Social Work is a versatile degree delivering critical skills for leaders who want to make social justice work in their communities and the world.
Social Work is a versatile degree delivering critical skills for leaders who want to make social justice work in their communities and the world.
Social workers are employed in many settings, from public welfare agencies to health organizations to schools and research institutions to community programs. They are involved in counseling, managing human services, analyzing social welfare policy, community organization and development, teaching, client advocacy, social and political research, and other pursuits.
Iowa’s School of Social Work has a tradition of innovation in social work education, research, public service, and activism. Its undergraduate program will prepare you for social work practice with individuals, families, small groups, organizations, and communities. You will gain a solid foundation for graduate education in social work and for lifelong learning.
The social work major also will prepare you for active engagement with issues of social justice, oppression, and social welfare at the local, state, regional, national, and global levels.
About 90 undergraduates major in social work. You'll study with students from diverse backgrounds and cultural perspectives. You'll also have access to a high level of faculty expertise due to the school's location at a major research university.
Social Work students are offered several service-learning options in which social work knowledge, skills, and values are applied as students encounter people who live in dramatically different environments, come from very different cultures, and, in some cases, speak another language.
Students interested in this major need to meet the requirements for admission to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Admission to the social work major is selective and a limited number of students are admitted to the major each year. As an entering first-year student, you'll declare a social work interest as your major for advising assignments and course selection. See School of Social Work Undergraduate Admissions Process for details about selective admission to the Social Work BA program.
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Iowa graduates have a 95 percent job/grad school placement rate within six months of graduation. Our Pomerantz Career Center offers multiple resources to help students find internships and jobs.
The social work major will prepare you for employment in social service areas such as public welfare, child welfare, mental health, elderly services, group services, and corrections. Many graduates continue with advanced study in social work or related physical and mental health professions.
In addition to more than 500 student organizations, Iowa students choose from more than 100 study abroad programs and multiple undergraduate research opportunities.
The school sponsors the annual Latinx Conference, which explores the changing demographics and dynamics of Iowa’s Latino community and the responsiveness of policymakers, business leaders, and community-based organizations to the fastest growing population in the state.
The annual Creative Writing Seminar for Social Workers is designed for social work educators and practitioners who are interested in using creative writing as a professional tool.
The Student Social Work Association provides the school with committee representatives and organizes service-oriented and social events.
The University of Iowa provides a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students through the Iowa Scholarship Portal. Scholarships are available to first-year, transfer, and currently enrolled students. For additional details on scholarships for your program of study, check directly with the department or college.
The School of Social Work offers several scholarships to its students based on academics, community service, research, and diversity.
The Office of Admissions and the Office of Student Financial Aid are great resources for students seeking scholarships.
The social work curriculum includes:
- Social work theory and practice at the individual, family, and community level
- Diversity and social justice
- Two elective social work courses
- Two electives in an approved area such as aging studies, anthropology, economics, education, psychology, or sociology. Or, students may elect to take six additional elective credits in social work for a total of 12 credits of elective social work courses.
- A field experience where students provide social work interventions under the supervision of a qualified social worker
- Field experience Seminar
In addition to course work for the major, all students must complete the requirements of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core.
Students may complement this major by earning one of the university's many certificates. The following are administered by the School of Social Work:
- Certificate in Aging and Longevity Studies
- Certificate in Critical Cultural Competence
- Certificate in Resilience and Trauma-Informed Perspectives
See Social Work in the UI General Catalog to learn about required course work for the major or minor and graduating with honors.