Associate and Baccalaureate Degree Education for Social Work: A Tentative Proposal

Abstract

This paper provides a preliminary model which may be an effective approach to some of the problems which have to be solved in relating two- and four-year programs in undergraduate social work education. First, a baccalaureate program for students of the social professions is described. Then, two- and four-year programs are related and a set of predictions for the future of higher education which underlie the proposal is discussed. Finally, an appraisal is made of inherent problems in interdigitation which arise in part from the model and in part from a misapplication of management theory which characterizes much of organizational planning for social work manpower development and utilization. Because the purpose here is to explore structures and structural relationships, specific content of courses is elaborated only to the extent required for illustration of intent. The analysis is incomplete which may make it more useful for the various contingencies in “live” schools than a tightly logical model could be.