Statement of Core Competencies

The curriculum for the School of Social Work is guided by nine competencies, which are defined by the Council on Social Work Education and are reflective of our mission and goals. Each competency describes the knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes that comprise the competency at the generalist level of practice. The operational definition of each competency area is demonstrated through practice behaviors which integrate these components, i.e., specific knowledge, values, and skills needed for generalist practice (BASW) graduates or applied in advanced practice with additional specialized knowledge and skills (MSW). For the School of Social Work, these nine competencies constitute the major student learning objectives for the program. The core competencies for the BASW and MSW Programs are:

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

Competency 2: Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice

Competency 3: Engage Anti-Racism. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion  (ADEI) in Practice

Competency 4: Engage In Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice

Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities