Department of Social Work-University of Delhi was established in 1946 as Y.W.C.A School of Social Work and later renamed as Delhi School of Social Work (DSSW).

The school was started under the directorship of Ms.Nora Ventura who was then the secretary of religious education committee of the Y.W.C.A, with two students-one from Sindh and the other from Bengal.

D.S.S.W was taken over by University of Delhi in 1962 and became a post graduate institution maintained by the university.

In 1979 Delhi School of Social Work (DSSW) became the Department of Social Work, University of Delhi.

The main aim of the department is to develop human resources for competent and effective professional social work practice, teaching and research with diverse range of individuals, groups and communities by using a framework of social justice and human rights as well as sustainable and participatory development.