Mission, Values and Goals

The mission of the UAM Department of Social Work’s B.S.W. degree program is to provide quality social work education, based on the knowledge, values, and skills of the social work profession, and professional development opportunities for students who desire to promote the social, psychosocial, or biopsychosocial functioning and well-being of individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, and communities via generalist social work practice.

The UAM Department of Social Work’s B.S.W. degree program supports and accepts the core values of the social work profession, reflecting the six values of the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics that include: 1) service; 2) social justice; 3) the dignity and worth of the person; 4) the importance of human relationships; 5) integrity; and 6) competence. These values provide the foundation for the mission and goals of the B.S.W. degree program and its curriculum (CSWE, 2008).

The goals of the UAM Department of Social Work’s B.S.W. degree program include: 1) to prepare entry-level, generalist social work practitioners to provide ethical and competent services utilizing the knowledge, values, and skills of the social work profession; 2) to equip students with critical thinking skills that are essential in the contemporary social service environment; 3) to prepare students for continued graduate work in social work or related disciplines; and 4) to maintain a reciprocal relationship with social work practitioners, groups, and organizations in the community.