What is social work?
Social work is a practice-based profession dedicated to helping individuals, families, groups, and communities navigate life's most difficult challenges and improve their overall well-being.
Social workers operate at every level of society; sitting across from someone in crisis, partnering with schools and hospitals, shaping policies, and leading organizations.
Issues social workers address
- Mental health
- Trauma and crisis
- Behavioral challenges
- Disability
- Veterans' needs
- Substance use
- Aging and end-of-life
- Housing insecurity
- Domestic violence
- Child welfare
- Medical
- Poverty
Is social work right for you?
Social work attracts people who want work that matters. Here is an honest look at who tends to thrive.
You want people-centered, direct helping work.
You are interested in mental health or therapy.
You can handle emotionally difficult situations with empathy and resilience.
You care about social systems and community issues.
You are passionate about the core values of social work.
You want a practical degree with a clear career path.
You are drawn to connecting people to vital health and support services.
Why choose social work?
1. Make a difference
The is work challenging; yet, can be very rewarding when helping someone access services, stabilize a crisis, or build a more stable life. Social workers create lasting change in individuals, families and communities.
2. Career flexibility
Social work opens doors across mental health, health care, schools, government, nonprofits, child welfare, veterans' services, and private practice. That flexibility is why many people stay in the profession long-term, even as their interests evolve.
3. Become a therapist
With an MSW and completed licensure requirements, you can become a licensed social worker. Clinical social workers are one of the largest mental health provider groups in the country.
4. Purpose-driven career
Social work is built on a professional code of ethics. It attracts people who are service-driven and focused on empowering individuals and communities.
Career opportunities in social work
Social work is one of the most flexible helping professions. Your degree travels with you as your interests shift — and in a growing field, that flexibility matters.
Social work employment is projected to grow over the next two decades, driven by sustained demand across mental health, health care, schools, and community services.
Iowa graduates go on to become clinicians, department directors, nonprofit CEOs, elected officials, policy advocates, researchers, and community organizers. The MSW is both a direct-practice credential and a pathway to leadership.
At Iowa, you’ll specialize your studies around the issues you care most about - building depth in an area while keeping the versatility to go in a new direction as your career grows.
A proven path to practice
At Iowa, your social work education combines hands-on practicum experience with expert instruction from faculty who are active practitioners and scholars. You'll learn alongside students from across Iowa and the country, building a professional network that follows you through your entire career.
Whether you pursue the BASW, the MSW in Clinical or Leadership specialization, or the PhD, you'll graduate ready to do the work. Our programs are built on the practicum placements, supervision, and applied learning that turn academic knowledge into professional skill.
# 4
# 1
Per U.S. News and World Report
"The need for mental health practitioners in our communities is greater than ever. For me, social work was more than a career choice—it was a calling. My time at Iowa gave me the tools to turn that calling into real change."
Frequently asked questions
What is social work, exactly?
Social work is a practice-based profession focused on helping individuals, families, and communities navigate challenges and improve well-being. Social workers address mental health, poverty, housing, disability, aging, family conflict, child welfare, and more — across health care, schools, government, and nonprofits. It is both a direct-practice profession and a pathway to leadership and policy.
Is social work a good career?
Social work offers meaningful, flexible work with strong projected growth over the next two decades. Salaries vary by setting, licensure level, and location — direct-practice roles in nonprofits tend to pay less than clinical licensure or leadership positions. People who thrive in social work tend to prioritize impact over income, though senior roles and private practice can be financially competitive.
Can a social worker become a therapist?
Yes, clinical social workers are the largest group of mental health providers in the United States. With an MSW and proper licensure, you can become a licensed social worker to provide therapy. Students should confirm current licensing requirements directly with the jurisdiction in which they are interested to work.
What can I do with a social work degree besides therapy?
Quite a lot. Social workers work in schools, hospitals, government agencies, nonprofits, veterans' services, child welfare, hospice, community development, policy advocacy, and elected office — among others. The degree is unusually versatile, which is one reason people stay in the profession across very different roles over the course of a career.
What is the difference between a BASW and an MSW?
A Bachelor of Social Work is an undergraduate degree preparing you for generalist, entry-level social work practice. The University of Iowa’s Master of Social Work (MSW) allows specialization, preparation for licensure, and advanced or supervisory roles. With a BA in Social Work, earn your MSW at UI in 36 semester hours. Saving you time and tuition!
How long does it take to become a licensed social worker?
Clinical licensure requires a Master’s in Social Work and passing the licensure exam. After earning a bachelor’s degree, a Master in Social Work can be earned in 1 – 3 years.
Is social work emotionally demanding?
Honestly, yes — it can be. Social workers regularly engage with people in crisis, trauma, and hardship. Compassion fatigue and burnout are real challenges the profession takes seriously. Iowa's programs build training in self-care, professional boundaries, and supervision into the curriculum. Most experienced social workers describe the emotional weight as something they learn to carry well, and find that the meaning in the work more than offsets it.