Mission Statement
The BSW program at Southwestern Assemblies of God University prepares generalist practice Social Work students to develop competent skills, values, and knowledge by ethical integration of the Christian faith within micro, mezzo, and macro-level systems. Serving every system by promoting social justice with a commitment of advocacy and empowerment through prevention, intervention and evidence-based practices, particularly among marginalized populations.
Program Goals
- To use critical thinking skills and knowledge based on scientific inquiry in the application of the problem-solving process with multi-level client systems within a strengths-based, person-in-environment framework. [Competencies 4,6,7,8,9]
- To provide students with a generalist’s knowledge of Social Work that is broad in scope including: research-informed practice; theory; values and ethics; the history, purpose, and philosophy of the profession; and a practical understanding of practice settings, social institutions, contexts, and clients. [Competencies 2-9]
- To educate students regarding the values and ethics of the profession, and to the integration of Christian values throughout their careers. [Competencies 1-3]
Nine Competencies
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) cites that “competency-based education rests upon a shared view of the nature of competence in professional practice. Social work competence is the ability to integrate and apply social work knowledge, values, and skills to practice situations in a purposeful, intentional, and professional manner to promote human and community well-being. EPAS recognizes a holistic view of competence; that is, the demonstration of competence is informed by knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes that include the social worker’s critical thinking, affective reactions, and exercise of judgment in regard to unique practice situations. Overall professional competence is multi-dimensional and composed of interrelated competencies. An individual social worker’s competence is seen as developmental and dynamic, changing over time in relation to continuous learning.”
The 2015 CSWE Nine Competencies are as follows:
Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior Social workers understand the value base of the profession and its ethical standards, as well as relevant laws and regulations that may impact practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice Social workers understand how diversity and difference characterize and shape the human experience and are critical to the formation of identity. The dimensions of diversity are understood as the intersectionality of multiple factors including but not limited to age, class, color, culture, disability and ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, marital status, political ideology, race, religion/spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status.
Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice Social workers understand that every person regardless of position in society has fundamental human rights such as freedom, safety, privacy, an adequate standard of living, health care, and education. Social workers understand the global interconnections of oppression and human rights violations, and are knowledgeable about theories of human need and social justice and strategies to promote social and economic justice and human rights.
Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice Social workers understand quantitative and qualitative research methods and their respective roles in advancing a science of social work and in evaluating their practice. Social workers know the principles of logic, scientific inquiry, and culturally informed and ethical approaches to building knowledge.
Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice Social workers understand that human rights and social justice, as well as social welfare and services, are mediated by policy and its implementation at the federal, state, and local levels.
Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities Social workers understand that engagement is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities Social workers understand that assessment is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge in the assessment of diverse clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities Social workers understand that intervention is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities Social workers understand that evaluation is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.