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Social Work

The mission of the University of Iowa School of Social Work is to develop, disseminate, and integrate excellent and compelling research-based knowledge, practice, and policy, particularly that related to children, families, and older adults. The school operates from strengths-based and systems perspectives to educate its graduates to be culturally competent scholars and practitioners who are committed to social justice and social work values and ethics, and who are prepared to serve in and have a positive impact on a broad range of family-centered and community-based practice settings throughout the State of Iowa and beyond.

The school provides a program of professional training accredited by the Council on Social Work Education at the baccalaureate and master's levels, aimed at developing effective intervention in multiple systems and using professional social work values and ethics. It also offers a Ph.D. program, which prepares students to conduct research that contributes to the knowledge base of social work, to be leaders in setting policy and practice, and to teach in colleges and universities.

Undergraduate Programs

The school offers a Bachelor of Arts and a minor in social work. The undergraduate program in social work has been accredited continuously by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) since 1974.

Selective Admission

The School of Social Work seeks to maintain a heterogeneous student body by enrolling students who represent diverse backgrounds and cultural perspectives.

A limited number of students are admitted to the major each year. The application deadline is March 1. Admission to the undergraduate program in social work requires:

• completion of 042:022 Introduction to Social Work with a grade of C or higher (should be taken the sophomore year);
• a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 2.50 (exceptions may be made for persons who do not meet the grade-point average requirement if they are strong candidates on the basis of other criteria); and
• completion of application forms and statement.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission. Admission often is limited by available instructional resources and opportunities for field placement. The school does not grant academic credit for life experience or previous work experience.

For more information about admission policies, contact the School of Social Work undergraduate director or admissions coordinator.

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts in social work requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 64-66 s.h. of work for the major (a minimum of 36 s.h. in social work courses, 16-18 s.h. in cognate areas, and 12 s.h. in a concentration area). Students must complete 042:022 Introduction to Social Work (4 s.h.) before enrolling in the remaining social work courses required for the major.

Students must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program. Many students complete the required course 002:021 Human Biology as part of the General Education Program.

Requirements for the major in social work are as follows.

Social science courses (9-10 s.h.): 

One of these social science or quantitative studies elective courses (3-4 s.h.): 

CONCENTRATION AREA

The undergraduate program requires a minimum of 12 s.h. of course work in one of the concentration areas listed below. Most students choose either sociology or psychology as their concentration. Students who wish to meet this requirement in an area not listed must present a written request and rationale to the faculty advisor and undergraduate coordinator. Courses used to complete the General Education Program do not count toward the 12 s.h., nor do courses used to satisfy other requirements of the B.A. in social work.

African American studies
Aging studies
American studies
Anthropology
Business
Communication studies
Critical Cultural Competence Certificate
Economics
Education
English
Health and sport studies
History
Journalism and mass communication
Leisure studies
Political science
Psychology
Religious studies
Sociology
Spanish
Women's studies

Recommended Course Sequence

The school recommends that required course work be taken in the following sequence. Most social work courses are offered only once each year.

FIRST AND SECOND YEARS

THIRD YEAR 

FOURTH YEAR 

Four-Year Graduation Plan

The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the University's Four-Year Graduation Plan. (Courses in the major are those required to complete the major; they may be offered by departments other than the major department.)

Admission to the major in social work is selective. The four-year graduation plan applies only to students who are admitted by the beginning of their fifth semester.

Before the third semester begins: at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the fifth semester begins: 042:022 Introduction to Social Work, four courses that can be applied to the major (may include concentration area courses), admission to the major, and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: six more courses in the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: four or five more courses in the major and finalized field placement

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

Honors

The School of Social Work has an honors program leading to a Bachelor of Arts with honors in social work. A cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33 is required for participation in the program, which enables students to do in-depth study in subjects that interest them.

Contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for more information on honors study at Iowa.

Minor

The minor in social work requires a minimum of 15 s.h in social work courses, including 12 s.h. in 100-level courses taken at The University of Iowa. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Course work in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass. The minor must include 042:022 Introduction to Social Work (or for transfer students, an equivalent course from another institution). Contact the School of Social Work B.A. coordinator for more information.

