Occupation · SOC 25-1113
Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in social work. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
569 mapped
Core skills
InstructingSpeakingLearning StrategiesWritingReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive ListeningActive LearningSocial PerceptivenessMonitoringComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingCoordinationService OrientationTime ManagementSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisPersuasionNegotiationManagement of Personnel ResourcesOperations AnalysisScienceMathematicsManagement of Material ResourcesTechnology DesignProgrammingManagement of Financial ResourcesOperations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisTroubleshootingRepairingOperation and ControlInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Education and TrainingSociology and AnthropologyTherapy and CounselingPsychologyEnglish LanguageComputers and ElectronicsAdministration and ManagementCustomer and Personal ServiceCommunications and MediaLaw and GovernmentAdministrativeMathematicsPersonnel and Human ResourcesPhilosophy and TheologyTelecommunicationsPublic Safety and SecurityGeographySales and MarketingForeign LanguageMedicine and DentistryHistory and ArcheologyBiologyEconomics and AccountingTransportationDesignFine ArtsFood ProductionEngineering and TechnologyProduction and ProcessingChemistryBuilding and ConstructionMechanicalPhysics
Technology & tools
Adobe AcrobatBlackboard LearnCalendar and scheduling softwareCollaborative editing softwareCourse management system softwareDOC CopDesire2Learn LMS softwareEmail softwareGoogle DocsImage scanning softwareLearning management system LMSMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordMoodleSakai CLEWeb browser softwareiParadigms Turnitin
Representative tasks
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeWorking with ComputersCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersGetting InformationCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationTraining and Teaching OthersDocumenting/Recording InformationEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsThinking CreativelyMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesAnalyzing Data or InformationScheduling Work and ActivitiesEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsCoaching and Developing OthersJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleProcessing InformationProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsPerforming Administrative ActivitiesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesAssisting and Caring for OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicSelling or Influencing OthersStaffing Organizational UnitsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesPerforming General Physical ActivitiesControlling Machines and ProcessesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsHandling and Moving ObjectsDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Course syllabi and homework assignments — draft and organize under faculty mentorship for undergraduate social work courses.Classroom discussions on social work topics — initiate using prepared prompts and guided facilitation techniques in a supervised instructional setting.Lectures on introductory topics such as family behavior and child mental health — deliver to small undergraduate groups following established course outlines.Student assignments and short papers — evaluate and apply grading rubrics under the guidance of a senior faculty member.Examinations for social work courses — compile and administer using departmental templates and institutional testing protocols.Word processing and presentation software — use to prepare course handouts, lecture slides, and instructional materials for classroom distribution.Foundational knowledge in sociology, psychology, and counseling theory — apply when selecting readings and designing basic course content.Student laboratory and field observation activities — assist in supervising under the direction of an experienced faculty supervisor.Electronic mail and calendar software — use to communicate deadlines, office hours, and course updates to enrolled students.Active listening and social perceptiveness — demonstrate when responding to student questions and concerns during introductory social work seminars.
developing
Full-semester syllabi and course materials for undergraduate social work courses — prepare and refine independently, incorporating current scholarship and practice standards.Classroom discussions on complex topics such as social intervention evaluation and mental health policy — facilitate with reduced oversight, adapting pacing to student engagement.Lectures to undergraduate and graduate students on topics including adolescent mental health and social intervention — deliver with appropriate depth and adapted for diverse learner needs.Student class work, papers, and field practicum reports — evaluate and grade consistently, providing constructive developmental feedback.Graduate student internship placements and field experiences — supervise and monitor progress against program learning objectives.Course-level learning strategies — select and apply based on assessment data and evidence-based pedagogical approaches for social work education.Examination design, administration, and grading cycles — manage for assigned courses, delegating specific tasks to teaching assistants as appropriate.Information retrieval and database software — use to locate current empirical literature for course integration and student research guidance.Undergraduate student academic performance — monitor across the term and intervene proactively when learning difficulties or field placement challenges emerge.Coordination with field agencies and internship supervisors — maintain to align student placement experiences with curriculum competencies and CSWE accreditation standards.
proficient
Course curricula for undergraduate and graduate social work programs — plan, evaluate, and revise autonomously to reflect evolving practice evidence, policy changes, and accreditation requirements.Graduate-level seminars on advanced topics such as macro social intervention and clinical mental health practice — design and deliver with scholarly depth and critical-thinking demands.Complex, non-routine student academic and field placement challenges — assess, problem-solve, and resolve using advanced judgment grounded in counseling and educational theory.Graduate student thesis and dissertation research — supervise across the full arc from proposal to defense, providing expert methodological and disciplinary guidance.Comprehensive assessment systems for student learning outcomes — design, implement, and analyze to drive evidence-based instructional improvement at the course level.Written instructional and scholarly materials — produce with precision, integrating sociology, law, psychology, and therapy and counseling knowledge for graduate-level audiences.Teaching, internship, and independent research activities of undergraduate and graduate students — oversee holistically, balancing professional development with program accountability.Critical appraisal of social work knowledge — model for students by facilitating discussions that synthesize empirical literature with ethical and systems-level considerations.Computer-based training and document management software — leverage to build accessible, technology-enhanced instructional environments for distance and hybrid course delivery.Methods of instruction across diverse social work course modalities — evaluate systematically and adapt to optimize learning for students with varied academic and professional backgrounds.
advanced
Social work education program vision and strategic direction — set at the departmental or school level, aligning curriculum, research priorities, and community partnerships with national accreditation and workforce needs.Faculty colleagues and instructors — mentor and develop by modeling exemplary pedagogy, scholarly integration, and standards-driven course design across the full program.Curriculum frameworks for entire social work degree programs — lead the design, evaluation, and revision of at the program level, ensuring coherence across BSW, MSW, and doctoral sequences.Institutional and professional standards for social work education — interpret, advocate for, and translate into departmental policy, shaping CSWE compliance and accreditation self-study processes.Inter-departmental and inter-institutional collaborations — establish and sustain to advance social work research, field education partnerships, and community-based learning initiatives.Organizational resource allocation decisions affecting instructional capacity — inform and influence through evidence-based proposals presented to deans, provosts, and governance bodies.Scholarly and pedagogical contributions to the field — disseminate through publications, conference leadership, and participation in national social work education associations.Equity, diversity, and inclusion principles in social work higher education — champion by redesigning program structures, assessment practices, and field placement systems at the institutional scale.Complex ethical and professional dilemmas arising in field education and graduate supervision — adjudicate through principled judgment, setting precedent and policy for the program.Emerging knowledge in sociology, counseling, mental health law, and systems evaluation — synthesize and integrate into program-level curricular innovation that prepares graduates for future social work practice.
Also known as
22 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Adjunct ProfessorAssistant ProfessorAssociate ProfessorClinical ProfessorCollege Faculty MemberCollege ProfessorFaculty MemberFamily Welfare Social Work ProfessorField Education CoordinatorField InstructorGeriatric Social Work ProfessorHealth Social Work ProfessorInstructorLecturerProfessorSocial Work Assistant ProfessorSocial Work Associate ProfessorSocial Work Faculty MemberSocial Work InstructorSocial Work LecturerSocial Work ProfessorUniversity Faculty Member