The following seven goals have been established by the faculty for the BSW Program:

1. To prepare competent, entry level, generalist, social work professionals to practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities; 
2. To prepare graduates, who identify with professional social work values, and who engage in ethical practice consistent with the standards defined by the National Association of Social Workers;
3. To prepare graduates committed to social and economic justice, and who understand, value, and practice effectively with at risk populations;
4. To contribute to students' understanding of policy development and change in order to participate as informed citizens in promoting effective and just social welfare policies and programs; 
5. To empower or transform students by creating, supporting, and sustaining a learning community that nurtures self reflection, self understanding, and lifelong learning; 
6. To enrich the curricula of related disciplines by increasing knowledge of the social work profession, human needs, diversity, social problems, and social justice issues; 
7. To provide a professional and educational foundation for students who choose to pursue graduate education in social work.

Objectives

Thirteen program objectives, which flow from the program goals, have been defined by the faculty and are listed below.   In essence, these objectives delineate the professional competencies of graduates and the expectations of a baccalaureate level social worker.  The Department's performance criteria for program evaluation have been shaped by these objectives also. 

Graduates of the BSW program are expected to be able to:

1. Demonstrate a commitment to the mission of the social work profession and to social change by providing services to individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations;
2. Understand and adhere to the values and ethics of social work in all professional functions;
3. Employ culturally competent, effective communication and critical thinking skills as generalist social work practitioners;
4. Recognize, understand, and appreciate diversity as a human strength and practice without discrimination with respect to age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, gender identity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation;
5. Use an evidence-based systems/ecological  perspective and a bio-psycho-socio-cultural approach in assessment and intervention planning for systems of all sizes;
6. Possess a basic knowledge about the history and development of social welfare and the social work profession and how this history impacts current trends and practices;
7. Engage in professional advocacy that promotes social and economic justice;
8. Understand how economic, social, political, and cultural factors interrelate and result in discrimination and oppression;
9. Understand the interrelatedness of social problems, social policies, services and social work practice;
10. Demonstrate critical thinking skills in analyzing and formulating social policies and engage in strategies and tactics to influence social welfare policies and programs;
11. Critically evaluate research studies and conduct practice and program-based research to advance professional competencies and service effectiveness including the evaluation of one's own practice;
12. Use supervision and consultation effectively, and seek out continuing professional educational opportunities to improve practice;
13. Understand the structure of human service organizations and work effectively within the social service delivery systems to promote organizational change.