Social work education in the United States: beyond boundaries

Abstract

Today in the United States of America, social work education at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels enjoys high demand, while continuously evolving in response to its environment and the changing context of professional practice. This chapter explores the salient features that propel American social work education towards excellence. These include the Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Philosophy and Educational Standards (EPAS); the credentials and scholarship of the faculty who craft the programs and curricula; accreditation standards that address global awareness; the values and ethics of the profession; and economic and social justice through a lens of cultural competency. Contemporary issues in American higher education also are identified to illustrate social work education’s responses to evolving trends in university teaching.