Vision, Mission, Goals, and Values

Vision 

The School of Social Work envisions a just and equitable world in which diverse individuals, families, and communities thrive.

BASW Program Mission and Goals

The mission of the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) Program in the School of Social Work (SSW) at San José State University is to prepare social work professionals at the generalist level for effective, ethical practice, and to equip undergraduate students to explore and build leadership skills from a transcultural perspective with diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. In the service of this BASW mission, the school is active in scholarship and professional leadership endeavors that advance the field of social work and respond to emerging and diverse needs. The transcultural perspective is infused throughout the BASW curriculum, informs faculty scholarship, and reflects an enduring commitment to advocating for social justice, honoring the strengths of diverse cultures, and enhancing the well-being of all.

The BASW program at SJSU has five goals. They are as follows:

  • Goal 1: The BASW Program prepares generalist social workers for ethical social work and use of the transcultural perspective with diverse and marginalized populations.
  • Goal 2: The BASW program prepares social workers for effective generalist practice from a transcultural perspective with individuals and families across the lifespan, and with groups, organizations, and communities
  • Goal 3: The BASW program prepares generalist social workers to explore and build leadership skills in advocating for change and innovation in policies and practices to enhance social justice and the
    well-being of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  • Goal 4: The BASW program prepares generalist social workers for critical inquiry to improve, design, and develop solutions to advance effective social work.
  • Goal 5: The BASW program contributes to social work through professional leadership and scholarship that advances social work knowledge, practice, and values.

MSW Program Mission and Goals

The mission of the Masters of Social Work (MSW) Program in the School of Social Work (SSW) at San José State University is to prepare social work professionals at the advanced generalist level for effective, ethical practice, and to equip graduate students to strengthen skills and assume leadership roles from a transcultural perspective with diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

In the service of this MSW mission, the school is active in scholarship, professional leadership endeavors, in the area of advanced generalist practice along with areas of interest, that advance the field of social work and respond to emerging and diverse needs of clients, communities, and systems. The transcultural perspective is infused throughout the MSW curriculum, informs faculty scholarship, and reflects an enduring commitment to advocating for social justice, honoring the strengths of diverse cultures, and enhancing the well-being of all.

  • The MSW program at SJSU has five goals. They are as follows:
    Goal 1: The MSW program prepares advanced generalist social workers for ethical social work and use of the transcultural perspective with diverse and marginalized populations in the context of all areas of practice.
  • Goal 2: The MSW program prepares social workers for specialized practice from a transcultural multi-systems perspective with individuals and families across the lifespan, and with groups, organizations, and communities, and in the context of all areas of practice
  • Goal 3: The MSW program prepares advanced generalist social workers to assume leadership in advocating for change and innovation in policies and practices to enhance social justice and the well-being of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in the context of all areas of practice.
  • Goal 4: The MSW program prepares social workers for critical inquiry beyond the generalist level to improve, design, and develop solutions to advance effective social work in all areas of practice.
  • Goal 5: The MSW program contributes to social work through professional leadership and scholarship that advances social work knowledge, practice, and values in the context of all areas of practice.

To learn more about the transcultural perspective, please see our video below:

SJSU School of Social Work Values

The SSW is committed to core social work values: service, social justice, the dignity and worth of the person, the importance of human relationships, integrity, competence, human rights, and scientific inquiry. In addition, our values are aligned with the SSW’s priorities. They include:

Scholarship and Learning

The academic freedom of faculty and students is vital to the role of promoting life-long learning and intellectual inquiry through research, scholarship, and the pursuit of knowledge.

Student and Faculty/Staff Success

The academic freedom of faculty and students is vital to the role of promoting life-long learning and intellectual inquiry through research, scholarship, and the pursuit of knowledge.

Excellence

The highest standards are held in support of continual improvement and innovation in all that the school does.

Integrity

All individuals are held accountable for their behavior, including being honest and fair in all their work and interactions.

Diversity

Diversity, inclusion, civility, and individual uniqueness are respected. The SSW recognizes the strengths that these factors bring to the learning environment.

Community

Collaborative relationships within and beyond the campus are valued in order to realize the mission of the SSW.