Mission

To prepare baccalaureate level social work students for beginning professional social work practice upon graduation.  The program is committed to utilizing the problem-solving approach to effectively address the multiplicity of problems experienced by vulnerable, disadvantaged and culturally diverse populations.

Goals
 

1. To provide undergraduate social work students with the theoretical constructs and applicable skills required for generalist social work practice at all levels - individual, family, group, organization, and community.
    
2. To educate social work students who are sensitive to the needs of vulnerable and disenfranchised populations, in both rural and urban regions.

Objectives
 

1. To prepare baccalaureate level social work students with an ability to develop and integrate the knowledge, ethics, values and skills required for competent generalist practice at the entry level of social work practice.
    
2. To meet the needs of advantaged and educationally disadvantaged students for academic programs which prepare graduates to practice in a wide range of geographic areas and with diverse populations.
    
3. To enable the entry level, generalist social work student and faculty to meet the social welfare needs of, and be sensitive to the plight of, vulnerable, disadvantaged, and otherwise oppressed rural populations at the local, state, regional, and national level.
    
4. To prepare social work students to use a system-oriented, problem-solving approach based on an understanding of human behavior with client systems whether those are individuals, families, groups, organizations, or communities.
    
5. To promote social economic justice and empowerment necessary to alleviate poverty, oppression, and discrimination.
    
6. To prepare the undergraduate social work major to enter graduate studies in social work and/or related fields of graduate studies (if so desired) such as counseling, psychology, gerontology, law, criminal justice, and sociology by providing a liberal arts perspective prior to core curriculum courses.
    
7. To provide continuing education workshops, seminars, and in-service training to faculty, students, graduates, field instructors and professionals employed by community organizations and/or agencies.