Practice Interests and Self-Identification among Social Work Students: Changes over the Course of Graduate Social Work Education

Abstract

To explore the influence of social work education on students' professional identification and practice interests (and to examine recent concern that students' career goals no longer match social work's traditional mission), authors of this study surveyed 180 graduate students at one school of social work at the beginning and end of the 1991-92 academic year. Analysis focusing on the students' interest in 12 practice areas was undertaken for three cohorts: beginning MSW students, second-year MSW students, and BSW graduates who entered directly into the second year of MSW study. The results indicate that most students are still attuned to social work's traditional mission, and that graduate education does have significant influence on practice interests and self-identification, especially for beginning students. Implications for the design of graduate programs are also explored.