A Master of Social Work is the key to maximizing your earning potential as you develop your career. In fact, the demand for social worker jobs is expected to rise between 17% and 18% by 2028,1 so the difference in a master’s in social work salary for candidates with an MSW compared to those with a Bachelor of Social Work is likely to be significant. According to experts, the median pay for Master of Social Work graduates may increase by as much as $9,000 per year,2 with those at the top of ..read more

By Malka Sigal, MSW/PhD student at Yeshiva University As a new social work student, one of the things I was most excited about was my internship. As I started planning for my first, I was nervous. I was just starting social work school with only a few classes behind me. Was I really ready? How could my social work internship trust me with practice when I was so new? As a student at Yeshiva University, we complete two social work internships designed to give us hands-on experience in social ..read more

By Malka Sigal, MSW/PhD student at Yeshiva University Advocacy is a key social work activity, reinforced by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, which calls on social workers to “pursue social change” and “challenge injustice.” Advocacy or social advocacy is the process of influencing an individual or group to make a decision that would not have been made otherwise. Social work advocacy often attempts to influence decision-makers or lawmakers and is frequently ..read more

America has always been a nation of immigrants. Today, more than 40 million people living in the United States were born in another country, accounting for about one-fifth of the world’s migrants.1 Although the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) does not officially recognize immigration social workers among its 16 specialtie,2 the profession in the U.S. has always been closely associated with helping immigrants, dating back to the first settlement houses founded by social work p ..read more

There are many routes a social worker can take in their career. By working within the criminal justice system, social workers in prison provide a critical resource for inmates, helping address key issues in behavioral health and care management. These social workers face unique challenges though. Also known as a criminal justice social worker, they work in public and private organizations on the city, county, state and federal level. In the United States, there are no national or standard gu ..read more

Even for a social work student, Tamar Bezalely is more than experienced at talking with clients. As a relationship consultant, she’s been working for years with singles, new couples and spouses through her company Matched by Tamar. “I get to know singles very closely so that I can help them become their best selves, and explore and discover the partner that will bring them into their best life,” Bezalely said. As a matchmaker for the past decade, she’s been working with individuals on eve ..read more

While some professions may occasionally confront the impact of social injustice, social work is among the few careers that deal with it as an intrinsic part of their job function. It’s a social worker’s responsibility to empower their clients and help them find the resources and services they need. However, it can be easy to overlook a social worker’s responsibility to act as a social justice advocate on a larger scale. It’s their responsibility to support and promote the policies that impr ..read more

Emotional intelligence is a phrase that’s often thrown around, particularly in the business community. However, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this concept is equally important for social workers to understand. Today, many recognize the five components of emotional intelligence as defined by Daniel Goleman. His 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence, popularized the concept and emphasized its importance for successful leaders. The New York Times bestseller argued that, unlike general in ..read more

Not every social worker’s day-to-day workload looks the same. From working with policymakers to individual families, there are countless career paths a degree in social work can take them. While each environment has its own benefits and drawbacks, the challenges faced by social workers in rural communities can have a significant impact on how they work. Often, rural social work professionals find themselves to be one of the only forms of support available to their clients. While there are a ..read more

On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a pandemic. Even before the announcement, governments and communities have been on high alert as the number of those infected with the virus rises exponentially, seemingly on a daily basis. With rapid changes in safety guidelines—and as misinformation spreads—it’s challenging for many to manage their health and mental well-being when faced with so many unknowns. For many public health c ..read more