Analyzing International Social Work in Undergraduate Social Work Curriculum

In the social work field, international work plays an essential role in many services such as working with global agencies, aiding immigrants, and advocating for human rights. Representation of this area in the classroom is critical for ethical international practice and it also can be beneficial in developing skills for all students. This study aimed to look at how international social work is represented in undergraduate social work programs at universities across the country, and how they are preparing students to practice with any client, but particularly clients from other countries. Data were collected from course syllabi and analyzed for international content using content analysis. International social work content was found inconsistent across the syllabi collected. Suggestions were then given for international social work education models that can be used for effective class design.