Social Work

Department of Social Work

Social Workers help individuals and families cope with mental illness and problems such as inadequate housing, unemployment, lack of job skills, financial mismanagement, serious illness, disability, substance abuse, unwanted pregnancy, or antisocial behavior. They also work with families who have serious conflicts, including those involving child or spousal abuse. Approximately 600,000 Social Workers work in the U.S. Nearly 40 percent of those jobs are in State, county, or municipal government agencies, primarily in departments of human resources, social services, child welfare, mental health, health, housing, education, and corrections. Most in the private sector are in voluntary social service agencies, community and religious organizations, hospitals, nursing homes, or home health agencies. The bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement for most positions. Besides the bachelor's in Social Work (BSW), undergraduate majors in psychology, sociology, and related fields satisfy hiring requirements in some agencies, especially small community agencies. A master's degree in Social Work (MSW) is generally necessary for positions in health and mental health settings. Jobs in some private agencies also require an MSW. Employment of Social Workers is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2005. Explorehealthcareers.org provides helpful information on careers in health.

The following list is a representative sample of job titles of former graduates with a Social Work major. Use this as an idea list, and remember that it represents some, but certainly not all, of the careers you might consider. Some of these jobs also require education beyond a bachelors' degree.

 


Related Career Titles
Agency Director
Aging/Gerontology Specialist
Assistant Director of Agency
Case Worker
Child Welfare/Children’s Services
Community Organization Director
Criminal Justice/Corrections Specialist
Deputy Director
Developmental Disabilities Specialist
Eligibility Specialist 
Employment/Occupational Social Worker
Executive Director, Nonprofit Organization		 Health Care Specialist
Intake Counselor
International Social Worker
Mental/Clinical Social Worker Policy Advocate
Policy Analyst
Policy & Planning Specialist 
Research Analyst
School Social Worker
Social Worker
Substance Abuse Counselor
Teacher


Career Fields:
Aging/Gerontology
Employers: Area agencies on aging, Family service agencies, Hospitals and medical centers, Mental health centers, Nursing homes, Senior centers, Senior housing facilities, Senior volunteer programs

Child Welfare/Children's Services
Includes jobs in: Family Foster Care, Child Day Care, Family Preservation, Group Care
Employers: Adoption agencies, Child day care, County health departments, Department of social services, Early intervention programs, Family preservation agencies, Foster care agencies, Group homes, HeadStart centers, Private child welfare organizations, Public child welfare organizations,Therapeutic schools/camps

School Social Work
Employers: Counseling offices, Elementary and secondary schools, Special education placement offices

Criminal Justice/Corrections
Includes jobs in: Corrections, Parole, Probation, Youth Services
Employers: Courts, Police departments, Prisons, Victim services programs

Developmental Disabilities
Includes jobs in: Case Management, Management, Program Evaluation, Research
Employers: Community-based living arrangements, Schools, State and local agencies

Employment/Occupational Social Work
Includes jobs in: Chemical Dependency, Clinical Social Work, Grass Roots Organizing, Health and Wellness Education
Employers: Corporations, Employee assistance programs, Labor unions, Organizational development

Health Care
Includes Jobs in: AIDS Counseling/Education, Case Management, Chemical Dependency, Disease Prevention, Hospice, Maternal and Child Health, Physical Rehabilitation, Public Health
Employers: Clinics, Group homes, Health maintenance organizations, Hospice programs, Hospitals, Nursing homes

Mental Health/Clinical Social Work
Includes jobs in: Aging, Child Welfare, Corrections, Grief Counseling, Group Work, Health Care
Employers: Community mental health centers, Employee assistance programs, Family service agencies, Managed mental health programs, Partial (day treatment) hospitals, Psychiatric hospitals, Residential treatment centers

Community Organization
Includes Jobs in: Community Development Education, Consumer Advocacy, Economic Development, Group Work, Social Planning, Voter Registration
Employers: Advocacy organizations, Community action agencies, Development corporations, Neighborhood community centers

International Social Work
Includes Jobs in: Advocacy, Child Welfare, Employment Services, Family Planning, Group Work, PTSD, Refugee Services, Social/Community Development, Social Policy, Substance Abuse
Employers: International aid organizations, International human rights agencies, Refugee relief agencies, Relief organizations

Management/Administration
Employers: Employee assistance programs, Family service agencies, Federal, state and local governments, Health, Probation departments, School pupil personnel departments, Social service agencies

Policy and Planning
Including Jobs in: Administration, Advocacy, Community Development, Government Relations, Management, Organization
Employers: Advocacy organizations, Local, state and federal governments, Public interest groups, Voluntary health and welfare councils


Related Major Skills
Applying non-intrusive methods
Conducting field studies
Developing project designs
Evaluating
Examining data
Gathering and organizing data
Identifying value systems
Interviewing
Maintaining records		 Observing human interactions
Planning long-term projects
Reaching new conclusions through comparative study
Recognizing cultural differences/similarities
Recruiting/coordinating research subjects
Surveying and sampling
Understanding group dynamics
Utilizing statistical applications
Writing grant proposals



Organizations & Associations
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
American Counseling Association
American Mental Health Counselors Association
American Psychological Association
American Public Health Association
American Sociological Association
Association for Community Organization and Social Administration (ACOSA)
Association of Oncology Social Work
ASU Student Association for Social Work
Clinical Social Work Federation 
National Association of Social Workers
National Institute of Mental Health
Social Psychology Network