Social Work
Alice Gates, Ph.D., program director
Faculty: Gates, Gooding, Schallert
In keeping with the missions of the University of Portland and of the College of Arts and Sciences, the social work major offers an academically rigorous program enriched by intensive, educationally directed field experiences which engage UP’s mission to prepare students to “respond to the needs of the world and its human family.” As an academic discipline and practice-based profession, social work integrates social science knowledge with values and skills to promote social change, human development, and the liberation of people and communities. Social work at UP introduces students to the social justice foundations of the profession and prepares them for effective engagement with individuals, families, groups, and communities, with an emphasis on vulnerable and marginalized populations. Our program affirms the core values of equity, self-determination, antiracism, and solidarity.
Social work majors take courses across the curriculum to enhance their understanding of the biopsychosocial and person-in-environment frameworks. Theories of human development are complemented by critical theory and models for anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice. Students in this program receive training in how to address social problems through systematic and empirically grounded approaches to planned change.
The social work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; as such, our graduates are eligible to apply for advanced standing in many master of social work programs across the United States. Advanced standing provides students with the opportunity to complete an MSW graduate degree in just one year after graduating with a B.A. in social work (BSW).
Learning Outcomes for Social Work Majors
Social work graduates of the University of Portland will demonstrate mastery at the Generalist Social Work level of the following 9 competencies established by the Council on Social Work Education, listed below with selected examples of specific behaviors under each competency that will be assessed.
Competency 1. Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Competency 2. Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice
- Advocate for human rights at the individual, family, group, organizational, and community system levels.
- Engage in practices that promote social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
Competency 3. Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice
- Demonstrate anti-racist and anti-oppressive social work practice at all levels of practice.
- Demonstrate cultural humility through self-awareness, critical self-reflection, and self-regulation.
Competency 4. Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice
- Apply research findings to inform and improve practice, policy, and programs.
- Identify strategies that address inherent biases for use in research methods to advance the purposes of social work.
Competency 5. Engage in Policy Practice
- Use social justice, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive lenses to assess the justice and equity impacts of social welfare policies.
- Apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
Competency 6. Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 7. Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 8. Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 9. Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Student Handbook and Program Standards
The Social Work Program Student Handbook is available on the social work website. Students have the responsibility to acquaint themselves with its contents and are held accountable for all statements therein. To remain in good standing with the program and to enter the senior year practicum, students must maintain a minimum G.P.A. of 2.5 in all courses required for the major, among other standards outlined in the handbook.
Capstone Experience
During the senior year, students complete a year-long 400-hour practicum placement in a community organization. Seniors also take two co-requisite Generalist Practice courses which teach students to apply theories of change and related practice skills across the continuum of engagement, with individuals, families, groups, communities, organizations and policy and social systems.