Abstract:

In a context marked by profound social changes with a level of complexity that requires the development of critical understanding of social issues, rethink the social work curricula becomes a priority to strengthen the training of social workers, in order to build a new society based on knowledge, skills development, research and intervention and that contributes to social development and the strengthening of the pillars of society: citizenship, culture, science and innovation.

Thinking about these challenges and opportunities and how social work as a profession is responding to current social issues, we developed a training model in a public portuguese university with an integrated curriculum for the three cycles (bachelor, Master and PhD). In order to assess the relevance and adequacy of this model and how the labor market responds to the professionals needs. At the end of 2014 we created a series of indicators (a total of 42 indicators) and submitted them, initially, to a group of experts (through the Delphi’s method), and after we applied it to the students of the three cycles (through an online survey), obtaining a total of 93 responses (response rate of 71%).

The results were significantly positive and showed the recognition of competences gained and also the adequacy of the training by the integration of this curricula, which leads us to expand this research to a national/internacional level to other universities to validate these indicators and ensure their adjustment to the social workers needs into the challenges of the labor market posed to these professionals.

Keywords:

Social Work, Education, curricula.