Graduation Semester and Year
Summer 2026
Language
English
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work
Department
Social Work
First Advisor
Dr. Micki Washburn
Second Advisor
Dr. Catherine LaBrenz
Third Advisor
Dr. Christian Vazquez
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Golam M Mathbor
Abstract
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) emphasize the integration of global perspectives as a core component of social work education. However, the ways in which global social work education is conceptualized, implemented, and experienced within Social Work programs remain uneven and seldomly examined. This study addresses this gap through a mixed-methods synthesis of three complementary investigations which include a systematic review of international social work education (ISWE) modalities, a quantitative content analysis of MSW program websites, and a qualitative study of faculty perspectives from U.S. and host country contexts. The systematic review analyzed 19 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 to identify ISWE modalities and associated learning outcomes. The content analysis examined 395 accredited MSW programs using the International/Global Messaging Index (I/GMI) to assess the extent of global content integration. The qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with 11 faculty from U.S. and 5 from host countries. Data was analyzed through iterative coding and thematic analysis using NVivo.
Findings indicate that while multiple ISWE modalities exist including study abroad, international field placements, global coursework, and virtual approaches implementation remain fragmented. Global perspectives are more frequently reflected in institutional messaging than in program objectives or curricula. Faculty perspectives further highlight systemic barriers, including financial constraints, policy limitations, faculty capacity, and inequitable partnerships alongside significant benefits for student learning and institutional collaboration. Overall, the findings reveal a persistent gap between policy expectations and curricular implementation underscoring the need for more systematic, equitable, and sustainable approaches to global social work education.
Keywords
International social work education, global social work education, cultural competence, International/Global messaging index
Disciplines
Global Studies | Higher Education | International and Area Studies | International and Comparative Education | Social Work
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Sivakumaran, Shamila, "Exploring the Landscape of Global Social Work Education in the United States: A Mixed-Method Study" (2026). Social Work Dissertations. 3.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/socialwork_dissertations2/3
Included in
Global Studies Commons, Higher Education Commons, International and Comparative Education Commons, Social Work Commons