BA in Social Work Program Goals, Benchmarks, Core Competencies

Consistent with the mission of the School of Social Work, the BA in Social Work program prepares students to empower individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities within a variety of agency and community settings in the state of New Jersey and beyond. The BASW program utilizes an anti-racist approach, a liberatory consciousness framework, and a metacognitive pedagogy to promote critical thinking and action across all levels of the Person in Environment. Students in the BASW program will acquire the knowledge, values, and skills to serve various populations with a specific focus on underserved, minoritized, and oppressed groups.  Upon graduation students will be adept at the use of the generalist intervention model and proficient in the skills of engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation on the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.   

In 2016, the School of Social Work adopted three new school-wide learning goals. Upon graduation, all students will be able to:  

• Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior;  
• Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice;  
• Engage, Assess, and Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities.  

BA in Social Work Program Goals   

• Create an environment that prepares students to utilize a liberatory consciousness framework with an emphasis on one’s responsibility to disrupt and dismantle racism and oppression based in an anti-racist pedagogy.  
• Prepare students for foundation level practice within a variety of agency and community settings and with diverse populations, including minoritized groups, in the State of New Jersey and elsewhere.  
• Prepare entry-level social work practitioners who serve effectively in a variety of capacities, from rural settings to complex metropolitan contexts of social work practice in New Jersey.  
• Develop practitioners sensitive to the diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural composition of the State and the region who work with a range of client systems to meet the needs of citizens and communities.  
• Provide a high-quality educational experience through a curriculum grounded in a liberal arts perspective, metacognitive skills, and centered on the professional foundation content designed to prepare entry-level professionals for beginning social work practice with client systems of various size and types.  
• Educate students to understand and use social work knowledge, values, skills, cognitive and affective processes, and behaviors throughout their professional practice.  
• Support students’ preparation to continue their professional education, including pursuit of master’s degree programs in social work.  

CSWE Competencies/Program-Level Learning Goals

Through engagement with the program, students gain understanding in the dimensions of knowledge, values, skills, cognitive and affective processes, and behaviors as prescribed in the 2015 Council on Social Work (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). The BA is Social Work program has adopted the nine CSWE Social Work Competencies outlined in the EPAS as well as a new SSW specific competency 10 as BA program-level learning goals. BA in Social Work students will learn to;

1. Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
2. Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice
3. Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice
4. Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
5. Engage in Policy Practice
6. Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
7. Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
8. Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
9. Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
10. Develop Liberatory Consciousness

COUNCIL ON SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION - FORM AS 4(M) 
RUTGERS BA IN SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM 
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 

Form AS B5.0.1(d) | Public Reporting of Assessment Outcomes
Generalist Practice | Summary of Plan

Generalist Practice | Summary of Outcomes
Assessment Data Collected on: Fall 2024-Spring 2025

2014-15 BA in Social Work Competency Benchmarks

2015-16 BA in Social Work Competency Benchmarks

2016-17 BA in Social Work Competency Benchmarks

2017-18 BA in Social Work Competency Benchmarks

2018-19 BA in Social Work Competency Benchmarks

2019-20 BA in Social Work Competency Benchmarks

2020-21 BA in Social Work Competency Benchmarks

2021-22 BA in Social Work Competency Benchmarks

2022-23 BA in Social Work Competency Benchmarks