ETHICS EDUCATION IN SOCIAL WORK: COMPARING OUTCOMES OF GRADUATE SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS

This research presents findings from a Study comparing groups of students enrolled in three U.S. graduate social work programs. Each program represents a differing approach to teaching ethics: (a) infusion of ethics content, (b) a required discrete course emphasizing what the authors term a mixed-model approach, and (c) a required discrete ethics Course emphasizing a common morality model. It was hypothesized that Students taking a discrete course ill ethics would demonstrate greater gains in the areas of moral judgment and ethical sensitivity. It was also hypothesized that students taking a discrete course emphasizing the common morality model would demonstrate even greater gains. Findings and implications for social work education are discussed.