UNDERGRADUATES’ KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION OF SOCIAL WORK COURSE PROGRAMME AT BABCOCK UNIVERSIY IN OGUN STATE

Currently, the National Association of Social Work (NASW) is in the midst of an education campaign with the primary goal of increasing the public awareness about the roles and profession of social work. In Nigeria, the awareness about the social work as afield of study is very low. This is not helpful if the profession is to be fully known. Students’ perceptions of social work influence their career choices. Exposure to adequate information about social work broadens knowledge about the field. The study examined the knowledge and perception of social work among Babcock University undergraduates. The study made use of descriptive survey research design. A sample size 406 students that cuts across the nine faculties in Babcock University was used. The instrument used was “Undergraduates’ knowledge and perception of Social Work Scale ” (UKPSW) = 0.81. Four research questions were raised and tested. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics Q/ frequency counts, percentage and T-test Analysis. Findings from the study indicated that the undergraduates’ knowledge of social work with mean score of 43.03% is not satisfactory. Reveal of information on social work as a course of study by the undergraduate students sources that 191 (47%) got their information from friends or peers and 53 (13.1%) got their information from magazines. No significant difference was noted between male and female undergraduates in their perception of social work as a course of study in the university (t-cal = 1.731< t-crit = 1.960 @ .05 alpha level). Also, a significant difference was noted between science-oriented and non-science oriented undergraduates in their perception of social work as a course of study (t-cal = 2.352> t-crit = 1.960 @ .05 alpha level). It was recommended that Babcock University should work together with the Social Work Unit of the University to celebrate the Social Work World Day which holds March 18th of every year. This will attract importance and awareness to the course. Social work students also have a part to play. They can help to publicise the profession of Social work by putting into practice the core value of social work, roles of social workers and the Babcock University social work values which is service with a HEART (Human Centered, Empathy/Empowerment, affirmation, Relationship, Trust and Truth).