Teaching Note—Beyond Bricoleur: A Guiding Portrait of the Advanced Generalist

Abstract

Graduate programs of social work have been challenged to define how the advanced generalist con centration differs from the generalist training at the baccalaureate level. This teaching note likens the generalist to a bricoleur, or skilled handyman. A role-based portrait of the advanced generalist is offered, which describes how skills of the bricoleur are transcended. Examples suggest how these definitive skills can be realized in a graduate program. The portrait is then found to be compatible with a set of advanced generalist practice behaviors and an advanced generalist exam required for licensure by several states.