Graduate Programs

The school offers the Master of Social Work and a Doctor of Philosophy in social work. The M.S.W. program has been accredited continuously by the Council on Social Work Education since 1951.

Licensure for Work in Iowa

Licensure is mandatory for master's-level social workers in Iowa.  For more information, see the Iowa Department of Public Health web site.

Master of Social Work

The Master of Social Work requires 60 s.h. of graduate credit; the requirement is 48 s.h. for students who hold an undergraduate degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Students may elect a thesis or a nonthesis option. A specialization in end-of-life care is available.

The goals of the M.S.W. program are to:

• prepare students to shape the profession's future by providing education in family-based, community-based, and culturally competent practice approaches using the person-in-environment framework; and
• prepare competent professionals for autonomous practice and leadership within the professional community; autonomous practice and leadership include advanced interventions at multiple system levels, supervision, program development, program administration, training, evaluation of practice, dissemination of new models of practice, and policy development.

The school offers the M.S.W. program on the University's Iowa City campus and at three off-campus sites: Des Moines and Sioux City, Iowa, and the Quad Cities area of Iowa and Illinois (see "M.S.W. off Campus" later in this Catalog section). Each site provides the required structured sequence of courses and includes opportunities for students to individualize their plans of study. All sites give students access to the resources of a Research 1 University.

Requirements for the M.S.W. include 25 s.h. in foundation-level courses and 35 s.h. in advanced courses. All students must earn a minimum of 36 s.h. after admission to the M.S.W. program. Students may count a maximum of 9-12 s.h. of credit from previous graduate work toward the M.S.W.

All M.S.W. students follow a structured sequence of courses. They must obtain permission to revise their plan, and they must complete the degree within a maximum of four years. All students must maintain a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.00 and must be promoted and each semester in compliance with the school's student advancement policy. 

The full-time M.S.W. program must be completed in five semesters, beginning in fall and including summer session. Full-time students complete the degree in the spring semester of their second year. Students whose degree requirement is 48 s.h. may enroll full-time or part-time their first semester, following the sequenced plan.

Full-time study and a four-year part-time program are available in Iowa City and Des Moines. A three-year sequence of courses is available at all sites, although the Sioux City and Quad Cities sites admit new entering classes only on a three-year cycle.

Following is an outline of the full-time 60 s.h. program. For information about the three-year and four-year part-time sequences, contact the School of Social Work.

FIRST-YEAR FOUNDATION

Fall Semester 

Spring Semester 

Summer Session 

SECOND-YEAR CONCENTRATION

Fall Semester 

One of these: 

One of these:

One of these:

Spring Semester

One of these: 

One of these: 

One of these: 

One of these: 

Concentrations

In the advanced year of the master's program, students choose one of two concentrations: family-centered practice or integrated practice. These advanced specialized curricula build on the school's liberal arts perspective and on the professional foundation. Both are based on a comprehensive eco-systemic theoretical perspective, and both apply the principles that are part of the school's mission statement, with a focus on culturally competent family-centered and community-based approaches.

FAMILY-CENTERED PRACTICE

The family-centered practice concentration teaches knowledge and skills necessary for advanced social work practice with individuals and families. These include clinical practice methods that mobilize and develop clients' coping skills, empowering them to manage difficult situations, and culturally sensitive methods for collaborating with clients, their families, and other professionals in planning interventions. Students also learn about advocating for clients, facilitating client self-advocacy, coordinating services to meet multiple needs, and influencing social policy on behalf of clients.

The concentration prepares students to work with individuals and families at appropriate levels of intensity, mobilize existing strengths, and enhance coping skills. Using principles of family-centered practice, students learn to take community and larger systems into account while working in partnership with individuals and families in all aspects of assessment and intervention planning. The concentration emphasizes sensitivity to a variety of family forms and to cultural diversity within family forms. "Family" is broadly defined to include step families, single-parent families, same-sex-couple families, grandparent-as-parent families, adult parent-adult child families, and traditional forms of families.

