Gender-Sensitive Curricula in Social Work Education: A National Study

Abstract

In March 1988, the author surveyed all accredited graduate and undergraduate social work programs to determine the extent to which gender-sensitive material has been incorporated into curricula. Results suggest that a number of women's issues, particularly domestic violence and sexism, received coverage in the social work curriculum. Several other issues, most notably lesbianism, reproductive rights, and sexism in social work, typically were not addressed in required social work course content. Virtually none of the schools required students to take a course focused exclusively on women's issues; few offered such a course. Finally, the data suggest that the presence of a strongly feminist faculty was associated with the degree to which an institution covered women's issues.