Social Work

The program has been developed within the framework of curriculum content outlined by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Accreditation Standards. The courses are carefully sequenced so that students may build upon previously acquired knowledge and have opportunities to experience the integration of various bodies of knowledge.

The courses that you take will prepare you to work with people in any setting, especially since our students complete volunteer hours in conjunction with several major courses and a 400-hour field placement before graduation.

Degree Requirements Degree Works

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, Degree Works.

• Child Welfare
• Social Work

All Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited programs measure and report student learning outcomes. Students are assessed on their mastery of the competencies that comprise the accreditation standards of CSWE. These competencies are dimensions of social work practice that all social workers are expected to master during their professional training. A measurement benchmark is set by the social work programs for each competency. An assessment score at or above that benchmark is considered by the program to represent mastery of that particular competency.

The Assessment of Student Outcomes Form is used to assist in the evaluation of the program’s compliance with the CSWE’s accreditation standards below:

5.0.1(a) The program has a systematic plan for ongoing assessment of student achievement of the nine social work competencies (and any additional competencies added by the program) of generalist practice for baccalaureate social work programs and of generalist and specialized practice for master’s social work programs. The program assesses each competency, using at least two instruments, at least one of which is based in real or simulated demonstration of student achievement in field education. The instruments, the expected level of achievement for each instrument, and the expected level of achievement for each competency are determined by the program. Student competence must be assessed by program faculty or field personnel.

BSW Student Outcomes for 2024

The program’s curriculum is designed to prepare graduates for generalist practice through the mastery of core competencies, those measurable practice behaviors that are knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes that include the social worker’s critical thinking, affective reactions, and exercise of judgment in regard to unique practice situations.

All Council on Social Work Education accredited programs measure and report student learning outcomes. Students are assessed on their mastery of the nine competencies listed below that comprise the accreditation standards of the Council on Social Work Education. These competencies are dimensions of social work practice that all social workers are expected to master during their professional training. A measurement benchmark is set by the social work programs for each competency. At Commonwealth University the benchmark is 80%. An assessment score at or above that benchmark is considered by the program to represent mastery of that particular competency.

CSWE 2022 Competencies

• Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior. a. make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics within the profession as appropriate to the context b. demonstrate professional behavior; appearance; and oral, written, and electronic communication c. use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes d. use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior
• Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice. a. advocate for human rights at the individual, family, group, organizational, and community system levels b. engage in practices that advance human rights to promote social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
• Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice a. demonstrate anti-racist and anti-oppressive social work practice at the individual, family, group, organizational, community, research, and policy levels b. demonstrate cultural humility by applying critical reflection, self-awareness, and self-regulation to manage the influence of bias, power, privilege, and values in working with clients and constituencies, acknowledging them as experts of their own lived experiences.
• Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice a. apply research findings to inform and improve practice, policy, and programs b. identify ethical, culturally informed, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive strategies that address inherent biases for use in quantitative and qualitative research methods to advance the purposes of social work.
• Engage in Policy Practice a. use social justice, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive lenses to assess how social welfare policies affect the delivery of and access to social services b. apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
• Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities a. apply knowledge of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as interprofessional conceptual frameworks, to engage with clients and constituencies b. use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to engage in culturally responsive practice with clients and constituencies.
• Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities a. apply theories of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as other culturally responsive and interprofessional conceptual frameworks, when assessing clients and constituencies b. demonstrate respect for client self-determination during the assessment process by collaborating with clients and constituencies in developing a mutually agreed-upon plan.
• intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities a. engage with clients and constituencies to critically choose and implement culturally responsive, evidence-informed interventions to achieve client and constituency goals b. incorporate culturally responsive methods to negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of clients and constituencies.
• Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities a. select and use culturally responsive methods for evaluation of outcomes b. critically analyze outcomes and apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Program Overview

• Applicants with a BSW can apply for “advanced standing.” Those who excelled in their BSW programs may be eligible to opt out of the foundational year of the program.
• As an MSW graduate, students will be eligible for professional licensure in Pennsylvania, as well as the rest of the United States. Students receive advanced generalist training for helping professionals working in a number of practice settings, such as school systems, behavioral health institutions, medical settings, and child welfare agencies.
• The Commonwealth University MSW program has been awarded full accreditation through the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
• Up to 900 hours of field experience is built into the MSW program, allowing students to gain the hands-on experience needed to become a leader in the social work field.

Advanced Standing Admissions

Students who are accepted into the advanced standing program will complete only the Specialized Curriculum (second year) in order to earn an MSW. All general admissions criteria apply with the following changes:

• Undergraduate degree in social welfare or social work: Applicants must have an earned undergraduate degree (BSW, BA, BS) from a CSWE accredited baccalaureate program. Additionally, BSW programs recognized through CSWE’s International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Services, or that are covered under a memorandum of understanding with international social work accreditors will be accepted. All applicants must have earned a 3.2 in their major (on a 4.0 scale) in order to be eligible for advanced standing. Applicants without a 3.2 GPA but with unusual circumstances may be considered for admission for advanced standing when they provide a written argument for exception to this requirement in the admissions essay.
• References: Applicants will provide the names and contact information of three professional references who will then be contacted to provide letters of recommendation. References from personal relationships will not be accepted. One reference must be from a BSW field supervisor, liaison, or field faculty. At least one reference must be from a BSW faculty member.
• Advanced standing applicants will also submit a copy of their final BSW field internship evaluation.

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