About Us
The social work profession is committed to reducing human suffering, enhancing quality of life, and confronting the causes of social injustice. This commitment compels social workers to develop skills that promote change on various levels. Social workers are trained to provide direct services to individuals, families, groups, and communities. They learn to confront and change the forces that cause injustice, discrimination, and oppression.
Social work education trains students in the analysis of social structures and in the practice of techniques that promote individual, group, organizational, and community development and growth. Advocacy strategies are used for the empowerment of individuals, groups, and communities.
WMU’s programs stress the need to recognize and fight discrimination in its many forms, including discrimination based upon class, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, and physical abilities. Through instruction, research, and community involvement, the School of Social Work at WMU speaks out against social injustice while promoting human rights and a more equitable distribution of resources and power.
In seeking to create a learning environment that is responsive to students’ professional development, the School promotes community and a sense of individual and collective responsibility for each other’s growth. An environment that supports self-examination, expression, and experimentation is enhanced by meaningful interaction among students, faculty, and field instructors.