Social Worker

I. JOB SUMMARY

Main Topic: Human Geography
Secondary Topic: Environment and Society

Overview: Social workers work with several different subsets of the general population to assist with problems they may be having, and advocate for their clients in clinical, judicial, and medical settings. They may specialize with a certain group of people such as children and families, healthcare, work in school settings, and some may be licensed to diagnose different types of mental and behavioral disorders through rigorous training and observation hours (these social workers are typically referred to as Clinical Social Workers or Licensed Clinical Social Workers). Social Workers might help clients in major life changes, such as adopting a child, obtaining housing and unemployment assistance, or even work with policy makers and organizations to help improve social conditions and services within their communities.

Geographic knowledge would greatly benefit social workers in their line of work, especially an understanding of human and cultural geography. An understanding of the influence of place, culture, and immediate environment on an individual or family would aid social workers in helping their clients receive the resources and support they need.

Geographers at work: Human geographers, social geographers, regional geographers, medical geographers

Recommended College Courses:  Human geography, World Geography, Location Analysis, Geography of Health, Environmental Geography, Geography of a Specific Location (United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America, etc.)

Skills: Human geography, cultural geography, health geography and patterns

Occupation Group: Community and Social Service

Learn more about Social Worker from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm