UMD SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT

UMD SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Department of Social Work at the University of Minnesota Duluth is: 1) to promote the well-being of all individuals, families, groups, and communities and 2) to advance social justice through teaching, research, and service. The Department provides student-centered graduate social work education to prepare advanced practitioners for northern Minnesota and beyond. Priorities of the Department include preparing culturally competent advanced generalist social workers, emphasizing services with American Indians and their communities, services to children and families, and social work education for practice in rural settings.

Department Goals and Their Relationship to Social Work Values and Ethics

The Social Work Department has six goals that encompass the philosophy and mission of the department, the college and the university. They are:

1. To develop highly skilled, culturally competent advanced generalist social workers who actively seek to promote social justice and human well-being.

2. To contribute to social work knowledge development and effective social service delivery through research conducted with diverse populations.

3. To provide service and outreach based on high ethical standards, to diverse communities on the local, regional, national, and international levels.

4. To promote American Indian family and community preservation as part of a larger overall effort to reduce discrimination in society.

5. To provide teaching, research, and service to increase the effectiveness of rural social work practice.

6. To promote the well-being of children and families through curriculum content, research, student support, and outreach to the community.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES	RESEARCH	POLICY	HBSE	FIELD	PRACTICE	AMERICAN INDIAN
1. Apply critical thinking skills and a systematic problem solving approach within professional context, including synthesizing and applying appropriate theories and knowledge to practice interventions. (M5.7.1)	SW 8101 SW 8102 SW 8103	SW 5201 SW 5235	SW 5101 SW 5104 SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 8801 SW 8802	SW 8111 SW 8112 SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 5235
2. Practice within the values and ethics of the social work profession and with an understanding of, and respect for, the positive value of diversity with an emphasis on American Indian families and communities. (M5.7.2)	SW 8101 SW 8102	SW 5201 SW 5235	SW 5101 SW 5104	SW 8801 SW 8802	SW 8111 SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 5235 SW 8771 SW 8881
3. Demonstrate the professional use of self through reflection and feedback including the identification, development, and evaluation of a personal practice model. (M5.7.3)				SW 8801 SW 8802	SW 8111 SW 8112 SW 8441 SW 8661
4. Describe the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and the strategies and skills of change that advance social and economic justice. (M5.7.4)	SW 8102 SW 8103	SW 5201 SW 5235	SW 5101 SW 5104	SW 8801 SW 8802	SW 8111 SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 5235 SW 8771 SW 8881
5. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the history and evolution of the social work profession and its current structures and issues. (M5. 7.5)		SW 5235			SW 8111 SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 5235
6. Apply the knowledge and skills of an advanced generalist social work perspective to practice organized around micro, mezzo, and macros systems levels. (M5. 7. 6)				SW 8802	SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 8881
7. Apply the knowledge and skills of advanced generalist social work with an emphasis on practice with American Indian and rural communities and with children and families. (M5. 7.7)		SW 5235		SW 8802	SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 5235 SW 8881 SW 8991
8. Critically analyze and apply knowledge of biopsychosocial variables that affect individual development and behavior, and use theoretical frameworks to understand the interactions among individuals and between individuals and social systems (i.e., families, groups, organizations, communities, society, culture and global systems). M5. 7.8)			SW 5101 SW 5104 SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 8801 SW 8802	SW 8111 SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 8771 SW 8881
9. Advance analysis of social policies affecting American Indian and other communities and demonstrate skills for influencing policy formulation and change. (M5.7.9)		SW 5235			SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 5235 SW 8771 SW 8881
10. Evaluate relevant research studies and apply findings to practice, and knowledge dissemination. (M5. 7. 10)	SW 8101 SW 8102 SW 8103 SW 8104				SW 8111 SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 5235 SW 8771 SW 8881 SW 8991
11. Conduct empirical evaluations of their own practice interventions and those of other relevant systems. (M5.7.11)	SW 8101 SW 8102 SW 8103 SW 8104			SW 8802	SW 8111 SW 8112 SW 8441
12. Demonstrate cultural competence with a variety of client populations, colleagues, and members of the community. (M5. 7. 12)	SW 8102	SW 5235	SW 5104 SW 8441 SW 8661	SW 8801 SW 8802	SW 8111 SW 8112 SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661	SW 8771 SW 8881
13. Use and provide supervision and consultation appropriate to advanced generalist practice. (M5. 7. 13)				SW 8801 SW 8802	SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661
14. Function within the structure of organizations and service delivery systems and seek necessary organizational and delivery system change. (M5. 7. 14)			SW 5101	SW 8802	SW 8441 SW 8551 SW 8661

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

RESEARCH

POLICY

HBSE

FIELD

PRACTICE

AMERICAN INDIAN