BSSW Degree Goals and Objectives

The focus of undergraduate education is the preparation of students for generalist social work practice through the integration of knowledge, values, and skills into competent social work practice.  The BSSW Program Objectives are derived from the program's goals.

The goals of the Undergraduate Social Work Program are to:

1. Provide curricula for generalist practice that build on a liberal arts foundation and reflect state of the art social work knowledge.

2. Educate students for generalist practice that is grounded in the history, values, and science of the social work profession.

3. Educate students to enhance functioning of diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

4. Educate students to promote policies, services, and resource allocation through advocacy or political actions that result in social and economic justice.

5. Prepare students to develop and use critical thinking, research and technology to advance and evaluate social work practice.

6. Promote and provide opportunities for ongoing professional development.

The objectives of the Undergraduate Social Work Program are to educate students to:

1. Apply critical thinking skills to generalist social work practice.

2. Understand and apply the values and ethics of the social work profession.

3. Recognize and demonstrate sensitivity to ethnic heritage, culture, gender, sex or sexual orientation, race, age, class, faith and spirituality, and disabilities and how these factors can affect social work practice with individuals, families, groups, communities, or organizations.

4. Learn to use supervision and consultation appropriate to generalist practice.

5. Demonstrate knowledge of the history of the social work profession and its role in addressing contemporary social problems.

6. Understand oppression and apply the strategies and skills of change that advance social and economic justice for vulnerable and at risk populations.

7. Understand, analyze, and apply knowledge and skills of generalist social work practice.

8. Use research based knowledge to understand interactions among individuals and between individuals and families, groups, organizations and communities as it relates to human development and behavior across the life span.

9. Demonstrate knowledge of social welfare policies including the analysis, formulation and influencing of the policy making process.

10. Demonstrate understanding of the basic skills needed to evaluate human service interventions, including one's own practice.

11. Demonstrate professional communication skills across systems and settings.

12. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of technology and application of technology to social work practice.

13. Practice effectively in organizations and service delivery systems and understand the processes of organizational change.

14. Participate in seminars, workshops, and other activities sponsored by community organizations and professional associations.