Northern Arizona University

SOCIAL WORK

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BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM INFORMATION

Bachelor of Social Work Flyer (PDF)

Bachelor of Social Work Catalog Entry

Bachelor of Social Work Advising Sheet (PDF)

MISSION

The Social Work Program at Northern Arizona University is dedicated to enhancing human life locally, statewide, and globally through promoting quality social work practice that builds on client system strengths and empowerment abilities. The practice for which we educate is geared to rural and indigenous populations of the Southwest. It is focused on improving social and economic justice with populations-at-risk.

Given these beliefs, the mission of the Social Work Program is to educate generalist social workers; promote efforts in developing and improving human services in a variety of settings; enhance practitioner ability to work with diverse clients; promote active efforts in addressing poverty, structural racism, and oppression; serve professional and underserved communities utilizing distance learning technologies in off-site programming; and contribute to the development of knowledge and scholarly work reflecting rural knowledge and practice that flows to contexts from local to international.

 

BSW PROGRAM GOALS & OBJECTIVES

The mission of the social work program is expressed in the following goals and objectives:

Goal I To practice as generalist social workers with the knowledge, values, and skills for working with diverse client systems of various sizes (B5.4.1), program graduates will be able to:

1. apply critical thinking skills and express ideas clearly, both verbally and in writing (B5.7.1);
2. practice within the values and ethics of social work with a respect for and appreciation of diversity (B5.7.2);
3. utilize relationship building, assessment, intervention, and evaluation knowledge and skills in practice with diverse systems of all sizes (B5.7.6);
4. utilize problem-solving model within the context of ecosystems and strengths perspectives in practice across client systems (B5.7.6);
5. apply knowledge of the bio-psycho-social-cultural-spiritual components of human behavior and the social environment to assessment and planned change processes (B5.7.7);
6. differentially apply communication skills and intervention strategies for practice with diverse populations (B5.7.10);
7. apply skill in performing the roles of broker, teacher, enabler, advocate, and mediator in working with and on behalf of diverse client systems (B5.7.6);
8. analyze the impact of social policies on client systems, workers, agencies, and communities (B5.7.8);
9. evaluate and employ research findings and other literature in the field to determine the most effective method of intervention and to evaluate the effectiveness of their own practice (B5.7.9); and
10. utilize the various forms of information technology for effective agency functioning.

 

Goal II To understand and work effectively with diverse populations (B5.4.2), program graduates will be able to:

1. apply knowledge, values, and skills for generalist social work practice in accordance with the unique needs and experiences of diverse populations including but not limited to ethnicity, class, gender, age, national origin, political orientation, religion, lifestyle, sexual orientation, and mental and physical abilities (B5.7.2);
2. identify the forms and mechanisms of historical and current oppression and discrimination and the strategies of change that advance social and economic justice (B5.7.4); and
3. implement and advocate for policy change within agencies, communities, and legislative bodies that reflect respect for and appreciation of diverse populations (B5.7.12).

 

Goal III To promote continued professional development and development of knowledge and skills for generalist social work practice (B5.4.5), program graduates will be able to:

1. identify and articulate the evolution of social welfare as an institution and social work as a profession and their current structures and issues (B5.7.5);
2. question and evaluate their own needs, values, strengths, and challenges, and how these affect their professional use of self in practice (B5.7.3); and
3. question and evaluate their professional performance and take responsibility for continuing educational and career development (B5.7.9 & B5.7.11).

 

Goal IV To provide service to the community and promote social and economic justice, social work program faculty, students, and graduates will:

1. advocate for social change to advance social and economic justice for all people with a focus on populations experiencing and at risk of discrimination and oppression (B5.7.4, B5.7.8, & B5.7.12), and
2. participate in community service activities and processes.

 

ACCREDITATION INFORMATION 

The Northern Arizona University Bachelor of Social Work degree is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

This program was originally accredited in May 1991 retroactive to 1988 by the CSWE.  The program was re-affirmed in June 2003 for another eight years.  Re-affirmation will occur again in spring 2011.

 

STEPS TO GRADUATION 

1. Apply to Northern Arizona University.
2. Apply to the BSW program after completion of SW 220 with a grade of B or better and 24 college credit hours with a minimum overall GPA of 2.25.
3. Complete the requirements as indicated in the NAU Academic Catalog.