Mission
The mission of the Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) program is to prepare competent, technologically-advanced, generalist entry-level social work professionals. Graduates of the program will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and values and ethics that are required to meet the challenges and needs faced by diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in a changing, global social environment. Graduates will be able to engage in critical thinking and research-informed practice. The B.S.W. program seeks to prepare students to become leaders in enhancing the quality of life and seeking solutions to social problems. It is particularly concerned with the consequences of injustice, and thus focuses on the empowerment of at-risk populations and the advancement of social, economic, and political justice in all communities. The B.S.W. program is especially committed to increasing students’ understanding and appreciation of diverse life experiences. While guiding both traditional and nontraditional students from varied backgrounds toward professional careers in social work, the program seeks to provide special support and sensitivity to students with the potential for success in this field.
Goals
The goals of the B.S.W. program are to prepare students:
- for entry-level professional careers as generalist practitioners, graduate education, and leadership in social work and social services;
- to develop a professional identity that incorporates critical thinking, knowledge, skills, and values and ethics of the social work profession;
- for competent social work practice with diverse populations of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities;
- who are sensitive to the extent to which a culture’s structure and values may lead to issues of oppression, discrimination, and at-risk populations, and equipped with strategies to advance social, economic, and political justice;
- to utilize conceptual frameworks and research-informed practice to guide the processes of assessment, intervention, and evaluation; and
- to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance social well-being in a changing, global, technological environment.