Simmons University Online DSW

Designed for students aspiring to advanced leadership in clinical practice, our innovative Online Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program centers social justice and multiculturalism, preparing you to become a visionary leader in the field.

  • Complete in less than two years — Choose between a full-time track (6 terms) or part-time track (8 terms).
  • Explore three areas of focus — Enhance your expertise in Leadership, Advanced Clinical Practice, and Teaching and Education.
  • Complete a capstone project — Investigate a real-world issue in your area of interest and strengthen your identity as an advanced social work professional.

The Simmons online DSW program provides the highest level of clinical training to professionals who aim to be the next generation of leaders in social work thought, education, and practice.

Delivered by expert practitioners, the program empowers students to drive positive systemic change in their communities or organizations.

48

total credits

6–8

terms to complete, depending on chosen track

3

start dates per year

Which Online DSW Program Track Is Right for You?

Our Online DSW program offers two flexible track options, so you can tailor your learning journey to fit your schedule. Whether you choose the full- or part-time track, all students will cover the same course materials.

TrackLengthCourses Per TermTotal Credits
Full Time
6 terms
(completed in less than 2 years)
3 courses
48
Part Time
8 terms
(completed in less than 3 years)
2 courses
48

Want to learn more about which track could work for you?

Request Information

A Different Kind of Doctorate

Diverse Career Outcomes, Clinical Focus

Built for diverse career paths, the Simmons Online DSW degree prepares students to pursue social work careers that include and extend beyond academia. Our clinically driven curriculum ensures that whichever route students take — whether teaching, private practice, leadership, or consulting — they will have the clinical perspective and advanced practice methods needed for success.

What Does the Simmons Online DSW Curriculum Cover?

The Online DSW program combines live online classes and interactive coursework that covers a wide range of specialized and integrative fields of study. It culminates in a capstone project that allows students to apply what they’ve learned to both solve real-world social work problems and deepen their skills in their area of interest.

Students in both the full-time and part-time tracks take a total of 15 courses to complete the 48 required credits, broken down as follows:

Course BlockTotal Credits
Teaching courses (3)
9
Leadership courses (3)
9
Advanced Clinical Practice courses (3)
9
Integrative coursework (6)
21
TOTAL CREDITS
48

The Three Pillars (27 credits)

Designed to holistically prepare students for the realities of modern social-work practice, our three pillars (or areas of focus) include the following:

Teaching Courses

Topics include:

  • Identity, purpose, and boundaries for educators
  • Comparative approaches to social learning theories and teaching strategies, including online pedagogy
  • Managing conflict, crisis, and psychological first aid in the classroom
  • Creating inclusive educational cultures

Leadership Courses

Topics include:

  • Creating inclusive organizational cultures
  • Roles and purposes of clinical supervision and mentoring
  • Crisis and conflict resolution
  • Building adaptive and socially-just organizations

Advanced Clinical Practice Courses

Topics include:

  • Emerging practice models
  • Inclusive approaches to practice and challenging perspectives
  • Clinical flexibility
  • Complex clinical presentations

Integrative Coursework (21 credits)

Designed to support your development as a holistic scholar-practitioner, these courses include the following:

  • Seminar in Ethics and Social Justice
  • Power, Passion, and Social Change
  • The Research-Informed Practitioner
  • Integrative Seminar
  • Capstone Project

Capstone: Learn to Integrate Research with Practice

Serving as the culmination of the Online DSW program, the capstone seminar allows students to apply research and theory to real-world social work challenges. It provides an opportunity to deepen expertise, develop a professional identity, and create a portfolio-ready project under faculty supervision.

In the final term, students complete their work in depth, receiving guidance from faculty and feedback from peers. Projects may take the form of a formal paper, website, or another medium, with faculty support to determine the most effective way to implement and disseminate their work.

To learn more about the Online DSW curriculum, visit the Online Doctorate of Social Work Curriculum page.

How Does Admission to the Online DSW Program Work?

The program offers three start dates per year (January, May, September), and admissions are made on a rolling basis.

All applicants must hold a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a CSWE-accredited institution and have a GPA of at least 3.0 in their MSW coursework. To align ourselves with the CSWE DSW accreditation guidelines, the program will be accepting students with two years post-MSW experiences as of January 2027.

