Core Competence of Social Work Undergraduates in China

erature. However, current studies lack empirical evaluations of social work students’ core competencies. Using 332 social work undergraduates in China, this paper examined core competences of social work undergraduates in China and compared the results with that in the United States. The results revealed that Chinese students’ core competences were significantly lower than American students’. Preference for social work profession, field experience, and knowledge of career outlook were positively related to micro competence; gender, Preference for social work profession, curriculum content satisfaction, and field experience were positively associated with macro competence. These findings carry implications for professional social work education in the Chinese context.