Professional Identity: An Exploratory Study of Undergraduate Social Work Majors Versus Minors

Abstract

Social work is a profession that has struggled with its identity as it distinguishes itself from allied disciplines in an effort to define its own unique purpose. The literature is void of studies that examine the degree to which undergraduate minors differ from majors in their social work identity. Analyses revealed that the identity of minors did not differ with regard to their knowledge, philosophy, and views about social workers’ roles and expertise. However, their attitude toward the profession was more pessimistic, with minors more negatively viewing the job opportunities available to social workers and the earning potential of social workers. Minors were also less likely than majors to recommend social work as a profession. Finally, minors were less prone to self-identify as social workers after graduation when compared with those majoring in the field.