Curricular Blueprinting: The Relevance of American Social Work Education for International Students Benjamin J. Lough This study assesses the relevance of US-based social work curricula for international students. Both the perceived advantages and disadvantages of international educational training are considered, including the consequences of curricular adaptation. The study utilizes multiple qualitative methods including participant observation, 15 semi- structured interviews, and text analysis. The majority of international respondents reported intending to work with poverty alleviation and social development. Respondents reported learning some inappropriate skills, intervention strategies, and policies that cannot be appropriately applied across cultures, and which are divorced from local context. Benefits of exchange include discussions of marginalized populations, enculturation into Western values and methods that may be beneficial to future job opportunities, and the enhancement of critical thinking skills to address social problems. Keywords: International; Curriculum; Students; Teaching; Higher Education Introduction With increased globalization, professional collaborations with social workers in other nations have increased (Hokenstad et al., 1992; Lyons, 1999; Hall and Midgley, 2004; IASSW/IFSW, 2005; Cox and Pawar, 2006; Lyons et al., 2006). In anticipation of the synergies and challenges resulting from these professional collaborations across countries, the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), established global standards for social work education and training (IASSW/IFSW, 2005). These standards recognize the advantages of international exchange, but also emphasize the importance of indigenous education and practice. Correspondence to: Benjamin J. Lough, Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St Louis, B11, Campus Box 1196, St Louis, MO 63139, USA. Tel: (314) 935-8173; Email: benlough@gmail.com or blough@wustl.edu Social Work Education Vol. 28, No. 7, October 2009, pp. 792–802 ISSN 0261-5479 print/1470-1227 online # 2009 Taylor & Francis DOI: 10.1080/02615470802478212 Downloaded By: [Lough, Benjamin J.] At: 05:34 7 September 2009