Outcomes, Courses and Assessment
You will work with faculty to craft your Individual Learning Plan (ILP). The ILP maps out how you will achieve each of the Social Work Learning Outcomes (SW LOs) and complete the combination of core courses and concentration-related electives needed to graduate. You conclude the program by completing an applied social work research project that culminates one’s knowledge base and practice. MSW students will present their research findings at the Capstone Festival which is open to the public.
SW LO 1 Professional Identity and Conduct ~ Social workers serve as representatives of the profession, its mission and its core values. They know the profession’s history. Social workers commit themselves to the profession’s enhancement and to their own professional conduct and growth.
SW LO 2 Ethics in Social Work ~ Social workers have an obligation to conduct themselves ethically and to engage in ethical decision-making. Social workers are knowledgeable about the value base of the profession, its ethical standards and relevant law.
SW LO 3 Critical Thinking ~ Social workers are knowledgeable about the principles of logic, scientific inquiry and reasoned discernment. They use critical thinking augmented by creativity and curiosity. Critical thinking also requires the synthesis, analysis and communication of relevant information.
SW LO 4 Cultural Competence & Diverse Populations ~ Social workers understand how diversity characterizes and shapes the human experience and is critical to the formation of identity. The dimensions of diversity are understood as the intersectionality of multiple factors including age, class, color, culture, disability, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, veteran status, political ideology and religion. Social workers appreciate that, as a consequence of difference, a person’s life experiences may include oppression, poverty, marginalization and alienation as well as privilege, power and acclaim.
SW LO 5 Social Justice and Human Rights ~ Each person, regardless of position in society, has basic human rights such as freedom, safety, privacy, an adequate standard of living, health care and education. Social workers recognize the global interconnections of oppression and are knowledgeable about theories of justice and strategies to promote human and civil rights. Social workers incorporate social justice practices in organizations, institutions and society to ensure that these basic human rights are distributed equitably and without prejudice.
SW LO 6 Research & Practice ~ Social workers use practice experience to inform research, employ evidence-based interventions, evaluate their own practice, and use research findings to improve practice, policy and social service delivery. Social workers comprehend quantitative and qualitative research and understand scientific and ethical approaches to building knowledge.
SW LO 7 Human Behavior in the Social Environment ~ Social workers are knowledgeable about human behavior across the life course, the range of social systems in which people live, and the ways social systems promote or deter people in maintaining or achieving health and well-being. Social workers apply theories and knowledge from the liberal arts to understand biological, social, cultural, psychological and spiritual development.
SW LO 8 Policy Practice ~ Social work practitioners understand that policy affects service delivery, and they actively engage in policy practice. Social workers know the history and current structures of social policies and services, the role of policy in service delivery, and the role of practice in policy development.
SW LO 9 Collaboration, Ethics and Leadership ~ Social workers demonstrate the ability to involve community stakeholders and key decision-makers in developing, articulating and sustaining a program, practice or policy vision. Social workers are informed, resourceful and proactive in responding to evolving organizational, community and societal contexts at all levels of practice. Social workers recognize that the context of practice is dynamic, and use knowledge and skill to respond proactively.
SW LO 10 Social Work Practice ~ Professional practice involves the dynamic and interactive processes of engagement, assessment, intervention and evaluation at multiple levels. Social workers have the knowledge and skills to practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities (especially for regional populations of need in chronic mental illness, substance abuse/dependency, gang affiliation and violence, poverty, marginally housed and homeless, advanced age, death and dying, veterans of war, war experiences and physical and emotional trauma, incarcerated and paroled mentally ill, and adoptions/foster care). Practice knowledge includes identifying, analyzing and implementing evidence-based interventions designed to achieve client goals; using research and technological advances; evaluating program outcomes and practice effectiveness; developing, analyzing, advocating and providing leadership for policies and services; and promoting social and economic justice.