Mission

In 1997 the faculty sought to further clarify the mission of the School and agreed upon core values that support our teaching, research, and service activities. Never losing sight of these basic building blocks of quality social work education programs, we work as faculty, staff, students, and administrators to ensure an education opportunity that trains students to be exemplary professionals. As we look toward a new century and the implications this has for social work practice, we are encouraged through the knowledge that the School of Social Work has and continues to make a difference in our world through teaching, research and service. As we respond, through teaching and practice, to the needs of a changing world we are preparing our students for effective professional practice in a world that is hungering for hope and help -- this is the School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin.

Mission Statement

Through excellence in professional education, research, and service, The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work provides national leadership to promote social and economic justice, alleviate critical social problems, and enhance human well-being.

Core Values

We believe professional ethics and integrity are at the core of social work, and the values, principles, and standards that are set forth in the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics should guide, as applicable, the conduct of our faculty, staff, and students;

• We believe we should adhere to the highest standards of excellence in all our teaching, research, scholarship, and service activities;
• We believe we should work to promote social justice and social change, and should strive to end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice;
• We believe that the attainment of our mission requires a high regard for the worth of each person and our collective potential, and that the dissemination of knowledge is enhanced by the presence of cultural and ethnic diversity in our classrooms;
• We believe that, in order to enhance the social work knowledge base, the attainment of our mission requires critical thinking, professional development, and meaningful scholarship. As we improve our ability to transmit this knowledge to students and others effectively, we are better able to alleviate suffering and to promote social justice in the communities we serve.