Diversity Goals and Principles

The University of Maryland School of Social Work, Baccalaureate Social Work Program strives to graduate students who are prepared to engage and work with diverse populations at all levels of practice. Implicitly and explicitly, the program provides a learning environment that supports our diverse student body as they demonstrate their ability to embrace difference in their skills, knowledge, and attitudes. Each of our courses includes content on diversity, oppression, discrimination, or inequality through lecture, discussion, or an assignment.

Through the following goals, we are able to map the diversity content across the program:
1. Students will understand the current and historical context of oppression and inequality in the U.S. and be able to connect it to differential access to opportunities and resources.
2. Students will show evidence of self-awareness as a means to decrease personal bias in practice.
3. Students will exhibit respect of diverse attitudes, beliefs, and ways of knowing.
4. Students will demonstrate competence in:
a. Applying and communicating understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in practice;
b. Presenting themselves as learners and engage clients and constituencies as experts of their own experiences, and;
c. Applying self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies.