Social Work Department

The mission of the social work program at SUNY Plattsburgh is to prepare competent and effective generalist social work professional practitioners, whose knowledge base includes the profession’s history, purposes, and philosophy, and whose values include service, social justice, dignity and worth of each human being, self-determination, integrity, importance of human relationships, competence, human rights, and scientific inquiry. This program prepares social work practitioners who are grounded in an empowerment orientation to practice, and to the promotion of tangible hope in work with communities, organizations, groups, families, and individuals, towards the goal of advancing social and economic justice for all populations served in professional practice.

1. To prepare competent and effective generalist professional practitioners committed to promoting human rights, reducing social injustice, and creating social, political, and economic conditions conducive to human well-being.
   
   
2. To prepare competent and effective generalist professional practitioners who rely on knowledge, values, and skills that foster hope through empowerment and advocacy approaches in practice with organizations, communities, groups, families, and individuals, especially those who are oppressed and devalued.
   
   
3. To prepare competent and effective generalist practitioners who embrace diversity, and use cross-cultural, and cross-national knowledge, values, and skills in practice with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations.
   
   
4. To prepare competent and effective generalist professionals whose commitment to the profession includes responsibility for ongoing education, leadership development, and contributions to the profession’s knowledge base.

To prepare students as clinical practitioners by providing both generalist and specialized knowledge in the area of health and well-being and the skills to engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities as an agent and facilitator of change.  Grounded in scientific inquiry and using specialized skills and interdisciplinary knowledge, graduates will be prepared to practice with a commitment to social work values.  The program will promote justice, respect for diversity and ethical decision making in practice, policy making and service delivery in order to improve the well-being of the greater community and its diverse members and constituencies. 

1. To educate students as practitioners who can identify and meet the varied needs of the community and its diverse constituencies by engaging in practice across the micro, mezzo and macro levels.
   
   
2. To educate students as competent practitioners who can apply ethical principles and critical thinking to promote well-being and health using research-informed practices.
   
   
3. To offer flexible program options, both through classroom learning and field placements, that expand opportunities for both traditional and non-traditional students to enter the social work profession.