SOCWORK

Social Work

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The department at a glance

All recorded grades

average GPA

A / AB grades

letter grades

How grades break down

Grades over time

Red: department · Gray: UW–Madison

About these statistics

GPA and percentages are weighted by recorded letter grades. UW comparisons use the same terms. Cross-listed courses count once within this department and once across UW; department totals should not be added together. Grade counts are not unique students. Offering counts reflect captured records, not a complete historical schedule.

Fall 2026

Recorded this term

courses with offerings

instructors recorded

Grades have not been recorded for this term. Historical results remain in the overview above.

Find your next class

48 courses

Historical grades cover up to five years through the selected term. Grade sorting prioritizes courses with at least 100 letter grades.

EDPSYCH/HDFS/NURSING/SOCWORK 880

Prevention Science

3 credits

PREVENTION SCIENCE provides a theoretical, empirical, and practical foundation for preventing human social problems.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Craig Albers

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025 · limited sample

LAW/SOCWORK 822

Family Law: Marriage and Divorce

2–4 credits

LAW/SOCWORK 822 covers marriage, spousal relationships, divorce, and post-divorce economic and custody issues.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Amy Collins

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2023–Fall 2025 · limited sample

NURSING/PHMPRAC/SOCWORK 746

Interdisciplinary Care of Children with Special Health Care Needs

3 credits

Interdisciplinary care of children with special health care needs within family, cultural, and policy contexts.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Jenn Drake

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026 · limited sample

NURSING/SOCWORK 105

Health Care Systems: Interdisciplinary Approach

2 credits

This course introduces health care systems, covering factors affecting health, care delivery in various settings, roles of health workers, and the sociological and economic aspects of health care.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Reviewers describe the workload as disproportionately high for a two-credit course, citing weekly discussion posts, long papers, and extensive research projects. Some students found the volume of reading and detailed note-taking requirements overwhelming.

David Dwyer Kirsten Bushek+4 more

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

SOC/SOCWORK 422

Social Issues in Aging

3 credits

Examines the social problems facing older adults and their families in the U.S. and reviews available programs and services.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Suzanna Castillo: Exams were considered ridiculous and resulted in awful averages without a curve, despite being open-note.

Jaime Goldberg

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025 · limited sample

SOCWORK 100

So You Want to Change the World?

3 credits

An introductory course examining values, social problems, and methods for creating change in the context of social work and helping professions.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of EVELYN COKER: The course avoids traditional tests, relying on a semester-long group project with smaller assignments. Difficulty depends on group communication, and grading is easy if instructions are followed, though rubrics and Canvas are unclear.

Wesley Correll-King

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

SOCWORK 205

Introduction to the Field of Social Work

4 credits

SOCWORK 205 covers the historical development of social welfare policies and the role of the social work professional.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Exams are easy if you attend lectures and listen, as answers reflect the material presented.

Stephanie Robert Abigayle Brooks

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

SOCWORK 206

Introduction to Social Policy

4 credits

SOCWORK 206 introduces the policy process in the U.S. by exploring political, economic, and institutional frameworks shaping public social welfare choices.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Katherine Magnuson: Exams featured difficult multiple-choice questions that were not considered fair, and the textbook was overpriced and rarely used.

Marah Curtis Laura Zimmerman

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

SOCWORK 275

Contemporary Issues in Social Welfare

1–3 credits

SOCWORK 275 explores contemporary issues and trends in social justice, social welfare, and social work.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Michelle Turner: Workload includes two midterms and five papers, requiring strict adherence to writing rubrics.

Stephanie Robert Pajarita Charles

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2024–Fall 2025 · limited sample

SOCWORK 299

Directed Study

1–3 credits

SOCWORK 299 is a Directed Study allowing students to devise a program of study in collaboration with a faculty member.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Marah Curtis Stephanie Robert+12 more

No recorded grade history

SOCWORK 316

Power, Possibility, and the Practice of Social Justice

3 credits

SOCWORK 316 explores the theory and practice of social justice, covering concepts of justice, values, ethics, and critical frameworks.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Laura Dresser

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2026–Spring 2026 · limited sample

SOCWORK 336

Making Sense of Mental Health & Mental Illness

3 credits

SOCWORK 336 examines critical perspectives of psychiatry, mental health systems, and cultural power structures.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Tally Moses

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2025–Fall 2025 · limited sample

SOCWORK 400

Field Practice and Integrative Seminar I

2–6 credits

SOCWORK 400 is a generalist field seminar and community agency placement serving as the first course of a two-semester sequence.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Amanda Zuehlke Jaime Goldberg+6 more

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025

SOCWORK 420

Poverty and Social Welfare

3 credits

Examines poverty dimensions, consequences, and social welfare policy approaches in the U.S.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Marah Curtis

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025 · limited sample

SOCWORK 441

Generalist Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups

3 credits

Develops generalist social work knowledge and basic direct practice skills for working with individuals, families, and groups.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Amanda Zuehlke Lara Gerassi+2 more

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025

SOCWORK 442

Generalist Practice with Communities and Organizations

1–2 credits

SOCWORK 442 teaches the theory and practice of planned change in communities and organizations using a generalist model.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Michael Bruce Pajarita Charles+1 more

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

SOCWORK 453

Substance Use Disorders

3 credits

SOCWORK 453 examines the social, historical, legal, political, and ethical issues surrounding alcohol and psychotropic drug use and abuse in the U.S.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Lucas Moore: Workload is light, consisting of quizzes, three short-answer exams, and a brief paper, with no textbook required and minimal busy work.

James Pearson

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

SOCWORK 462

Child Welfare

3 credits

SOCWORK 462 examines the history, policies, and best practices of child welfare to empower families and prevent abuse.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Historical reviews of Ellen Smith: Reviewers noted that Professor Smith put in every effort to ignite passion in her students, suggesting a dedicated teaching approach.

Audrey Conn

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025 · limited sample

SOCWORK 623

Interpersonal Violence

3 credits

SOCWORK 623 covers risk and protective factors, theories, and activism related to interpersonal violence.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

LB Klein

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2024–Fall 2025 · limited sample

SOCWORK 640

Diversity, Oppression, and Social Justice in Social Work

3 credits

SOCWORK 640 teaches foundational generalist social work practice in a multicultural society, examining diversity, oppression, and social justice.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Jacqueline Buck Jacquelyn Boggess+1 more

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2025

SOCWORK 646

Child Abuse and Neglect

2 credits

SOCWORK 646 examines physical, emotional, and sexual abuse of children, as well as child neglect and exploitation.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Jessica Pac

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

SOCWORK 675

Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare

1–4 credits

SOCWORK 675 explores current issues and trends in social justice, social welfare, and social work.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Celina Doria

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2025–Spring 2026 · limited sample

SOCWORK 699

Directed Study

1–3 credits

SOCWORK 699 is a directed study course allowing undergraduates to conduct independent research under faculty supervision.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Amanda Zuehlke Lara Gerassi+3 more

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sample

SOCWORK 708

The Field of Social Work

2 credits

SOCWORK 708 explores the nature, purpose, and organizational content of the social work profession.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Jooyoung Kong

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2024–Fall 2025

SOCWORK 711

Human Behavior and the Environment

2 credits

SOCWORK 711 reviews human behavior and the environment literature from a bio-psychosocial perspective, focusing on individual and family development within broader social systems.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

Tally Moses

historical GPA · grades