Bachelor of Social Work

Competency Based Education Assessment

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Social workers:

• make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context;
• use reflection and self-regulation to manage personal values and maintain professionalism in practice situations;
• demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior; appearance; and oral, written, and electronic communication;
• use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes; and
• use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior.

Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
Social workers:

• apply and communicate understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels;
• present themselves as learners and engage clients and constituencies as experts of their own experiences; and
• apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies.

Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
Social workers:

• apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels; and
• engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice.

Competency 4: Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
Social workers:

• use practice experience and theory to inform scientific inquiry and research;
• apply critical thinking to engage in analysis of quantitative and qualitative research methods and research findings; and
• use and translate research evidence to inform and improve practice, policy, and service delivery.

Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice
Social workers:

• Identify social policy at the local, state, and federal level that impacts well-being, service delivery, and access to social services;
• assess how social welfare and economic policies impact the delivery of and access to social services;
• apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Social workers:

• apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to engage with clients and constituencies; and
• use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and constituencies.

Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Social workers:

• collect and organize data, and apply critical thinking to interpret information from clients and constituencies;
• apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of assessment data from clients and constituencies;
• develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives based on the critical assessment of strengths, needs, and challenges within clients and constituencies; and
• select appropriate intervention strategies based on the assessment, research knowledge, and values and preferences of clients and constituencies.

Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Social workers:

• critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals and enhance capacities of clients and constituencies;
• apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in interventions with clients and constituencies;
• use inter-professional collaboration as appropriate to achieve beneficial practice outcomes;
• negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of diverse clients and constituencies; and
• facilitate effective transitions and endings that advance mutually agreed-on goals.

Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Social workers:

• select and use appropriate methods for evaluation of outcomes;
• apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the evaluation of outcomes;
• critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate intervention and program processes and outcomes; and
• apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.

The social work program has designed a straight-forward assessment plan to determine how well the competencies are being met.  There are two levels of measurement  that operate within the plan- faculty scores, measuring student’s performance as evident by various work throughout the curriculum and field instructor scores, measuring student performance in a real practice setting through the final evaluation in field.   In addition to the t faculty perspective on competency, the competencies and related behaviors are assessed in the field by the student’s field instructor.  Each competency is represented by the associated behaviors and further operationalized by specific activities or tasks practiced in the field of social work under the supervision of a trained field instructor.  The field final evaluation assesses each competency using a 1-9 score that represents how well the student is demonstrating the associated behavior through activities and tasks.

Fontbonne University Baccalaureate Social Work Program Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes 

Last Completed in 2017