MidwesternStateUniversity Social Work Program Mission Statement:
(Revised June 1st, 2007)
In concert with the mission of Midwestern State University and the mission of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services, the mission of the baccalaureate Social Work Program is to prepare students as generalist practitioners by utilizing the liberal arts foundation to function as ethical, competent social workers and leaders in a wide variety of settings with the knowledge, skills and values that are congruent with the mission of the Social Work profession set forth by the National Association of Social Workers. The program is committed to prepare social workers to use the strengths perspective to work with diverse client systems through education, research, service, and social justice.
1.1The program has goals derived from its mission. These goals reflect the purposes of the Educational Policy, Section 1.1. Program goals are not limited to these purposes.
Goals:
- Prepare students to work effectively and ethically, by using the strengths model, with individuals, families, communities, organizations, and communities in a global context.
- Prepare students to understand, respect, and practice with diverse populations, to focus on the structural causes and consequences of social and economic injustice, and to equip students with the knowledge and skills to promote positive change
- Instill in students through a liberal arts education, a desire for self directed, life long learning and professional development
- Prepare students to understand, apply and engage in the research process
The mission and goals of MidwesternStateUniversity’s Social Work program are consistent with the purpose of social work in that they integrate the knowledge, values, and skills of the social work profession into a generalist approach based on a liberal arts perspective. This is a common body of knowledge, which includes relevant values, ethics and skills based on a professional foundation curriculum which is applicable to social work in various settings, population groups, and problem areas.
1.2The program has objectives that are derived from the program
goals. These objectives are consistent with Educational Policy, Section 3. Program objectives are reflected in program implementation and continuous assessment (see Accreditation Standard 8).
The mission and goals of the MidwesternStateUniversity’s Social Work Program are met through the objectives of the program which are based on the professional foundation, which is essential to the practice of any social worker.
Program Objectives:
Graduates demonstrate the ability to:
- Applycritical thinking skills within the context of professional social work practice.
- Understand the value base of the profession and its ethical standards and principles, and practice accordingly.
- Practice without discrimination and with respect, knowledge, and skills related to clients’ age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation.
- Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and apply strategies of advocacy and social change that advance social and economic justice.
- Understand and interpret the history of the social work profession and its contemporary structures and issues.
- Apply the knowledge and skills of a generalist social work perspective to practice with systems of all sizes.
- Use the theoretical frameworks supported by empirical evidence to understand individual development and behavior across the life span and the interactions among individuals and between individuals and families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Analyze, formulate, and influence social polices.
- Evaluate research studies, apply research findings to practice, and evaluate their own practice interventions
- Use communication skills differentially across client populations, colleagues, and communities.
- Use supervision and consultation appropriate to social work practice.
- Function within the structure of organizations and service delivery systems and seek necessary organizational change.