School of Social Work | The University of Iowa

Why Social Work?

There has never been a better time, or a greater need, for professionals educated in Social Work.

Find out Why

Why Iowa?

The University of Iowa offers the highest-ranked Social Work programs in Iowa.

Learn More

# 1

The highest-ranked MSW program in Iowa

according to U.S.News & World Report

# 9

National ranking among online MSW programs

College Consensus ranked us #9 on their list of the 25 Best Online Master's In Social Work (MSW) Programs in 2021!

95 %

pass the licensure test on first try

On average, 95% of our MSW students who take the Social Work Licensure test pass on their first try! (Compared to a national average of 74%)

5

Learning Centers across Iowa

Scroll down to learn more about our programs in Iowa City, Des Moines, Sioux City, the Quad Cities, and Online

News and Announcements

Unity through Critical Cultural Competence

Friday, January 14, 2022

The certificate program helps students acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to relate effectively across cultures in diverse environments, both domestic and international.

Master of Social Work Degree Maximizes Social Justice

Friday, January 14, 2022

The University of Iowa School of Social Work is now in the final stages of a complete curriculum redesign for the school’s Master of Social Work (MSW) degree.

Unifying Communities to Fight Bigotry

Friday, January 14, 2022

Social Work Instructional Track Lecturer Motier Haskins partners with a local Rabbi to teach students about Anti-Semitism.

Upcoming Events

BUILD: Putting It All Together - Strategies for Managing Difficult Conversations

Thursday, January 27, 2022 1:00pm to 4:00pm

Virtual

The Building University of Iowa Leadership for Diversity (BUILD) initiative is an opportunity for UI faculty, staff, and graduate students to gain strategic knowledge and skills to contribute to a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. By completing a series of workshops, participants will earn a certificate demonstrating their commitment as leaders for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and classroom. Participants will learn about different types of conversations and...

ASC/BUILD: The Culture Behind Sexual Assault, Replacing Rape Culture with Consent Culture

Tuesday, February 1, 2022 9:00am to 12:00pm

Virtual

This workshop is part of the Advocating for Safer Communities (ASC) certification program for people wanting to learn more and/or serve as allies and ambassadors for RVAP. The Culture Behind Sexual Assault interrogates the way that our society is set up to both subtly and overtly support sexual violence and offers participants a framework to challenge rape culture in their own lives. The session discusses the repercussions of not challenging rape culture, gives participants tools for critically...

Presentation and discussion with "Bedlam" author Dr. Kenneth Paul Rosenberg

Wednesday, February 2, 2022 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Virtual

Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, author of "Bedlam: An Intimate Journey into America’s Mental Health Crisis" will take part in a virtual presentation and discussion about the book and accompanying documentary. This event is offered as part of the UI College of Public Health's Book Club and is open to everyone. Please register for the webinar in advance. About the book: Dr. Rosenberg chronicles of what it means to be mentally ill in America today, integrating his own moving story of how the system failed...

Des Moines MSW Information Session

Tuesday, February 8, 2022 4:00pm to 5:00pm

Virtual

Please join us via Zoom for an online info session to learn more about earning your MSW degree in Des Moines from the University of Iowa. Click here to join:https://uiowa.zoom.us/j/530772228 We encourage signing up in advance at https://socialwork.uiowa.edu/graduate/msw-social-work/des-moines/information-sessions —but you may also drop in without registering. Please contact our Des Moines program coordinator, Christy Thies, if you have questions: christy-thies@uiowa.edu, phone 515-235-4662...

BUILD: Making the Paradigm Shift

Wednesday, February 9, 2022 9:00am to 12:00pm

Virtual

The Building University of Iowa Leadership for Diversity initiative is an opportunity for UI faculty and staff to gain strategic knowledge and skills to contribute to a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. By completing a series of workshops, participants will earn a certificate demonstrating their commitment as leaders for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and classroom. The session is a collaboration between the Office of the Provost, Chief Diversity Office, and...

View more events

Tweets by UISchoolofSW

Our Learning Centers

The University of Iowa's Old Capitol building viewed through bright yellow flowers.

Iowa City

Iowa's Center for Intellectuals, Artists, Scientists Philosophers and Activists is the the central campus for The University of Iowa, in Iowa City, It has made many top ten lists of great places to, live, work, do business and retire.

Des Moines

Des Moines is geographically the heart of Iowa and of our nation--the state capital, offering an urban environment focused on the well being of the entire state in a culture that exemplifies typical Midwest friendliness.

Quad Cities

The Quad Cities is actually a group of five cities bridging the Mississippi River on the Iowa-Illinois boundary. The largest of these cities, Davenport and Bettendorf (in Iowa) and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline (in Illinois), are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which has a population of almost 400,000.

Sioux City

Sioux City and the surrounding areas of northwestern Iowa, northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota are sometimes referred to as Siouxland. Our part time, 3 year MSW program, based at Briar Cliff University is preparing for its fifth cohort of graduate students.

A woman's hands typing on a laptop keyboard

Online

This cohort-model program strives to build strong connection and engagement by keeping class sizes small, creating learning communities of students living in similar geographic regions and matching these communities with a local mentor. Students meet with their learning communities twice each year and with all students in the summer at the Summer Institute, held at the University of Iowa main campus in Iowa City, Iowa.