Helen Bader School of Social Welfare

Shaping Our Society

The School of Social Welfare is committed to improving lives and strengthening communities through research, education and community partnerships

Improving Lives

Educating social work and criminal justice students since 1965

Essential to social welfare in Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Helen Bader School of Social Welfare promotes excellence in its degree programs and develops well-rounded, thoughtful individuals who can positively impact society.

The school supports an array of community-based research initiatives through collaborations with local agencies and offers extensive experiential learning opportunities for students.

Diverse group of graduating students.
Woman at podium speaking about caregiving.
Black male social work student on an assignment working with unhoused individuals.
Social Work Associate Professor David J. Pate Jr. (black man) teaches to a packed lecture hall. There are ASL interpreters in the front of the room.
Portrait of young white woman with brown hair and deep gold sweather sitting on campus.
James "Dimitri" Topitzes (white man), from the school of social welfare presenting in front of a group of people
Latinx female student standing in brightly lit modern building.
School of social welfare Professor Colleen Galambos sharing a book with two older adults on a porch
Portrait of Garret Knuth (white man), graduate of the Criminal Justice and Criminology program working at a computer

See Yourself Here

Photo of Helen Bader School of Social Welfare Spring 2023 graduate Amillia Heredia (african american woman) holding a bookStudent Success
Aerial drone photo of the East Side of Milwaukee showing green park, water tower, and the city stretching off into the horizon.Hundreds of Field Placement Sites Throughout the Region
$8,000,000in External Awards
Two female students discussing a project in a student group setting with flyers and posters.Discover Student Groups
1,450Fall 2023 Enrollment
StudentsCSWE-Accredited Social Work Programs
More Than$900,000In Scholarships and Funding for 2023

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