Professional social work programs, both BSW and MSW degrees, are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
CSWE Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (2001) defines the purposes of the social work professional and social work education as follows:
1.0 Purposes of the Social Work Profession
The social work profession receives its sanction from public and private auspices and is the primary profession in the development, provision, and evaluation of social services. Professional social workers are leaders in a variety of organizational settings and service delivery systems within a global context.The profession of social work is based on the values of service, social and economic justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, and integrity and competence in practice. With these values as defining principles, the purposes of social work are:
- To enhance human well-being and alleviate poverty, oppression, and other forms of social injustice.
- To enhance the social functioning and interactions of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities by involving them in accomplishing goals, developing resources, and preventing and alleviating distress.
- To formulate and implement social policies, services, and programs that meet basic human needs and support the development of human capacities.
- To pursue policies, services, and resources through advocacy and social or political actions that promote social and economic justice.
- To develop and use research, knowledge, and skills that advance social work practice.
- To develop and apply practice in the context of diverse cultures.
1.1 Purposes of Social Work Education
The purposes of social work education are to prepare competent and effective professionals, to develop social work knowledge, and to provide leadership in the development of service delivery systems. Social work education is grounded in the profession’s history, purposes, and philosophy and is based on a body of knowledge, values, and skills. Social work education enables students to integrate the knowledge, values, and skills of the social work profession for competent practice.
All social work education foundation curriculum must contain content on the following areas:
4.0 Values and Ethics
4.1 Diversity
4.2 Populations-at-Risk and Social and Economic Justice
4.3 Human Behavior and the Social Environment
4.4 Social Welfare Policy and Services
4.5 Social Work Practice
4.6 Research
4.7 Field Education
