Poverty Cirriculum Objectives

First-Year Curriculum Objectives 

The above goals have been further delineated through the program’s foundation objectives.  These 

objectives, in turn, drive curricular planning and development for the first year of the M.S.W. 

program.  They include: 

1. Practice within the values and ethics of the social work profession including: 

A. Identifying and articulating one’s own personal values, prejudices, and biases; 

B. Recognizing how one’s own values impact on assessment and intervention; 

C. Employing the NASW Code of Ethics in social work practice; 

D. Identifying ethical dilemmas affecting practice and services to clients; 

E. Resolving ethical dilemmas using appropriate decision-making processes; 

F. Practicing without discrimination on the basis of age, culture, class, ethnicity, 

disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation; 

G. Engaging in continued professional growth and development. 

2. Demonstrate culturally competent practice for work in diverse political and cultural contexts 

including: 

A. Recognizing diversity within and between groups; 

B. Recognizing one’s own reactions to clients who are different from oneself; 

C. Using interpersonal skills to support understanding and tolerance for human 

diversity. 

D. Working to ensure social services are culturally relevant and appropriate; 

D. Working to ensure social services are culturally relevant and appropriate; 

E. Recognizing the forms and mechanisms of racism, oppression, and discrimination 

and their impact on client systems; 

F. Critically analyzing and applying culturally appropriate theories and knowledge about 

client system functioning within environmental contexts; 

G. Employ an ecological perspective when engaging in assessment, planning, and 

intervention. 

3. Use practice knowledge and skill to promote alleviation of poverty, oppression, and other 

forms of social and economic injustice including: 

A. Analyzing historic and current trends in social welfare policy and service delivery; 

B. Analyzing policy research relevant to service delivery; 

C. Using knowledge of economic, political, and organizational systems to pursue 

policies consistent with social work values; 

D. Recognizing financial, organizational, administrative and planning processes needed 

for social service delivery; 

E. Formulate, analyze, interpret, and influence social policy and service delivery issues. 

F. Using interpersonal skills to affect social change in systems of various sizes. 

4. Function effectively within the structure of organizations and across service delivery systems 

including: 

A. Using appropriate practice-relevant technologies within the context of organizational 

resources and facilities;

B. Using supervision and consultation appropriately to improve practice and enhance 

services to clients; 

C. Promoting nondiscriminatory social and/or agency policies that enhance social 

functioning and interactions of individuals, families, groups, organization, 

communities, and society, alleviate poverty and oppression, promote social and 

economic justice, and ensure culturally competent practice; 

D. Employing/participating in efforts to evaluate program effectiveness. 

5. Use the generalist practice model and advanced practice knowledge and skills with client 

systems of all sizes including individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, and 

communities including: 

A. Using knowledge and theories of individual, family, group, organizational, and 

community development to assess interactions among individuals and other social 

systems; 

B. Appropriately applying relevant research findings to social work practice; B. Using supervision and consultation appropriately to improve practice and enhance 

services to clients; 

C. Promoting nondiscriminatory social and/or agency policies that enhance social 

functioning and interactions of individuals, families, groups, organization, 

communities, and society, alleviate poverty and oppression, promote social and 

economic justice, and ensure culturally competent practice; 

D. Employing/participating in efforts to evaluate program effectiveness. 

5. Use the generalist practice model and advanced practice knowledge and skills with client 

systems of all sizes including individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, and 

communities including: 

A. Using knowledge and theories of individual, family, group, organizational, and 

community development to assess interactions among individuals and other social 

systems; 

B. Appropriately applying relevant research findings to social work practice; 

C. Employing evidenced-based best practices when using professional knowledge and 

skills; 

D. Using communication skills appropriate to client systems, colleagues, and 

community members; 

E. Applying critical thinking skills to social work practice; 

F. Working collaboratively with professionals from other disciplines; 

G. Evaluating one’s own practice effectiveness and sharing findings appropriately; 

H. Demonstrating professional (conscious) use of self in social work practice; 

C. Employing evidenced-based best practices when using professional knowledge and 

skills; 

D. Using communication skills appropriate to client systems, colleagues, and 

community members; 

E. Applying critical thinking skills to social work practice; 

F. Working collaboratively with professionals from other disciplines; 

G. Evaluating one’s own practice effectiveness and sharing findings appropriately; 

H. Demonstrating professional (conscious) use of self in social work practice;