To learn more about specific start dates and admission requirements, visit our Admission Overview page.

To learn more about application requirements and transfer options from other doctoral programs, visit our Application Requirements page.

Tuition

Tuition for the Online Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program is based on the annual cost per credit multiplied by the total number of credits required to graduate:

Credits2026-2027 Academic Year Cost per CreditTotal Cost
48
$1,265
$60,720

To learn more about tuition costs and external scholarship opportunities, visit our Tuition & Financial Aid page.

Who Will You Learn From?

Simmons School of Social Work (SSW) faculty are professional social work leaders with extensive hands-on experience as clinicians, researchers, educators, and advocates. Actively engaged in practice and community work, they bring real-world expertise directly into the classroom, in areas such as trauma, child welfare, HIV/AIDS, gerontology, refugees, and social policy.

Visit our detailed faculty profile pages below to learn more about the faculty who’ll serve as your mentors throughout the program.

Jacqueline Dyer

Associate Professor of Practice and DSW Director

School of Social Work

Jennie Sucilsky

Associate Professor of Practice and Associate Director of the DSW Program

School of Social Work

Ready to connect with your dedicated enrollment specialist?

Request Information

What’s the Difference between a DSW and a PhD?

Both the Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) and a PhD in Social Work are terminal degrees that prepare professionals with advanced knowledge and research skills. But while both are rigorous, they typically lead to different outcomes: the DSW emphasizes advanced clinical practice and applied leadership, whereas the PhD focuses on research and theoretical scholarship.

Doctorate of Social Work (DSW)

A DSW prepares students to apply advanced knowledge and research directly in the field. Students may implement new approaches in their work with clients the very next day. Graduates of Simmons’ DSW program become scholar-practitioners who integrate doctoral-level knowledge and practices into real-world social work.

PhD

A PhD emphasizes research, theory, and the development of new knowledge. Students focus on epistemological frameworks and overarching theoretical models in social work, often without direct client interaction. PhD candidates prepare to advance the field through scholarship, research, and teaching.

Learn more about Simmons Online PhD in Social Work.

What Could Your Career as a DSW Graduate Look Like?

Our DSW is designed to fit our students’ career aspirations. With a clinical focus and breadth of curricular topics, the program enables graduates to apply the skills they learn to various career paths in their areas of interest, including:

  • Clinically enhanced private social work practice
  • Positions in social work academia
  • Inclusive and visionary leadership roles
  • Social work consulting and training
  • Advising as a social work subject matter expert

What Are the Salary Expectations?

Due to the program’s holistic nature, our graduates’ career paths and salary outcomes vary widely. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides the following base information as of 2026, though outcomes may vary as a result of being a doctorate holder:

Job TitleTarget work setting2026 est. median salary
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)
Private Practice / Community Mental Health Centers
$61,3301
Medical / Health Social Worker
General Medical & Surgical Hospitals
$71,7902
Mental Health & Substance Abuse Social Worker
Outpatient Care & Residential Treatment Facilities
$68,0303
Child, Family, & School Social Worker
K-12 Educational Institutions & State Agencies
$64,0004
Veterans Affairs (VA) Clinical Social Worker
VA Hospitals & Community Outpatient Clinics
$61,3305
Social Work Clinical Director
Non-Profit Organizations & Social Service Agencies
$78,2406

The Online Student Experience

Our Online Campus

The Online DSW program combines weekly live classes with 24/7 access to course materials and tools, allowing you to engage directly with expert faculty and classmates in an interactive, flexible learning environment.

Tools and functionality include:

  • Small-group breakout rooms
  • Video and document sharing
  • Live chats, surveys, and polls
  • Collaborative content annotation
  • Screen-sharing capabilities
  • Full class recordings

Community is at the core of the Simmons experience. The program offers multiple opportunities outside of the classroom to establish meaningful, lasting connections with peers and faculty:

Participate in student life, mentoring, and enrichment opportunities, such as the Student Leadership Council or the First Generation Mentoring Program.

Get to know fellow students during your weekly free block, when no classes are scheduled.

Take a trip to Boston to present your Capstone, celebrate graduation, and create lasting memories with your faculty and classmates.

