SCWK 9982 Research grant writing for the health and behavioral sciences

In this applied learning course, students will progress through the steps of preparing a research grant application in the health and behavioral sciences. Target sponsors include, but are not limited to, federal funding agencies (e.g., National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control) and research foundations (e.g., Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Gates Foundation). Through the course sequence, the grant writing process and the sections of a research grant application will be reviewed. Rigorous research methods, innovative science, and compelling communication strategies will be emphasized throughout. All course assignments will focus on elements of the final deliverable, which is a 6-10 page grant application for a designated sponsor. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their application by the end of the semester or the following summer. In many instances, the resulting deliverable could also form the basis of a dissertation proposal. The course is co-taught by faculty in the School of Social Work and the Connell School of Nursing to foster a strong interdisciplinary perspective in research and grant writing.

Course overview

Department
Social Work
School
SSW
Credits
3
Level
Graduate
Offered
Annually

Course evaluations

Response-weighted averages from Boston College’s official course evaluations (Avalanche/Blue).

Course rating
4.71 / 5 · Excellent
14 responses
Instructor rating
4.79 / 5 · Excellent
14 responses
Terms evaluated
4
Most recent: Spring 2026

Scales: overall ratings run from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent); agreement questions from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree); weekly effort from 1 (up to 1 hour) to 5 (10 or more hours).

Evaluations by term and instructor
TermInstructorCourse overallInstructor overallWell organizedClear learning objectivesIntellectually challengingHelpful assignmentsApplicable beyond courseAttendance necessaryWeekly effortResponses
Spring 2026Kirsten Davison5.05.05.05.05.05.05.05.0—2 of 6
Spring 2025Kirsten Davison5.05.05.05.05.05.05.04.84–6 hrs/week4 of 8
Spring 2024Kirsten Davison4.75.04.74.74.54.74.74.3—3 of 9
Spring 2023Kirsten Davison4.44.44.44.84.44.65.04.44–6 hrs/week5 of 6

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-10-09. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

  • Kirsten Davison
    Spring 2026, Spring 2025, Spring 2024, Spring 2023 · Official rating 4.79/5