Understanding Anti-Racism in Social Work Education: A Baseline Study of MSW Student Perspectives

Background and Purpose

The integration of anti-racism into social work education has gained urgency with the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS), which mandate the inclusion of anti-racism across several core competencies. While social work programs are in the process of implementing these new standards, with full implementation expected by July 2025, little is known about how MSW students conceptualize and apply anti-racist practice. This study examines MSW students' understanding and endorsement of anti-racism prior to full EPAS 2022 implementation, providing baseline data critical for assessing future student learning outcomes and program effectiveness. The research questions guiding this study are: How do MSW students understand and endorse anti-racism as it relates to “engaging diversity and difference in practice”? What implications do these understandings have for social work education as it aligns with the new accreditation standards?

Methods

This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with 11 MSW students at a social work program in the Northeastern U.S. that had not yet formally adopted EPAS 2022 but had implemented anti-racist initiatives. Using purposive sampling, participants were recruited via a course listserv and each had completed at least two semesters of the MSW program when the study was conducted. Interviews were conducted via Zoom, transcribed, and analyzed using a deductive coding approach based on an established critical anti-racist framework. An additional theme, "taking action," emerged inductively. Thematic analysis was conducted through iterative categorization, ensuring coherence and alignment with the study’s theoretical framework.

Results

Findings revealed a spectrum of awareness regarding anti-racist practice. While participants generally understood oppression in broad terms, they struggled to articulate intersectionality beyond single-axis analyses of identity. Notably, only one participant organically referenced anti-racism before being explicitly asked about it. Some students endorsed color-blind ideology, equating anti-racism with treating individuals equally regardless of race, while others emphasized action-oriented approaches such as advocacy, accountability, and institutional critique. Several participants critiqued social work education itself, highlighting financial inaccessibility and the persistence of racial aggressions within social work programs. A key finding was the tension between students’ aspirations for anti-racist practice and their perceived lack of preparation, reinforcing concerns that social work education must do more to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to challenge systemic oppression effectively.

Conclusions and Implications

This study provides important baseline data for social work education policy in connection to EPAS 2022 implementation, highlighting the need to meet students at varied levels of understanding while ensuring they develop a concrete, actionable grasp of anti-racism. Findings suggest that social work education must prioritize both the explicit curriculum (e.g., anti-racist pedagogy, assessment tools) and the implicit curriculum (e.g., faculty preparedness, institutional climate) to foster meaningful engagement with anti-racist practice. The results also underscore the importance of integrating systematic assessments to track student progress over time. Aligning social work education with anti-racist policy and practice is imperative for preparing future practitioners to dismantle oppressive systems, ensuring that social work science advances social justice rather than perpetuates harm.