Social Work Mission, Goals, and Objectives

SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT MISSION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES

Mission 

The Bachelor of Social Work program at Delta State University seeks to prepare students with professional knowledge, values, and skills for generalist social work practice, who are able to function in a variety of settings with systems of all sizes.  Emphasis is on resolving problems related to the transactions between people and their environments.  While preparing students for entry-level professional practice in any geographic setting, the Social Work Department seeks to meet the particular needs of the Delta region, a largely rural, impoverished area where the populations at risk are predominantly African American, children, women, and the elderly.  While the social work educators at DSU understand that a holistic focus of the program on rural populations particularly equips the students to meet the staffing needs on the region and in other rural areas, the educators also know that the competencies gained through practice are built on a strong educational foundation that gives social work graduates the ability to practice social work globally.

Goals

1.      Prepare generalist social workers who are able to integrate the knowledge, values, and skills of the social work profession for competent practice in settings with individuals, families, groups, organizations, institutions, and communities.

2.      Prepare students to become competent and effective professionals, to develop social work knowledge, and to provide leadership in the development of service delivery systems.

3.      Prepare students who will demonstrate a commitment to continue their own professional growth and development which may include graduate education in social work and other disciplines.

4.      Acculturate students to the profession of social work through the study of the history, purposes, and philosophy, including practice without discrimination.

5.      Emphasize preparation for providing direct services to diverse populations, particularly African Americans, children, women, elderly, and those in rural areas, to alleviate poverty and oppression and to provide social and economic justice for all citizens.

6.      Provide students with content about social, political, and global contexts of social work practice, the changing nature of those contexts, the behavior found in systems, and the dynamics of change.

7.  Prepare social workers to engage in prevention activities that promote well being.

Program Objectives

1.            Practice within the values of the social work profession with an understanding of and respect for the positive value of diversity.

2.            Identify and assess problems in the relationship between people and social institutions (including service gaps), plan for their resolution, and evaluate their outcomes.

3.            Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and the strategies of change that advance social and economic justice.

4.            Communicate effectively with others in a purposeful way, encouraging open and trusting relationships.

5.            Understand the history, purposes, and philosophy of the social work profession and its contemporary structures and issues.

6.            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.

7.            Apply the knowledge and skills of generalist social work practice with systems of all sizes, including rural systems.

8.            Demonstrate the professional use of self.

9.            Use communication skills differentially with a variety of client populations, colleagues, and communities.

10.        Apply critical thinking skills within the context of professional social work practice.

11.        Analyze, formulate, and influence social policies and how they impact client systems, workers, and agencies.

12.        Understand agency structure, allocation of role performance, and the impact of organizational power and policies on client systems and, under supervision seek necessary organizational change.

13.        Evaluate research studies and apply findings to practice, evaluate their own practice interventions and those of relevant systems.

14.        Use supervision and consultation appropriate to social work practice.

15.        Use 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.

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