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   ACCREDITATION INFORMATION

The UTC BSW Social Work Program is currently in the second year of candidacy status effective to fall semester of 2006. Typically, it takes about three years to achieve full accreditation status. In the interim, programs are granted candidacy status to allow students to graduate with an accredited degree.  The program will have a site visit between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31, 2008; the goal of this site visit is to review the program's readiness for a full accreditation review in the fall of 2009.  CLICK HERE FOR AN FAQ ON ACCREDITATION.

 

  UTC BSW PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT:

The mission of the Baccalaureate Social Work (BSW) degree program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) is to prepare students for competent, generalist evidence-based practice.  As generalists, graduates will have a common body of social work knowledge, values, and skills informed by the principles outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics and transferable among human service settings and population groups. Social work faculty and students are committed to working together to engage in scholarship, continued learning and community service to individuals from diverse backgrounds reflecting the UTC mission as a metropolitan university that serves people from varied cultural, social and economic backgrounds.

SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM GOALS

The UTC BSW program seeks to create a quality professional program:

  1. To prepare competent BSW professionals to practice ethical generalist social work effectively by applying a range of social work theories and evidence-based interventions with individuals, families, small groups, organizations, and communities in all types of settings.
  2. To prepare competent BSW professionals who respect and value local and global diversity and apply evidence-based culturally competent social work skills.
  3. To prepare competent BSW professionals who apply innovative social change strategies which promote both social and economic justice
  4. To prepare competent BSW professionals through a learner-centered curriculum that provides opportunities for students to apply developing skills in a variety of learning environments.
  5. To prepare BSW students to succeed in the world of work by providing opportunities for students to connect with professionals in the community through a variety of activities.

UTC BSW PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Each program objective is measured through various outcome measures.

Graduates of the UTC Social Work Program will be able to:
    1. Apply culturally competent evidence-based practice skills adaptable to meet the needs of individuals and groups with diverse backgrounds by utilizing understandable language and multi-culturally sensitive communication skills. (Program Goal #2)
    2. Synthesize and integrate varied sources to inform decisions and create solutions and appropriate problem-solving strategies congruent with the social work knowledge base.  (Program Goals #3, #4
    3. Demonstrate professional behavior congruent with the social work Code of Ethics and apply strategies to effectively identify, address, and resolve ethical conflicts in professional practice.  (Program Goals #2, #3, #4, #5)
    4. Apply strategies for continuous self-evaluation including supervision and consultation, and feedback from peers and other sources for self development.  (Program Goals #1, #4,  #5)
    5. Practice with an understanding of human rights and social justice by engaging in systematic social change to alleviate economic deprivation and oppression by applying change strategies to begin the process of achieving a just society in a global community.  (Program Goals #2, #3)
    6. Integrate an appreciation for the history of the social work profession and the relationship between social welfare policies and the social work profession to inform the context of current generalist practice.  (Program Goals #1, #3)
    7. Evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based interventions and other generalist practice activities and client situations in the context of political and social policy by applying both quantitative and qualitative evaluation, research, and effective writing skills to a variety of practice settings.  (Program Goals #2, #3, #4)
    8. Function as a professional, collaborative, and supportive team member in implementing agency mission and functions.  (Program Goals #1, #2, #3, #4, #5)
    9. Apply an understanding of the effects of interpersonal, social, and institutional oppression and discrimination in assessing and planning change in service delivery systems and organizations.  (Program Goals #1, #2, #3, #5)
    10. Contribute to the service-centered focus of the university in promoting intellectual, ethical, social, and cultural professional growth to enrich one’s own life and the lives of others and in preparation for functioning professionally in a variety of entry-level practice settings.  (Program Goals #2, #3, #4, #5)

PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY BOARD

The Professional Advisory Board for the Social Work Program is a dynamic and energetic group of professionals representing a broad array of social services and healthcare agencies and organizations in the southeast Tennessee area. The board meets on a monthly basis to provide feedback to the Social Work Program regarding program development, policies, student recruitment, and current trends in social work practice and administration.