Factors impacting African American students seeking advanced social work education

Abstract

This study identified key factors that potentially impact students seeking advanced social work degrees (MSW, Ph.D.). Two Council on Social Work Education accredited baccalaureate social work programs, one in Colorado and the other in Louisiana were active participants in this study. This study involved (1) identifying environmental/structural factors that may retard and/or support BSW graduates in their pursuit of a graduate degree in social work and (2) identifying the cultural/values orientations that may also serve as supports or impediments to graduate degree aspirations of BSW graduates. The study surveyed BSW graduates from two schools during the fall/winter of 2004. The study specifically focused on recent graduates from the May 1999 to May 2002 graduating classes, in order to gain insight on the perceptions of the most recent program graduates allowing for sufficient time to apply, attend, and/or complete graduate school. The responses of the participants were analyzed for statistically significant differences along the two Independent variables of ethnicity and gender, and on whether participants had attended graduate school or not. The study found that no statistically significant differences existed between the genders (male and female). However, with regard to ethnicity, the study found that African Americans differ significantly from Caucasians regarding it being worth straining personal relationships to pursue the MSW degree. Other statistically significant findings were in relation to whether BSW graduates attended graduate school or not. The study found that BSW students who attended graduate school differed significantly from those who did not with regard to feeling academically prepared, the ability to delay gratification, straining personal relationships, and regarding cultural considerations as impacting their decision to attend graduate school. African American students in this study were more likely to disagree that faculty diversity, number of minority faulty, and program relevance in working with vulnerable populations were key considerations impacting their graduate school intentions. In addition, as compared to Caucasian BSW students, African American BSW graduates in this study significantly felt graduate school would strain personal relationships, alienate them from family while attending, and would mean abandoning key roles in their families. In summary, respondents in this study have shown that both environmental/structural considerations and cultural/values orientations are important to consider when addressing graduate degree intentions of BSW students considering seeking advanced social work education/degrees.