MSW Curricula Research Articles

Understanding Privilege and Engaging in Activism

In order to best serve clients and be effective “social change agents,” social workers must unpack their own privilege, learn about injustice, and work to dismantle interconnected systems of oppression. One way to do so is through engagement in social activism. This cross-sectional study examined intersectional demographic identities and knowledge of racial and heterosexual privilege as related to participation in political and social activism among a sample of 310 MSW students. Knowledge of heterosexual privilege was positively associated with engagement in political and social activism. People who identified as bisexual, gay, lesbian, or queer, as well as macro-focused students, reported significantly more activism engagement. A statistically significant difference was found in activism according to an intersectional race and gender variable and a race and sexual orientation variable as well. The study highlights the importance of including a critical approach to social work education that centers discussions about systems of power as oppressive forces that impact marginalized people and communities. MSW curricula must encourage engagement in advocacy and understanding of privilege for clinical and macro students alike.

Social work faculty attitudes towards diversity and oppression content in MSW curricula

ABSTRACT The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) has mandated teaching both multicultural diversity and oppression content since the first decade of the 21st century. Yet, little research examines social work faculty’s attitudes toward the content they teach. A national online survey of faculty teaching in accredited MSW programs across the United States was conducted to investigate faculty’s attitudes toward content related to diversity, oppression, and social and economic justice. This paper examines (a) faculty’s attitudes toward diversity and oppression content, (b) faculty’s perceived importance of content on social groups (e.g. different social classes) compared to content on oppression (e.g. classism), and (c) the factors that predict faculty’s attitudes. Findings revealed that faculty are generally supportive of most diversity and oppression content, with some notable exceptions. However, results indicated that faculty perceive content on diversity as more important than its corresponding oppression content. Lastly, faculty who indicated that their school had more resources on diversity and oppression reported higher perceived importance of including this content in their courses. The current study reveals there can be a discrepancy between how faculty think about this content and the CSWE curriculum policy. Findings have implications for education, workshops and training for social work faculty.

Piloting the “Anti-Oppressive Practice & Research with Diverse Older Adults” Training Program during COVID-19

There is a critical need to develop our gerontological-sensitive workforce. Social workers (SW) frequently provide services to older adults yet there are few opportunities for them to train as gerontological clinicians and/or researchers. To provide an opportunity for SW students to gain gerontological knowledge, clinical practice, and research skills, we developed, and pilot tested the “Anti-Oppressive Practice and Research with Diverse Older Adults” virtual training program at a major medical facility in Manhattan, NY. We explored the feasibility, implementation, and impact of this novel program. The 21-hour weekly MSW field placement program followed an anti-oppressive framework and included: 1) supervision and training sessions; and 2) direct clinical and research practice (e.g., theory, funding, assessment, data collection etc.) and aging topical seminars (e.g., depression, loneliness, pain etc.). Racially diverse supervisors and graduate SW students engaged in reflective writing exercises, iterative discussions (recorded & transcribed) and a thematic analysis of data. All interns successfully completed the program and reported enhanced skills related to SW core competencies and research (e.g., standardized assessments), research and practice gap awareness (e.g., minority aging) and plans to pursue advanced research training and/or gerontological clinical work. Intern challenges included: 1) disconnect between MSW curricula and research placements; and 2) managing minority and contextual stressors (e.g., imposter syndrome, covid-19, civil unrest). Supervisory challenges included: 1) humanizing sensitive discussions via virtual communication and 2) resource constraints. Future research should systematically assess program effects (e.g., SW core competencies) and how to facilitate interprofessional collaborations to develop diverse gerontological SWs and researchers.

Graduating MSW Students’ Recommended Interventions for Teen Dating Violence: A Descriptive Analysis

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a widespread issue that social workers are likely to encounter in their practice with youth, yet little research exists concerning their preparedness to do so. This study assessed the proposed interventions of graduating MSW students (n=73) from two accredited universities in response to two scenarios of TDV. Each scenario reflected various forms of relational violence. Nearly one-third of students’ proposed interventions focused on the need to deliver some form of education, healthy relationships being the most prevalent theme. Other interventions included teaching about appropriate boundaries, issues of control and anger, self-esteem-building, and communication skills. The second most common set of responses pertained to individual assessment, and the third to individual and couple’s counseling. Few comments identified specific TDV interventions, such as safety planning or evidence-based prevention programs. Students’ recommendations for education and counseling rather than safety planning or multi-level interventions indicate that social work programs need to provide specific content in MSW curricula related to TDV and evidence-based interventions.

