School of Social Work

Mission and vision

Our mission

The Western Michigan University School of Social Work’s mission is to become a learner-centered school that develops social work leaders to impact social, economic and environmental justice through excellence in research and practice.

Our vision

We will work together in respectful, inclusive and empowering ways towards social, economic and environmental justice through excellence in research and practice, and personal well-being for all.

This vision will be met through our action steps:

Strengthen students' critical thinking skills, helps them formulate a vision of a just society and enables them to move towards the realization of their vision.
Prepare ethical, competent, reflective practitioners to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities and institutions within a global and changing environment.
Foster trauma-informed, culturally responsive and anti-racist practice.
Nurture a respectful, inclusive, equitable environment that maximizes the contributions and development of students, faculty and staff members

Our Values

Justice

Using

Sustainable

Transformative and

Innovative practice through

Collaboration and

Equity

Goals

To provide a professional education that prepares generalist and advanced practitioners to enhance, advocate, and support social and economic justice and personal well-being for all people.

To prepare generalist and advanced practitioners who demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively with diverse, vulnerable, and underserved populations.

To prepare generalist and advanced practitioners who possess critical thinking skills, embrace social work values, and have the requisite skills needed to formulate and realize a vision of a just society.

To prepare ethical, reflective, and competent generalist and advanced practitioners in interpersonal practice to work with individuals, families, and groups; and in policy, planning, and administration to work with organizations, communities, and institutions within a global and changing environment.

To prepare generalist and advanced practitioners who effectively intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities and institutions by utilizing evidence-based knowledge and theories and guided by person-centered ecological models.

To prepare generalist and advanced practitioners who possess the knowledge and skills necessary to consume and produce social work knowledge and the ability to actively participate in the evaluation of professional practice.

To prepare advanced practitioners who are grounded in a biopsychosocial-spiritual framework, understand the historical roots of the social work profession, and can analyze, develop, and utilize social policy.