Mission and Goals

School’s Mission             BSW Mission                 MSW Mission

mission

Mission Statement of the FAU Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work

We are committed to maximizing human potential, alleviating human suffering, enhancing the vitality and caring capacity of communities, and promoting the ideals of a humane and just society. We strive to fulfill this mission through education, research, and community engagement.

  • We educate competent and compassionate social workers as practitioners and leaders for the 21st Century. Our graduates possess critical thinking skills and engage in evidence-based practice, with a deep respect for human diversity and strengths.
  • We contribute to the knowledge building through theory development and research that foster an understanding of complex systems, inform human capacities for problem solving, and promote effective social work interventions at all system levels.
  • We initiate community engagement and work in partnership with local, regional, national, and international communities to promote the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual wellbeing of diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, and to redress social and economic disparities in society.

In accordance with the Florida Atlantic University Strategic Plan, we focus all our endeavors on the themes of “Contemporary Societal Challenges” in addressing issues that the region and State of Florida experience first, including health and aging, children welfare, healthy environments, disaster preparedness and response, immigration, culture and diversity, ethics, health disparities, and social and economic inequities. We demonstrate our leadership as “Stewards of Place,” building on the strengths and addressing the needs of our region and state. While we focus locally, we also view local issues as interconnected with national and global ones, and we promote learning, research, and community engagement at all levels. Given the complex nature of human wellbeing and social problems in today’s world, we encourage intra-professional and interdisciplinary collaboration in all aspects of our mission.


Mission Statement of the BSW Program of the FAU School of Social Work

Building on the Mission of the FAU School of Social Work:

The mission of our BSW program is to educate competent and compassionate social workers for entry-level practice and as a foundation for further professional development and growth. Our graduates possess critical thinking skills and engage in evidence-based practice, with a deep respect for human diversity and strengths.

  1. Evidence-based, generalist practice
    To prepare competent and compassionate BSW graduates for evidence-based generalist social work practice based on the integration of self-awareness, knowledge, professional values and ethics, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills.
  2. Community-engaged/located
    To prepare BSW graduates to become community-engaged practitioners who understand the intersection between direct practice, client wellbeing, and policy, and can work effectively with diverse populations and contemporary societal issues in south Florida.
  3. Ongoing learning
    To provide BSW graduates with an appreciation for how knowledge is discovered, challenged, and transformed, including a desire to pursue continued professional development through lifelong learning.
  4. Prepare for graduate education
    To prepare BSW graduates who wish to pursue an MSW with the foundational knowledge, skills, and experiences that they will need to pursue graduate education.


Mission Statement of the MSW Program of the FAU School of Social Work

Building on the Mission of the FAU School of Social Work:

The mission of our MSW program is to educate competent and compassionate social workers for advanced clinical social work practice with children, adolescents, adults, elders, couples, families, and groups. Our graduates possess critical thinking skills and engage in evidence-based clinical practice, with a deep respect for human diversity and strengths, and with a desire to continue lifelong learning and professional development.

  1. Evidence-based, clinical social work practice
    To prepare competent and compassionate MSW graduates for evidence-based clinical social work practice for clients across the lifespan, based on the integration of self-awareness, knowledge, professional values and ethics, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills.
  2. Community-engaged/located
    To prepare MSW graduates to become community-engaged practitioners who understand the intersection between direct practice, client wellbeing, and policy, and can work effectively with diverse populations and contemporary societal issues in south Florida.
  3. State licensure
    To prepare MSW graduates with the academic foundation for obtaining state licensure for clinical social work practice.
  4. Lifelong learning
    To provide MSW graduates with an appreciation for how knowledge is discovered, challenged, and transformed, including a desire to pursue continued professional development through lifelong learning.
  5. Post-MSW studies
    To provide MSW graduates with the intellectual and practical foundation that they will need if they choose to pursue post-MSW studies, such as a PhD, DSW, or other advanced social work education and training.