End-of-Life Care as a Field of Practice in the Social Work Curriculum

Attention to end-of-life care in social work education and practice is growing. With funding from the Project on Death in America, in 2001, the University of Iowa, School of Social Work developed and implemented an End-of-Life Field of Practice. Unlike a concentration, a Field of Practice is a set of integrated courses focused on one specific area of focus. This article describes the Field of Practice, the community-based partnerships, and the curriculum that serves as a basis for training the students enrolled in this area. Strategies for other social work programs interested in developing a similar Field of Practice or specialty area in their MSW curricula are provided. These include faculty committed to the content area, comprehensive course offerings to encompass all aspects of end-of-life care, and field sites willing to help train students.

Teaching Trauma Theory and Practice in MSW Programs: A Clinically Focused, Case-Based Method

Social workers provide much of the mental health treatment in the United States, and, given the ubiquity of trauma, most clinical social workers will provide treatment to trauma survivors during their careers. Therefore, trauma theory and practice must be included in MSW curricula and taught as a clinical course. This paper suggests that experienced clinician instructors teach trauma theory and practice classes using a case-based method. Bringing case material into the classroom helps prepare students for the complexities and challenges of treating survivors of trauma. To demonstrate how cases can help students connect theory to practice, the paper presents the treatment of a Central African asylum seeker recovering from trauma. The case emphasizes the centrality of the therapeutic relationship and illustrates the use of several evidence-supported trauma interventions along with core principles of social work practice. Finally, the paper suggests that social work educators consider developing a structured method of integrating cases into the trauma curriculum.

Critical Thought within the Social Welfare Policy Course

Critical thought is a necessary element for proficient practice in social work at both the micro and macro levels. For this reason, social work educators must seek to integrate critical thought in BSW and MSW curricula. This article provides a method for achieving this integration in the social welfare policy course. The method includes the four following phases: instruction regarding logical errors, presentation of logical errors in contemporary political debate, demonstration of critical thought in policy position analysis, and self-assessment of one's own logic. The implications of this method for practice in a values-based context are discussed.

Gerontology Content in MSW Curricula and Student Attitudes Toward Older Adults

The unprecedented growth in the nation's older adult population has called attention to the increasing need for geriatric social workers. However, research suggests that social work students hold ageist attitudes that prevent many from pursuing careers in gerontology. The present study sought to identify student perceptions of gerontology content in MSW education and possible correlations with attitudes toward older adults and interest in gerontology. A sample of 252 MSW students participated in classroom surveys. The survey outcomes revealed that gerontology content in MSW curriculum was correlated with positive attitudes toward older adults, but it was not related to increased interest in gerontology.

Infusing and Sustaining Aging Content in Social Work Education

This article presents findings from experiences of 67 projects involved in GeroRich, an initiative funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation designed to infuse, enrich and sustain aging content in BSW and MSW curricula. Thematic qualitative analysis was used to uncover themes in answers to open-ended questions contained in End-of-Year 2 project reports. Content areas addressed by open-ended answers were: (1) successes and innovations, and (2) challenges requiring responses. Primary successes and innovations identified were as follows: curriculum enrichment, faculty and student involvement, student-learning activities and community. Challenges to be responded to were identified as lack of faculty involvement, competing demands on faculty and programs, and sustainability of project efforts. Examples of strategies implemented to overcome these obstacles include providing teaching resources, instituting financial and other supports, and developing strategic plans for sustaining content infusion post-funding. Experiences of the GeroRich projects offer practical considerations for other social work programs that accept the challenge of attracting and preparing students to work with the increasing population of older adults.

Evaluating the Outcomes of Gerontological Curriculum Enrichment

This study describes a multi-method approach to evaluating a gerontological social work curriculum enrichment initiative funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation. The project involved all required first year core courses in the BA and MSW curricula. Data were collected from students at three geographically dispersed academic centers of a School of Social Work at a major Midwestern state university. Evaluation instruments included quantitative pre-and post-tests to assess change in undergraduate and graduate students' gerontological attitudes, knowledge, and skills, qualitative and quantitative pre-and post-tests to evaluate an intergenerational service-learning option, and an open-ended question to assess the gerontological content students had been exposed to in required core courses. Results for all students showed strong positive change in general attitudes toward elders, gerontological knowledge, and gerontological skills. There was only marginal support, however, for increased willingness to work with elders. Results for service-learning students revealed positive reactions to the service-learning experience and a significant increase in gerontological knowledge.

