Training of undergraduate students majoring in social work: theoretical and comparative analysis

The article provides a theoretical and comparative analysis of educational programs for the training of bachelors in social work in Ukraine and abroad. The features of the development of the specialty «Social Work» in the context of changes in the national educational system are studied, in particular, the transition to a new list of branches of knowledge and specialties in 2024. The key stages of the formation of social work as an academic discipline in Ukraine are identified and the regulatory documents regulating the training of specialists in this field are considered. Based on the analysis of educational programs of various higher education institutions of Ukraine, it was established that their content is focused on fulfilling the requirements of the State Standard of Higher Education, which provides for the formation of future specialists with the competencies necessary for the effective performance of professional tasks in the social sphere. The trends in the training of social workers in such countries as the USA, Great Britain are characterized. It was found that in these countries educational programs have certain common features, in particular, an emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach, practice-oriented training and providing specialists with the necessary knowledge in the field of social protection, counseling and support for vulnerable groups of the population. Particular attention was paid to the analysis of the compliance of educational programs with international standards, in particular the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED-F 2013). It was found that modern trends in the development of social work and counseling require updating approaches to the training of bachelors in this field, taking into account the experience of other countries and adapting the educational process to modern challenges of the labor market.