Undergraduate Social Work Education and the Liberal Tradition

Abstract

This paper explores the potential relationship between undergraduate social work education and the school of liberal arts, through which the program or department may function. Two major concerns of modern liberal education are “alienation” and “fragmentation,” the conflict of ideologies in American society. Social work has a value base that addresses both issues. Social work education deals with both technical problems and cultural puzzles. The professional and practical nature of the field allows social work to provide direction for liberal arts as it attempts to clarify and resolve value conflicts, rather than merely reflecting them.