Founded in 1936 by Walter McGuinn, SJ, and Dorothy L. Book, the Boston College School of Social Work is among the oldest schools of social work in the United States. The program was initially located at Boston College’s downtown facilities at 126 Newbury Street in Boston’s Back Bay. McGuinn served as the School’s first dean from 1936 to 1943, followed by Book, who served from 1943 to 1955 and became the first woman dean at Boston College.

The school originally offered a two-year course of graduate-level study leading to the Master of Social Work degree. The curriculum included four fields of specialization: casework, public welfare, medical social work, and probation and parole; A fifth speciality--community organization--was added soon after. During World War II the School expanded its programs to meet the growing demand for trained social workers.

In 1968, with the completion of McGuinn Hall on the Chestnut Hill campus, the School relocated from its downtown location. In subsequent decades the School expanded its academic offerings to include a doctoral program, a five-year B.A./M.S.W. program, and several dual-degree programs while continuing to adapt its curriculum to address emerging social challenges.