Social Work B.A./B.S.

The Baccalaureate Social Work (BSW) Program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).  The BSW Program prepares students to become entry-level professional generalist social workers to work in a variety of settings with client systems in different communities.

The BSW Program Mission statement states: The BSW Program promotes commitment to well-being, self-determination, and social and economic justice in our communities. The educational experience prepares professional, entry-level, generalist social workers to provide competent, effective, and values/ethics-based services with diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. This mission builds on the tradition and history of Portland State University as an urban, public access institution.

The BSW Program Goals are:

1. To provide a public access program with the goal of preparing generalist social workers who are informed and effective leaders in challenging injustice and promoting social and economic justice.

2. To prepare generalist social workers to practice competently with individuals, families, and groups through promoting well-being and self-determination.

3. To prepare generalist social workers to assume the role of change agent regarding issues, policies, and community needs that affect individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

4. To prepare generalist social workers able to work with a diversity of populations, integrating values, ethics, empirically informed practice, and service user input.

5. To provide a foundation for advanced study in social work and prepare generalist social workers to be reflective practitioners and lifelong learners.

Students enter the BSW Program as a “cohort” of learners. The cohort model provides a place for peer support, sharing of ideas, and resources.  Students also have BSW advisors to support their academic and other educational needs. The curriculum prepares students with the social work knowledge, values, and skills to provide effective services to individuals, families, groups, and communities in diverse settings. The curriculum is based on a liberal arts foundation. In accordance with CSWE requirements, the BSW Program does not give credit for prior work experience and/or life experience. It is designed on the 10 competencies and practice behaviors from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The BSW major courses are taken within a two-year timeframe over six terms. The courses include social work history, social welfare policy, generalist social work practice, research, human behavior and the social environment, social justice theory and practice and diversity electives. Students complete three terms of field education supervised by a qualified social worker. Students complete a 500 hour field practicum in conjunction with their practice courses and a field seminar. The field practicum provides students with the direct application of their knowledge, values, and skills in a variety of community agencies and settings.  Students complete a senior portfolio which synthesizes and integrates their entire learning in the program and can serve as a gateway for employers to learn about their educational experiences and knowledge from a social work perspective.  This course allows graduating seniors to discuss and showcase their work from the BSW Program and continues to prepare them for professional careers in generalist social work settings. Many of the seniors will utilize this portfolio for interviewing with potential employers.  Students who graduate from the BSW Program are prepared to become active social justice change agents ready to provide professional generalist social work competency-based knowledge, values, and skills to the community.