INTEGRATED PRACTICE

The integrated practice concentration teaches methods of advanced practice that empower organizational and community change at multiple system levels. Students learn skills for assessment, planning, and direct intervention in larger systems such as neighborhoods, social support networks, and service delivery systems, and for policy making. They develop skills for a broad range of interventions, including direct practice, case management, community education, community development and practice, management and administration, organizational and interorganizational planning and program development, team building, organization and program evaluation, and social policy advocacy. They also learn culturally sensitive methods to collaborate with families and communities; identify strengths, assets, and challenges; and develop services and programs that will meet clients' needs.

Building on strengths and assets of organizations and communities, students learn how to mobilize community members in advocacy and change efforts--skills useful for case managers, service coordinators, supervisors, program planners and developers, and administrators. Students also learn how to apply advanced skills to advocacy, community assessment, planning and mobilizing resources, and influencing social policy.

The concentration prepares students for practice in varied settings, including hospitals and community health programs, schools, mental health centers, neighborhood and family resource centers, community- and family-based community service agencies, correctional facilities, and programs that serve the elderly, both in the community and in care facilities. In many of these settings, social workers work as interdisciplinary team members and team leaders within organizations. They also collaborate with community organizations, community residents, and service providers. Many social workers are involved in staff supervision, program development, and agency administration. Content areas include grant writing; intervention in multiple systems, including team and network building; policy practice; and design of evaluation methods for client assessment and program evaluation.

Admission

The school seeks to maintain a heterogeneous student body by enrolling students who represent diverse backgrounds and cultural perspectives. Previous experience in human services and cross-cultural experiences is desirable. The school does not grant academic credit for life experience or previous work experience.

Admission to the M.S.W. program requires a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with a reasonable distribution of courses in the liberal arts and sciences (the humanities and the social, behavioral, and biological sciences). Applicants should have an undergraduate g.p.a. of 3.00 or higher, or a g.p.a. of 3.00 or higher on 12 s.h. of letter-graded graduate course work; consult the Office of Admissions for help in calculating grade-point average. Competence with word processing and spreadsheet application on personal computers is required.

Applicants whose first language is not English must score at least 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (Internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation, including one regarding academic abilities and one from the applicant's most recent employer (if the employment was social work-related); and a personal statement addressing criteria specified by the School of Social Work.

Applications are accepted beginning September 1 and must be completed by February 1 to be considered for the next academic year.

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College or the Graduate College section of the Catalog.

For a complete statement of graduate admission policies, contact the School of Social Work.

Financial Support

Students seeking financial assistance should apply for aid through The University of Iowa Office of Student Financial Aid. Students may apply for a limited number of research and teaching assistantships available from the School of Social Work. Application materials for research or teaching assistantships are available from the school each spring, or as positions become available. Aid received through the Office of Student Financial Aid does not preclude students from consideration for aid through the School of Social Work.

M.S.W. off Campus

The School of Social Work delivers the M.S.W. curriculum to three off-campus sites: Des Moines and Sioux City, Iowa, and the Quad Cities area of Iowa and Illinois. Each site is administered by the School of Social Work in cooperation with the Division of Continuing Education. Social work faculty members teach required courses at each center and are available for student advising. The off-campus programs have been evaluated by the Council on Social Work Education and The University of Iowa Graduate Council as providing a program comparable to that available on the Iowa City campus.

Courses at each off-campus site are taught in classrooms by tenure-track, clinical, visiting, and adjunct faculty members. Instructional connections between sites are maintained through varied technologies, including computer-based instruction.

For program entry and application dates, contact the School of Social Work.

Des Moines Center

The Des Moines Education Center is located in the state's largest metropolitan area, in central Iowa. It offers courses sequenced to accommodate both part-time and full-time study. Students may complete the entire degree program at the Des Moines center, although they may travel to Iowa City for selected elective courses offered during the summer.

Quad Cities Center

The Quad Cities Graduate Center (QCGC) is located on the campus of Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, on the Iowa-Illinois border. The center offers a part-time program for a cohort admitted once every three years. Students in the Quad Cities part-time program can complete their degree entirely off-campus with the exception of some electives, which they can take during summer sessions in Iowa City or at other area colleges and universities. In addition to the part-time cohort students, there are some full- or part-time students from Iowa City in practicum in the Quad Cities.

Sioux City Center

The Tri-State Graduate Study Center is located in Sioux City, on Iowa's western border. The Sioux City part-time program is nearly identical to the Quad Cities part-time program.

