Master of Social Work

MSW PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT

Rooted in the values and ethics of the social work profession, the mission of the graduate social work program at Florida International University is to prepare students for advanced clinical social work practice with an emphasis on individuals and families. As an integral partner of the South Florida community, the program is dedicated to educating its students to promote human and social well-being and to contribute to refining and advancing social work practice through research-based practice and collaborative engagement in diverse urban settings.

The focus of graduate social work education is the preparation of graduates for advanced professional practice in an area concentration. These goals reflect the intent of CSWE’s

Educational Policy.

The goals of the MSW Program are to educate graduates to:

A. Provide curriculum for advanced clinical practice that builds on the foundation offered in the first year (or BSW program).

B. Educate students to identify as professional social workers including the incorporation of its values and ethics and contribute to refining and advancing social work practice through research-based practice and collaborative engagement.

C. Educate students to synthesize and apply a broad range of interdisciplinary evidencebased knowledge and skills.

D. Educate advanced clinical practice students to engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate individuals within group, family, and ecological contexts in order to promote human and social well-being.

E. Prepare students to use critical thinking to engage in self-reflection and discriminate and differentially apply advanced clinical social work skills and knowledge in their practice.

F. Prepare students to apply knowledge and skills of human behavior and the social environment to work with diverse and multi-cultural populations in urban settings with an emphasis on South Florida.

Stempel College inspires groundbreaking research and education through a nurturing academic environment that influences policy and promotes healthy lives in communities near and far. The college’s academic disciplines—public health, dietetics and nutrition, social work, and disaster preparedness—are advancing research and practices to realize this mission, bringing our students and faculty to the forefront of their fields.

Stempel College’s unique geography at the intersection of the Americas in Miami, Florida, drives us to solve complicated health and social welfare matters afflicting the most underserved populations. This does not change after graduation; alumni continue to contribute in meaningful ways.