The Institute of Social Work is one of the higher learning institutions in Tanzania. It was established by the National Social Welfare Training Institute Act No. 26 of 1973 (as amended by the Miscellaneous Act No. 3 of 2002) hereinafter referred to as the Act. The Institute was established to prepare qualified human resource for strengthening the social service delivery structure in Tanzania.

The Institute started operating in 1974 in rented buildings of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference at Kurasini before moving to the present premises at Kijitonyama, Dar es Salaam in 1978. The first programme was the Ordinary Diploma in Social Work. In 1977 the Institute began offering the Advanced Diploma in Social Work. This was necessitated by the need to meet social work professional requirements. In 1982 the Institute introduced the certificate course in Labour Studies and later in 1990 an Advanced Diploma in Labour Studies was introduced. The purpose of the course was to train Labour Inspectors and Labour Administrators for the Labour Department.

In 2002 the Institute introduced courses in Human Resource Management at Certificate and Advanced Diploma Level, and Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work. In 2004 Postgraduate Diploma in Law, Mediation and Arbitration was introduced. A major milestone was reached in 2006/07 when the Institute introduced Bachelor Degrees (National Technical Award Level 8) and again in 2007/08 when Ordinary Diploma (National Technical Award Level 6) in all fields of study offered. The Strategic Human Resource Management was introduced in 2013/14 while the Master Degree in Social Work was introduced in 2014/15 academic year.

In 2016/2017, training programmes in Business Administration and, Labour Relations and Public Management from NTA level 4 to 6 were introduced. Basic Technician Certificate in Community Work with Children and Youth was also introduced in the same academic year. All training programmes offered by the Institute are competency based, aimed at equipping the trainees with requisite professional knowledge, skills and competence in their areas of specialization.

In 2017-2019, the Institute conducted the tracer study. The findings from the study indicated that programmes offered by the Institute were demanded by the market. Many people indicated that they were interested to join into the programmes offered. Unfortunately, the Institute had no enough capacity to accommodate them. It was resolved that the Institute establishes more campuses and programmes. In 2020 the Institute established a campus in Mwanga Kisangara (Institute of Social Work Kisangara Campus). The programme offered in the campus is Social Work and Early Childhood Development and Care (at a level of a Certificate and Ordinary diploma).