Ceremony this evening at 6:30 in the Campus Center!

05/29/2026

Smith’s new mascot Senda the Bear is very excited to welcome SSW students!

05/27/2026

Don’t miss it! The first SSW Community Share-Out is an overview of student groups and ways to get connected on campus this summer. Tuesday, June 2, 1-1:45 p.m. Campus Center 102 and Zoom (link in SSW Digest and the calendar invite!). Come learn what’s happening and meet other students.

05/22/2026

Announcing weekly SSW Community Share-Out Meetings on Tuesdays, 1-1:45 p.m. in Campus Center 102 and on Zoom.

Developed in collaboration with the SSW Office of Community Engagement and Student Support, join conversations to bridge gaps in communication, create dialogue with SSW community and learn about topics from curriculum development to the M.S.W. licensing exam to program affordability and others- students, faculty and staff invited! More info on topics in the SSW Digest next week.

We are getting ready to welcome students next week! William Teresa shared a little insight info practicum placement expe...
05/21/2026

We are getting ready to welcome students next week!

William Teresa shared a little insight info practicum placement experiences going into his third summer at Smith SSW.

Full name: William Teresa
Hometown: Santa Monica, California

What’s one piece of advice you’d like to share about practicum placement?
"Speak up! Use your critical Smith lens to challenge your placement to better support the people it serves. You can make a difference, not just directly with clients, but also through advocating for structural change at your placement."

As an SSW student, what have you been most excited about this year?
"Electives! There are so many to choose from. It was really hard to narrow them down. There are some professors I’ve heard great things about that I’m excited to finally work with, and there are some subjects that are right up my alley that I can’t wait to learn more about."

In what ways has your PFA been supportive of you this year?
"My PFA has been great. They’ve given me very thoughtful feedback on my monthly narratives and papers and during site visits. I know they care about my learning and I feel that could continue beyond graduation."

Why is clinical social work important, for you and your community?
"I used to think that macro work was where I could have the most impact, but then I realized that even if we had everything sorted out on the macro level, life would still happen, and we would still need clinical social work for those moments."

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
"I’d love to be really good at at least one musical instrument. I dabbled with a few when I was young, but to be able to play something really well would be beautiful."

1. About to enjoy a much-needed treat to help keep myself going during my first practicum
2. Getting some energy from the sun before my first day of my first practicum at the Edinburg Center in Bedford, Massachusetts
3. Moments after our second annual end-of-summer all-class primal scream. MSW ’26 friends Gil Messer, Rose Lambert-Sluder, Dan Lewis, Clementine Lazar, Liz Ashkenazi, Deidre Murphy, Petra Schweitzer, and Griffin Unger.
4. Saying goodbye to my neighbor’s dog Bixby in Easthampton with a big smile of relief after completing my first Smith summer
5. My first real office! At Sandy Segal Youth Health Center, my second practicum site, in Culver City, California

Address

23 West Street
Northampton, MA
01063

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+14135857950

Website

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