Social Work Student Resources

To qualify to participate in the program and pursue a degree in Social Work, students must meet pre requisites. This includes:

• performing the essential functions required by the program
• meeting the appropriate programmatic standards

These standards should be met in the classroom, in field placements, and elsewhere in the program. In addition, as students at BYU-Idaho, students are expected to adhere to the moral and personal standards set by the Honor Code.

By applying to and accepting admission into the Social Work program, students commit that they have the following abilities and attributes and will conduct themselves according to the following guidelines:

Motor Abilities

Students should:

• fully participate in classes and field agency placement
• acquire and integrate data through use of their senses

Reasonable accommodation for a qualifying disability may be allowed, but it is the student's responsibility to obtain and relay the necessary information from the University Services for Students with a Disability office to each instructor and field supervisor.

Communication Skills

Students must:

• have sufficient skills in written and spoken English
• the ability to process information expeditiously
• communicate effectively with instructors, other students, faculty members, staff, clients, and other professionals.

Ethical standards

Students:

• are ethically and professionally bound to adhere to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics
• adhere to pertinent Idaho statutes and applicable administrative codes
• demonstrate appreciation for empathy, diversity in society, and non-judgmental attitude in their interactions with others
• value confidentiality as the foundation to the profession of social work
• have sound interpersonal skills

Knowledge base

Students need to:

• learn and practice within the scope of social work's knowledge base
• recognize the distinctive components of the biopsychosocial perspective and social work methodologies

These principles must guide their work with clients and become the basis for their contribution to other related work.

Professionalism

Students are expected to:

• demonstrate a commitment to professional conduct
• practice within the scope of social work
• adhere to the limit of their knowledge and skills in the delivery of services to clients
• respect others
• be punctual and dependable
• complete assignments and reports on time
• prioritize responsibilities
• reflect an appropriate understanding of the professional context through their appearance and personal demeanor

Conflict resolution should reflect respect for proper channels of authority, and feedback dealt with in a professional manner. Respect should be shown to:

• fellow students
• faculty
• staff
• clients
• colleagues

Disrespect for others or any form of sexual harassment will not be tolerated.

Self-care

To minimize any adverse impact on schoolastic and professional performance, students need to:

• recognize the signs of stress and emotional problems
• develop appropriate means of self-care
• seek supportive services when necessary

Students must be willing to seek and follow the advice of their faculty advisor regarding the appropriate maintenance of their academic, physical, or psychological health, which may include assessment and/or therapeutic services at the student's expense.


**Note: Social workers often work with agencies that serve vulnerable populations, and as such, many agencies require their interns/workers to pass criminal background checks.