Undergraduate Programs

Student Learning Outcomes

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)

The Student Learning Outcomes for the BSW degree program are derived from the Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) competencies and specific practice behaviors required for professional social work practice at the Bachelor's level, as articulated in the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards document (CSWE, 2008).

Competency #1: Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly.

  1. Students advocate for client access to the services of social work.
  2. Students practice personal reflection and self-correction to assure continual professional development.
  3. Students attend to professional roles and boundaries.
  4. Students demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and communication.
  5. Students engage in career-long learning.
  6. Students use supervision and consultation.

Competency #2: Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.

  1. Students recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide practice.
  2. Students make ethical decisions by applying standards of the National Association of Social Work Code of Ethics and, as applicable, of the International Federation of Students/International Association of Schools of Social Work Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles.
  3. Students tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts.

Competency #3: Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments.

  1. Students apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions.
  2. Students distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge, including research-based knowledge, and practice wisdom.
  3. Students analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation.
  4. Students demonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and colleagues.

Competency #4: Engage diversity and difference in practice.

  1. Students recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures and values may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create or enhance privilege and power.
  2. Students gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse groups.
  3. Students recognize and communicate their understanding of the importance of difference in shaping life experiences.
  4. Students view themselves as learners and engage those with whom they work as informants.

Competency #5: Advance human rights and social and economic justice.

  1. Students understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination.
  2. Students advocate for human rights and social and economic justice.
  3. Students engage in practices that advance social and economic justice.

Competency #6: Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research.

  1. Students use practice experience to inform scientific inquiry.
  2. Students use research evidence to inform practice.

Competency #7: Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.

  1. Students utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the processes of assessment, intervention, and evaluation.
  2. Students critique and apply knowledge to understand person and environment.

Competency #8: Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social services.

  1. Students analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance social well-being.
  2. Students collaborate with colleagues and clients for effective policy action.

Competency #9: Respond to contexts that shape practice.

  1. Students continuously discover, appraise, and attend to changing locales, populations, scientific and technological developments, and emerging societal trends to provide relevant services.
  2. Students provide leadership in promoting sustainable changes in service delivery and practice to improve the quality of social services.

Competency #10(a): Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

  1. Students substantively and affectively prepare for action with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  2. Students use empathy and other interpersonal skills.
  3. Students develop a mutually agreed-on focus of work and desired outcomes.

Competency #10(b): Assess with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

  1. Students collect, organize, and interpret client data.
  2. Students assess client strengths and limitations.
  3. Students develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives.

Competency #10(c): Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

  1. Students select appropriate intervention strategies.
  2. Students initiate actions to achieve organizational goals.
  3. Students implement prevention interventions that enhance client capacities.
  4. Students help clients resolve problems.
  5. Students negotiate, mediate, and advocate for clients.

Competency #10(d): Evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

  1. Students facilitate transitions and endings.
  2. Students critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate interventions.

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