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- 10 -
It seems to me that the first principle in building a social
work curriculum is contained in the question - what will the graduate
of this course of study be expected to do? This functional approach
has the advantage of avoiding the restrictions imposed by academic
practices and traditions which, however useful they may have been
at one time, may now have become obsolete and a hindrance rather than
help. It also has the advantage of focusing attention upon the
important and the philosophic, as contrasted with the trivial and
mechanical, aspects of education. No doubt some are saying "Woll
of course it is perfectly obvious that a curriculum should be designed
to prepare professional workers for the responsibilities peculiar to
their occupation." But when a practical decision must be made concern-
ing a specific feature of the curriculum the principle is often for-
gotten or violated because it seems to conflict with accepted practice.
Take for example the research requirement for a graduate degree
in one of the professions like social work or medicine. In consider-
ing the type of graduate program a future practicing physician or
social worker should follow, the question must be asked-does the
conventional thesis, based upon an original contribution to knowledge,
actually prepare the practitioner for the kind of responsibilities
he will be called upon to assume? I think there is a serious question
whether it does! The majority of practitioners do not research and
cannot hope to do so if they are going to engage in the full-time
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Context sent to Scholar
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"ocrText": "- 10 -\nIt seems to me that the first principle in building a social\nwork curriculum is contained in the question - what will the graduate\nof this course of study be expected to do? This functional approach\nhas the advantage of avoiding the restrictions imposed by academic\npractices and traditions which, however useful they may have been\nat one time, may now have become obsolete and a hindrance rather than\nhelp. It also has the advantage of focusing attention upon the\nimportant and the philosophic, as contrasted with the trivial and\nmechanical, aspects of education. No doubt some are saying \"Woll\nof course it is perfectly obvious that a curriculum should be designed\nto prepare professional workers for the responsibilities peculiar to\ntheir occupation.\" But when a practical decision must be made concern-\ning a specific feature of the curriculum the principle is often for-\ngotten or violated because it seems to conflict with accepted practice.\nTake for example the research requirement for a graduate degree\nin one of the professions like social work or medicine. In consider-\ning the type of graduate program a future practicing physician or\nsocial worker should follow, the question must be asked-does the\nconventional thesis, based upon an original contribution to knowledge,\nactually prepare the practitioner for the kind of responsibilities\nhe will be called upon to assume? I think there is a serious question\nwhether it does! The majority of practitioners do not research and\ncannot hope to do so if they are going to engage in the full-time"
}