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Social Work Resource Center

Learn how to become a Social Worker, Case Manager or Clinical Social Worker.

Social Work Home | Job Description | Degrees | Licensing | Salary | Find Schools

Why Social Work?

social worker

A social work career is for the brave and visionary, for people who can—and do—change the world one life at a time.

Clinical social workers provide mental health services for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental, behavioral and emotional disorders in individuals, families and groups. Their ultimate goal is to improve a client's physical, psychological and social function.

Use this career center to learn how to become a social worker and get your licensing. There are in-depth articles on the following subjects:

learn how to become a social worker

Social Work Job Description

In a nutshell, social workers observe their clients' behavior, assess their needs and develop treatment strategies. Within this simple structure lies a world of possibilities.

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Social Work Degrees

A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement to qualify for a job as a social worker. However, a master's in social work (MSW) is usually required for clinical work.

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Social Worker Licensing

Licensing requirements vary by state. Most states require approximately 3,000 hours of supervised field experience prior to licensing.

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Social Worker Salary

The median income for all workers is approximately $44,000. However, salaries of clinical social workers vary greatly by experience, degree and whether they work in the private or nonprofit sector.

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Spotlight Schools

Walden University

At Walden, you'll benefit not only from our unique distance learning delivery models, but from the personal attention of our world-class faculty, and from a highly customized program that is directly related to your career goals.

social worker with kids

Did You Know?

  • Although the basic foundations of social work dates way back, social work as we currently know it began in the late 1880s. Called the "settlement movement," this new system was started to provide aid for the many ills that popped up as a result of the Industrial Revolution.
  • Social work used to be mandatory in many societies—caring for the poor was considered a social responsibility for Europeans who could afford it, and proof of one's piety.