Masters’ level social workers are the primary providers of clinical mental health and behavioral health care nationwide. Social workers are front-line workers in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, child and family services, prisons and criminal justice systems, homeless shelters, hospices, and mental health centers—places deeply affected by both the impact of the global pandemic and longstanding social inequalities.

As the most versatile helping profession, social work education also offers a pathway to a leadership career. Our graduates are also elected officials, department heads, and CEOs. They lead nonprofit organizations and task forces. They organize within their communities to address inequities, collaborating across disciplines and organizations to build coalitions and create systemic solutions that make life better for everyone—especially the most vulnerable populations.

That’s what we mean when we say we are making a difference.

At Iowa, your social work education—whether at the bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral level—will equip you with tools to help people across systems levels (individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, nations).

You will have the ability to specialize your studies to focus on issues you care most about, while earning a versatile degree that empowers you to follow your interests as your career progresses.

You will earn a degree with a clear path to professional licensure (MSW in 50 states, BSW in 41 states) in a field that is projected to grow over the next 20 years.

You will enter a profession that has at its core a universal code of ethics emphasizing service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, human relationships, integrity, and competence. And your colleagues in your chosen career will also understand and embrace those principles.

Welcome to social work.