Joint M.S.W./Ph.D.

The school offers a joint Master of Social Work/Doctor of Philosophy in social work for students who have completed course work in research and statistics and have postbaccalaureate experience related to social work practice. The joint program permits students to apply a limited amount of credit toward both graduate degrees, reducing the time required to graduate. Individuals interested in the joint program must apply to the M.S.W. program and the Ph.D. program; applications are reviewed by the admissions panels of both programs. For more information, contact the School of Social Work.

Joint M.S.W./J.D., and M.S.W./M.A. or M.S. in Planning

The School of Social Work collaborates with the College of Law to offer the joint Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work. It also collaborates with the Urban and Regional Planning Program to offer the joint Master of Social Work/Master of Arts or Master of Science in planning. Each program permits students to apply up to 12 s.h. of graduate credit toward both degrees, reducing the time required to graduate. Separate application to each degree program is required. Applicants must be admitted to both programs before they can be admitted to the joint degree program. For more information, see Juris Doctor (College of Law) or Urban and Regional Planning (Graduate College) in the Catalog.

Similar arrangements may be made with other departments. Academic units in which social work students have pursued joint degrees include the Tippie College of Business, the College of Education, the Department of American Studies, the Department of Religious Studies, and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Students are encouraged to take courses in other departments whether or not they are pursuing joint degrees.

Certificate in Aging Studies

The School of Social Work participates in the Aging Studies Program (see Aging Studies in the Catalog). Students may earn the Certificate in Aging Studies concurrently with the M.S.W.; separate application to the Aging Studies Program is required.

School Social Work Endorsement

The school cooperates with the College of Education and the State Department of Education to provide curricula that meet requirements for school social work endorsement in Iowa.

Professional Association

Graduates of accredited M.S.W. programs may be eligible for associate membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) upon fulfilling certain curriculum requirements at the graduate level. Courses are not automatically accepted; graduates need to demonstrate that specific courses meet the AAMFT's requirements, usually by sending course outlines.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy in social work requires a minimum of 86 s.h. of graduate credit. The program prepares students to conduct research that contributes to the knowledge base of social work, to become leaders in the profession, and to teach social work in postsecondary education institutions.

Doctoral students develop close working relationships with faculty members who have achieved national recognition in areas such as child welfare, diversity and cultural competence, gerontology, social policy, and substance abuse.

The Ph.D. offers students a coherent program of study with opportunities to pursue their own scholarly interests. Requirements include course work, research and teaching practicums, and dissertation work. Students take courses in one of three outside disciplines: sociology, psychology, or public health. This course work prepares them for the comprehensive examination and dissertation defense.

Students who enter the program with an M.S.W. are granted credit for 30 s.h. and must complete an additional 56 s.h. for the degree. Individuals with master's degrees in related disciplines (e.g., psychology, sociology) may choose to earn a Ph.D. in social work without first earning the M.S.W. Credit from a related master's degree may be applied to the Ph.D., as determined case-by-case by the School of Social Work.

To become Ph.D. candidates, students must satisfy the program's course work requirements, pass a comprehensive examination, and write a dissertation and defend it in an oral examination.

Each student's program of study must be approved by his or her doctoral committee.

Course requirements for the Ph.D. in social work are as follows.

Foundation Courses

Doctoral students without the M.S.W. must take the following four foundation courses during their first year of study. Students may waive one or more of these courses if they can show that they have completed comparable courses and can pass an applicable exam.

Core Courses

All Ph.D. students must complete the following core courses. 

Research Methods, Statistics, Data Analysis

Students earn 9 s.h. in research methods, statistics, and data analysis course work.

Outside Discipline Requirement

Students earn 12 s.h. in one outside discipline (psychology, sociology, or public health), as follows.

Additional Electives

Students earn 6 s.h. in elective course work offered by a department or program other than social work (in addition to the electives in the outside discipline).

Admission

Students are admitted only for full-time study. Admission to the Ph.D. program requires a master's degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) or a master's degree in a related field. Prospective students also may apply to the M.S.W./Ph.D. program. 

Financial Support

Projects, Seminars

Students may become involved in special projects such as the National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and the School of Social Work's programs in gerontology and in end-of-life care.

Continuing Education