Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Social Work Professor
What social work professors actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a social work professor?
Teach a practice skills course. From there, the day usually includes teach social work courses, coordinate field placements, and conduct research. Teaching, field coordination and research, with some evening classes.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a social work professor working full time.
- Teach a practice skills course.
- Meet a field placement agency.
- Analyze child welfare data.
- Teach social policy.
- Advise an MSW student.
- Review field evaluations.
- Write a grant.
Where social work professors work
Faculty work in classrooms, offices and community agencies.
Hours and schedule
Teaching, field coordination and research, with some evening classes.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Teach social work courses
- Coordinate field placements
- Conduct research
- Partner with agencies
- Advise students
- Publish research
- Support accreditation
Tools you’ll use every day
- Learning management systems
- Field placement software
- Statistical software
- Qualitative analysis tools
- Video role-play tools
- Presentation tools
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Mission-driven teaching
- Community partnerships
- Research with social impact
- Flexible schedule
What’s hard
- Lower pay for academia
- Emotionally heavy topics
- Field placement logistics
- Accreditation paperwork
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I’m a social worker who wants to teach
- I care about social justice
- I like research
- I enjoy mentoring
- I like community partnerships
- I’m willing to earn a doctorate
Not sure? Take the free Social Work Professor fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Support students facing difficult material
- Protect client information in cases
- Follow research ethics
- Protect student privacy