Student perceptions of culture:: an integral part of social work practice

Sensitivity to and knowledge of multicultural practice has been Viewed as an important priority for social work education in the United States. Since 1968, the Council on Social Work Education has not only required that social work education programs reflect the diversity of a pluralistic society, but has also mandated that social work curriculum include content for cultural competence. This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study designed to explore the extent to which social work students recognize the need for cultural knowledge, sensitivity, and awareness, in their educational programs and professional practice. The results reflect the need for research to establish empirically the progress that has been made in the area of multicultural education and practice in social work. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.