Issues in student assessment in specialized graduate social work programs are discussed, and a new assessment procedure at Ohio State are outlined. The procedure focused on preparing the student for the assessment and moved away from traditional comprehensive examinations. Students' ratings of the relevance of courses for their specialties are…

A survey of students graduating from a social policy program was taken to determine students' work affiliations after graduation, and to compare their situations before and after graduation. The findings indicated differences in work affiliations and experiences, with a large percentage entering the social policy field. (Author/BH)

The influence of social work education on the sex distribution in social work practice was examined for students at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where there is no formal tracking into casework, groupwork, and community organization. It is concluded that policy and curriculum changes can alter traditional sex-role stereotypes. (JT)

Social work education is lacking in preparation of students for work in the health care field. Thirteen content areas necessary for this work are outlined, and both macro- and micro-levels of specialization are encouraged. Whether education should focus on current practice or be developed for future practice designs is discussed. (MSE)

A curriculum model for rural social work practice is presented that takes into account rural diversity and the universe of social work practice. Regionalization of preparation and practice, which will allow services to be more broadly distributed, is recommended. (MSE)

As the social work profession tries to find ways to bring significant service to the retarded, social work education must respond and prepare practitioners for this specialization. Basic concepts and principles of helping people are reviewed briefly as they relate to work with the mentally retarded. (Author/LBH)

Three major dilemmas challenging social work educators and practitioners are: the generic-specific issue, the dichotomization of the profession between social change and focus on the individual, and the educational continuum in BSW and MSW preparation. The findings of a national study of aspects of curriculum design and emphasis are discussed.…

In a survey comparing 22 work activities of BA, BSW, and MSW social workers, little functional differentiation was found between BAs and BSWs, and significant differentiation was found between BSWs and MSWs on at least half of the activities studied. Intervening variables and implications for BSW curricula are discussed. (MSE)