The Classification, Intercorrelation, and Dynamic Nature of MSW Student Practice Preferences

Abstract

Data was collected biannually (1992-98) from a complete population of students entering and exiting accredited graduate programs of social work in California (N=5,793). Findings suggest that practice interests and career aspirations of MSW students are more diverse and dynamic in nature than the debate in the literature on social work’s mission would lead readers to believe. Although the proportion of all students most interested in each of the seven practice areas studied does not change throughout graduate studies, there is tremendous movement among individual students with respect to practice preferences during the course of their education.

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Notes on contributors

Robin Perry

The author expresses appreciation to his doctoral dissertation committee (Drs. Leonard Miller, Leo Goodman, and Bart Grossman, University of California at Berkeley) for guidance with respect to this research. In addition, the author wishes to thank the California Social Work Education Center for supplying the data analyzed for this paper. The California Social Work Education Center is supported by the California Department of Social Services with federal Title IV-E funds.