The benefits of learning social welfare: Lessons from student perspectives

It is widely assumed that most entering MSW students exhibit a primary interest in individual clinical practice but minimal understanding of or interest in welfare policy knowledge. However, this assumption is mostly based on attitudes before and at the beginning of encountering social welfare courses. Using a mixed-methods approach of both qualitative and quantitative methods, we studied the impact of a social welfare history and policy course on MSW students' perspectives and interests. We found that the course impacted students' understanding of and approach to their professional roles as well as to their own lives as citizens. These findings hold implications for social work education curriculum designs as well as for future research in social work teaching and education.