Preparing for Practice: Motivations, Expectations and Aspirations of the MSW Class of 1990

Abstract

Graduate students' commitment to serve poor and disadvantaged populations is a recurrent concern among social work educators. In the context of increasing federal abandonment of public service, faculty fear a trend is developing among MSW students toward careers in private practice, jeopardizing the profession's capacity to fulfill its traditional roles. Based on a national survey of full-time graduate students in public and private programs, this paper examines the characteristics and practice orientations of the Class of 1990. Comparison of 1990 graduates with earlier cohorts suggests that while students' personal characteristics have shifted dramatically, their motivations and goals are largely compatible with traditional social work functions.