Basic Gerontological Competence for All Social Workers

Summary Over the past decade, social work education has generally failed to mount a significant effort to better prepare its future practitioners to serve the needs of a growing aging population. The demographics of aging suggest a need and demand for social workers that specialize in services to older adults. However, there are insufficient programs, resources or interested students for expanding specialization opportu-nities. Specialization also does not address the growing realization by the profession that there is an enormous need for basic gerontological competency for all social workers. This paper presents data gathered by SAGE-SW, the John A. Hartford Foundation funded project at the Council on Social Education, that makes the case for strategic inclusion of aging education as an important consideration for social work education and teaching across the lifespan. The paper addresses numerous challenges to infusion or integration efforts aimed at restructuring the social work curriculum, and presents a model for infusing aging content into the basic BSW and MSW curricula in order to “gerontologize” the education of all Students.

The Status of Community Organizing in 2001: Community Practice Context, Complexities, Contradictions, and Contributions

As social work begins its second century, it has a “back to the community” ring to it. Community practice in myriad forms is commanding a greater space and place in social work education and practice, not only as a major area of specialization but also in the generalist BSW and MSW curricula. Community practice is also growing because of special interest groups such as the Association for Community Organization and Social Administration and the research and program development interests of faculty in community collaborations and other innovations in the field. Job opportunities, programs, conditions, and policies of these times all point to the growing need for skilled and principled professionals to collectively address the issues facing the people and places left out of the U.S. economic boom at the end of the 20th century and to sustain thriving and inclusive communities.

Participatory Action Research and MSW Curricula

The value of partnership and participation for human empowerment is routinely stressed in today's social work practice literature, in which scholars emphasize the need for consumer participation, co-inquiry, and client collaboration. Because research is recognized to be a crucial element in such collaborations, one would expect that, alongside traditional research topics, the goal of empowerment would likewise be recommended in current social work research literature and curricula. One might further expect that the curricula, as part of the menu of research methods, would espouse specific kinds of participative inquiry available in the social work and social science literature. The purpose of this study is to explore to what extent social work research methodology courses offered through social work MSW graduate programs in the USA include content that encourages active involvement in the process of research by the people whose lives are being studied. In other words, the question put to test has been how much emphasis (or how little) is placed on a relationship of partnership between “inside” and “outside” participants in the design, implementation, and analysis of the research activity? Utilizing a content analysis research design, the study posed and addressed three exploratory hypotheses in an attempt to answer this question.

Should MSW Curricula be Extended to Three Years?

(1999). Should MSW Curricula be Extended to Three Years? Journal of Social Work Education: Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 395-398.

Should MSW Curricula be Extended to Three Years? No!

This article discusses distance learning techniques used to operationalize the concept of “globalization from below” in a social work methods course. In the E-Mail Partnership Project, one of the major course assignments, students communicate by e-mail to share information and discuss social issues through professional “pen pal” relationships with students overseas. The author reviews the course design, describes the project and its benefits, discusses the technical and cross-cultural issues that emerged throughout, and presents evaluation results Evaluation results suggest that international e-mail communication is one way to infuse international content into the curriculum.

Understanding HIV and AIDS: Preparing Students for Practice

Abstract As the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic continues to grow dramatically, social workers increasingly need solid knowledge and training to serve persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and those close to them. This article summarizes current biological, epidemiological, and medical knowledge about AIDS and HIV (including methods of preventing transmission) in a format suitable for social work students. It also suggests various ways in which such information can be incorporated into BSW and MSW curricula.

Confronting the “Threat” of Private Practice

Although an increasing number of social workers are engaging in private clinical practice and a majority of entering MSW students plan to do so, content on private practice is generally not included in MSW curricula. This article reports on a 1992-93 survey of faculty and student attitudes concerning various aspects of studying private practice in MSW programs. It compares the views of the two groups, assesses the implications for social work education, and encourages creative approaches to integrating the realities of professional practice with the traditional values and mission of social work.