Leveraging a Social Justice Focus on Social Work Education and Licensure

Abstract

While MSW students are increasingly interested in attaining social work licenses, social work educators vary in their understanding of state licensure and regulations and how to best prepare graduate students. Opportunities exist along a pathway to licensure to honor social work’s professional commitment to social justice by teaching relevant course content that includes direct clinical practice and macro level practice, ideally bridging the knowledge to collectively work to facilitate the passing of state ASWB exams and secure professional licensure. A brief overview of the challenges that exist as social work programs strive to meet CSWE requirement and competency based course content, in the content of acknowledging the disparities noted in the ABSW licensure exams simultaneously to the growing number of students striving to seek professional licensure. Opportunities for MSW programs to identify the role and use of course content, pre-service development, marketing, and recruitment content designed to support students’ efforts to pass ASWB licensure exams and obtain credentials are presented. Finally, implications and recommendations for social work programs and faculty to enhance their recruitment, teaching, and licensure preparation endeavors to best assist students and graduates.