Maguire Meservey College of Health & Human Services
Sami Ansari, Dean
The Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services (MMCHHS) equips students with the knowledge and skills to lead and serve in healthcare and human services. Through community engagement, interprofessional education, and collaboration-based learning, the college fosters ethical practice and cultural competence.
Comprising five academic units—Nursing, Social Work, Criminal Justice, Healthcare Studies, and Occupational Therapy—MMCHHS emphasizes real-world impact and civic responsibility. Experiential learning is a cornerstone of every program, ensuring that students and faculty actively engage with local, regional, and global communities. These experiences align with Salem State’s commitment to civic engagement and its designations as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and a Commonwealth Civic Engagement University.
MMCHHS supports the university’s strategic goals by promoting student success, fostering equity through culturally responsive curricula, and strengthening community partnerships to improve public health and social systems. Our programs advance social mobility, particularly for first-generation college students and those from underrepresented backgrounds, preparing graduates to be ethical, engaged professionals who lead with purpose and care.
We saved our most exciting news for last! In the spring of 2025, the university broke ground on our college’s new North Campus home in the Horace Mann building. With a targeted opening date for the fall of 2027, students will enjoy brand-new high-tech labs, classrooms, meeting spaces, and more.
Our Mission
MMCHHS prepares students through rigorous academic and experiential learning rooted in theory, research, and ethical practice. Across its five disciplines—nursing, social work, criminal justice, occupational therapy, and healthcare studies—the college cultivates a humanistic, inclusive, and collaborative environment dedicated to social responsibility, health equity, and lifelong learning.
Our Goals
• Provide students with current practice models and evidence-based research to prepare them for professional roles.
• Promote interprofessional education, collaboration, and mutual understanding across health and human service fields.
• Equip students to analyze and address social challenges at the community, national, and global levels.
• Foster ethical reasoning, decision-making, and professional conduct across all disciplines.
• Advance scholarship, research, and professional development for faculty and students.
• Strengthen community engagement through experiential learning and civic partnerships.
• Support the university’s role as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by promoting inclusion, cultural competence, and linguistic accessibility across programs.
• Reinforce Salem State’s strategic goals of student success, inclusive excellence, civic engagement, and regional leadership.
• Encourage continuous learning and collegial collaboration across departments and external partnerships.
Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaboration (CIPEC)
MMCHHS is home to the Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaboration (CIPEC), which fosters interdisciplinary education and civic engagement. CIPEC facilitates collaborative learning through simulations, case-based education, and public health panels that address disparities and systemic challenges. These activities advance Salem State’s goals of community engagement, civic leadership, and health equity through innovative teaching and applied learning.
Academic Units
School of Nursing
With more than 50 years of excellence, the School of Nursing offers CCNE-accredited undergraduate (BSN) and graduate (MSN) programs focused on clinical excellence and health equity. Students engage in simulation-based training and diverse clinical placements, preparing for practice in hospitals, community health settings, and global healthcare environments. Faculty collaborate with healthcare systems and public health agencies, reinforcing civic and community-based approaches to care.
School of Social Work
The CSWE-accredited BSW and MSW programs, which include fully online options, integrate trauma-informed care, anti-oppressive practice, and social justice frameworks. Field education is central to student learning, equipping graduates so they are able to meet head-on the needs of individuals, families, and communities in dynamic professional settings. The school’s longstanding commitment to advocacy and equity reinforces the university’s mission to serve the public good.
Criminal Justice
One of the largest programs in the region, Criminal Justice, offers BA, MS, and 4+1 combined pathways. The MS in Criminal Justice is available fully online, while the combined BA in Criminal Justice and Spanish enhances graduates’ ability to serve multilingual and diverse populations. Students gain hands-on experience through internships with law enforcement agencies, courts, corrections, and nonprofit organizations—developing professional skills and contributing to public safety and civic life. The program is certified by the Massachusetts Police Career Incentive Pay Program (PCIPP).
Healthcare Studies
The Healthcare Studies program offers a BS and a combined BS in Healthcare Studies and Spanish, ideal for students pursuing non-clinical healthcare careers. Its curriculum emphasizes policy, cultural competence, leadership, and health technology, with integrated community-based projects, internships, and service-learning opportunities. These experiences prepare students to address healthcare disparities and advance health equity, key priorities of both MMCHHS and Salem State’s broader strategic mission.
Occupational Therapy
The Occupational Therapy program offers both a combined BS/MS and a direct-entry MS accredited by ACOTE. Students receive hands-on training through simulation, classroom instruction, and field placements in hospitals, schools, and community agencies. The curriculum focuses on supporting participation and well-being across the lifespan, with active faculty and student involvement in interdisciplinary projects centered on inclusion, client-centered care, and innovation.
