Evolution of Social Work Education in Turkey: A Critical Perspective

Abstract

This chapter is about social work development in Turkey. Social work education in Turkey started in the 1950s via United Nations experts. When these experts meet with government officials, they decided to start social work education under the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance. After this decision, the Social Work Academy was established in 1959 to provide education for four years after high school graduation under the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance, in accordance with the Law No. 7355 on the Establishment of the Social Work Institute. In 1982, the academy was admitted to Hacettepe University in accordance with the Law on Higher Education and received the name of School of Social Work. In 2002, Baskent University has started social work education, too. This was a milestone because Hacettepe University School of Social work was the only organisation providing social work education in Turkey for 41 years. Since 2006, there has been a large increase in the number of social work departments and there are now nearly 70 departments. But today there are huge problems about curriculum that not specifically developed for Turkey (especially consist of American thoughts), non-social work educated academics, open education system, and increased unemployment in parallel with increasing number of graduates. This chapter will focus on these problems.