School of Social Work

Mission Statement

The mission of Northeastern State University’s (NSU) Department of Social Work is to academically prepare competent and effective professionals; particularly first generation college students who desire to enter generalist social work practice.  Along with our academic program’s accessibility, our curriculum is designed to integrate and apply the knowledge, skills, and values of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) competencies and behavioral indicators with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.  These key foundations prepare our graduates to practice social work in a wide range of agencies and allied settings with diverse client systems and people.  Our academic program has a unique focus in its integration of addressing social work practice with Native American populations, and the option to specialize in child welfare leadership.

Student Learning Outcomes

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

• a. Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics within the profession as appropriate to the context;
• b. Demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior; appearance; and oral, written, and electronic communication.
• c. Use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes.
• d. Use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior.

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

• a. Advocate for human rights at the individual, family, group, organizational, and community system levels; and
• b. Engage in practices that advance human rights to promote social, racial, economic, and
  environmental justice.

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

• a. Demonstrate anti-racist and anti-oppressive social work practice at the individual, family, group, organizational, community, research, and policy levels; and
• b. Demonstrate cultural humility by applying critical reflection, self-awareness, and self-regulation to manage the influence of bias, power, privilege, and values in working with clients and constituencies, acknowledging them as experts of their own lived experiences.

Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice

• a. Apply research findings to inform and improve practice, policy, and programs; and
• b. Identify ethical, culturally informed, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive strategies that address
  inherent biases for use in quantitative and qualitative research methods to advance the
  purposes of social work.

Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice

• a. Use social justice, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive lenses to assess how social welfare policies affect the delivery of and access to social services; and
• b. Apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.

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

• a. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to engage with clients and constituencies.
• b. Use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and constituencies.

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

• a. Apply theories of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as other culturally responsive and interprofessional conceptual frameworks, when assessing clients and constituencies; and
• b. Demonstrate respect for client self-determination during the assessment process by collaborating with clients and constituencies in developing a mutually agreed-upon plan.

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

• a. Engage with clients and constituencies to critically choose and implement culturally responsive, evidence-informed interventions to achieve client and constituency goals; and
• b. Incorporate culturally responsive methods to negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of clients and constituencies.

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

• a. Select and use culturally responsive methods for evaluation of outcomes; and
• b. Critically analyze outcomes and apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

General Social Work - 10 hours (9816)

• SOWK Electives (3000/4000 level) - 6 hours
• Advanced Electives (3000/4000 level) - 4 hours
  (Select from American Indian Studies, Psychology, Social Science, and/or Social Work)

Child Welfare Specialization - 10 hours (9817)

Complete 9 hours from the following:

• SOWK 4513 - Child Maltreatment
• SOWK 4523 - Child Welfare
• SOWK 4533 - Youth Offenders
• SOWK 4633 - Family and Child Welfare Services

Note: May include 3 hours of 3000/4000 level electives in Social Work, Psychology, Social Sciences or American Indian Studies with approval by a Child Welfare Specialization faculty advisor.

Complete 1 hour from the following:

• SOWK 4751 - Workshop - Select from the following titles:
• Native American Leadership
• Leadership & Supervision
• Indian Child Welfare

There are no minors related to this degree.

There are no certifications related to this degree.