Online Student Support

You will receive comprehensive support that begins the moment you request information about the Online DSW program.

During the admission process, you will work with a dedicated enrollment specialist who is available to answer questions about the program and the application process. Upon admission, you are assigned an advisor who can meet with you face-to-face via the online platform throughout the program.

Take the Next Step Toward Your Advanced Clinical Practice Career

Learn more about the Simmons online DSW today.

Request Information

FAQs About the Simmons Online DSW Program

  • Yes, a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) is a legitimate doctoral degree, making its holders “doctors” in the academic sense. However, it is a practice-based doctorate rather than a medical degree (MD). So, while DSW holders are often leaders, therapists, and educators, their focus is on expert clinical application and social work leadership rather than medicine.

  • Yes, a DSW is a terminal degree, representing the highest level of education available in the field of social work. It is the professional equivalent of a PhD, though the DSW focuses on advanced practice, leadership, and teaching rather than pure academic research.

  • The choice usually comes down to your career goals: research or practice. A PhD is a research doctorate designed for those who want to build new academic theories through a traditional dissertation. A DSW is a professional doctorate focused on solving real-world community problems through an independent Capstone action research project.

  • Simmons University’s BSW and MSW programs are fully accredited by the CSWE. While the Council on Social Work Education only recently began accrediting doctoral programs in late 2025, the Simmons DSW requires a CSWE-accredited MSW for admission to ensure all students have a standardized professional foundation.

  • Yes. To be eligible for the Online Simmons DSW, you must hold a Master of Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited institution. Beyond the degree, the program typically seeks applicants with at least 3 years of professional, post-MSW experience in human services.

  • No, the GRE is not required for admission to the Online Simmons DSW program. The admission committee focuses on your professional background, your previous academic performance (3.0+ GPA), and your clinical experience rather than standardized test scores.

  • The 48-credit program is built for working professionals and can be completed in less than two years if you are enrolled full-time. If you choose a part-time track to better balance your current career, it typically takes less than three years to finish the 15 required courses.

  • The Online Simmons DSW is heavily clinical- and practice-focused. Rather than focusing on general office administration, the curriculum is designed to help experienced social workers become experts in advanced clinical practice, social justice-oriented leadership, and social work education.

  • A PhD dissertation focuses on creating original research to advance academic theory. In contrast, the DSW Capstone is an Action Research project in which you identify a specific, real-world challenge in your community or agency and develop a practical, evidence-based solution or policy proposal to solve it.

  • Yes. Because the 48-credit Simmons DSW is online and features asynchronous components, it is specifically designed to fit the schedules of working professionals. This flexibility allows you to maintain your career while progressing through your doctoral studies.

  • A DSW qualifies you for the highest levels of the profession. Graduates often move into roles as clinical directors, administrative leaders, policy researchers, or social work educators. It is also a valuable credential for those working in specialized fields like military behavioral health or athletic services.

  • While an LCSW allows for independent practice, a DSW acts as a major differentiator in a competitive market. The “Doctor” title immediately increases your clinical authority and credibility with referral sources and clients. It also allows you to command higher fees for niche specializations and diversify your income through consulting or training other social workers.

  • Yes. Many DSW holders continue to work as expert clinicians and therapists. Their advanced doctoral training provides them with a deeper therapeutic toolkit and the academic preparation that many clinical organizations and specialized programs value.

  • While an MSW is often sufficient for adjunct or practice-focused roles, a doctoral degree (DSW or PhD) is increasingly required for full-time, tenure-track faculty positions, especially in CSWE-accredited programs.

  • If your goal is to move into high-level leadership, policy development, or university teaching, a DSW is widely considered worth the investment. Beyond the professional prestige, the degree often provides a salary increase over what is typically earned with an MSW alone.

  1. Social Workers: Occupational Outlook Handbook. (2025). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 22, 2026. ↩︎
  2. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Profiles. (2026). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 22, 2026. ↩︎
  3. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Profiles. (2026). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 22, 2026. ↩︎
  4. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Profiles. (2026). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 22, 2026. ↩︎
  5. Social Workers: Occupational Outlook Handbook. (2025). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 22, 2026. ↩︎
  6. Social and Community Service Managers: Occupational Outlook Handbook. (2026). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 22, 2026. ↩︎