Social Work

If you care deeply about people and want a career that makes a difference, consider a major in social work. Northwestern's liberal arts education will help you understand the social, political and economic barriers that may affect your future clients, while our social work program will provide the practical skills to meet those challenges head-on.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS TRABAJO SOCIAL EN ESPAÑOL

Why NWC?

Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Northwestern's social work major will prepare you for career success and advanced standing in graduate school. You'll have opportunities to volunteer at area agencies and to learn about different social work careers by shadowing professionals. You'll also complete a 400-hour practicum with an organization that matches your passions and interests. Students have worked with refugee resettlement agencies, crisis pregnancy centers, adoption services and homeless shelters.

Major course topics include diverse populations and social justice, human behavior in the social environment, and family systems–theory and practice. Related minors include mission and justice and nonprofit management.

CONTACT

Dr. Valerie Stokes, LISW '93Department Chair
Professor of Social Work

CONNECT WITH US

1 OF 20 ACCREDITED PROGRAMS Northwestern is among a select group of Iowa social work programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

100% ADVANCED STANDING Social work alumni complete their graduate studies in half the time because of Northwestern’s accreditation.

HANDS-ON OPPORTUNITIES Volunteer with recognized regional, national or international organizations.

Outcomes

Social workers are in high demand, with a median annual wage of $58,380 in 2023. Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 7% from 2023 to 2033. Expectations are for 78,300 job openings each year until 2030. The U.S. Bureau of Labor anticipates growth in areas such as health care, mental health and substance abuse services, and child and family care.

Join our standout alumni at:

Behavioral Innovations

Denver, CO

Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center

Des Moines, IA

Seasons Center Behavioral Health

Cherokee, IA

Oneworld Community Health Center

Omaha, NE

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, MN

University of Nebraska

Omaha, NE

#RaidersStandOut

STUDENTS

**Mari** Adopted from Ethiopia, Mari hopes to use her personal experience to help other families through the adoption process.

ALUMNI

**Kailee** Just two years into her career, Kailee received the Unsung Hero Award from the Iowa Primary Care Association.

ALUMNI

**Madison** In her work as a medical social worker, Madison strives to show compassion and acceptance to every patient she encounters.

ALUMNI

**Keaton** Keaton seeks to meet clients’ holistic needs during psychotherapy sessions, providing comfort and healing to individuals struggling with drug and alcohol use.

FACULTY

**Valerie** Dr. Stokes provides students with a safe, encouraging environment in which she shares real-life examples from her own therapeutic practice.

Experience

Learning outcomes

Lead + serve

Enhanced cultural IQ

Nonprofit management

Off-campus study

All Council on Social Work Education programs measure and report student learning outcomes. Students are assessed on their mastery of the competencies that comprise the accreditation standards of the Council on Social Work Education. These competencies are dimensions of social work practice that all social workers are expected to master during their professional training. A measurement benchmark is set by the social work programs for each competency. An assessment score at or above that benchmark is considered by the program to represent mastery of that particular competency.