Social Work Education and Accreditation Flashcards
CSWE EPAS
https://www.cswe.org/getmedia/94471c42-13b8-493b-9041-b30f48533d64/2022-EPAS.pdf
Accreditation is a system for recognizing educational institutions and the professional programs affiliated with those institutions as having a level of performance, integrity, and quality that entitles them to the confidence of the educational community and
the public they serve. The Commission on Accreditation (COA) of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to
accredit baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in social work education in the United
States and its territories.
Accreditation
The COA is responsible for formulating, promulgating, and implementing
the accreditation standards for baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in social work, for
ensuring that the standards define competent preparation, and for confirming that accredited
social work programs meet the standards. To this end, the COA administers a multistep peerreview accreditation process that involves program self-studies and benchmarks, site visits, and
COA reviews
Accreditation review process
The accreditation review process provides professional judgments on the quality of social work
education programs in institutions and encourages continuous improvement. These findings are
based on the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) developed by the COA and the
Commission on Educational Policy (COEP). Moreover, systematic examination of compliance with
established standards supports public confidence in the quality of professional social work education
and in the competence of social work practice.
Continued: Accreditation review process
CSWE’s COA uses the EPAS to accredit baccalaureate and master’s-level social work programs. The EPAS supports academic excellence by establishing thresholds for professional competence. It permits programs to use traditional and emerging models and methods of curriculum design by balancing requirements that promote comparable outcomes across programs with a level of flexibility that encourages programs to differentiate
EPAS Revision Process
EPAS Revision Process
The COA and the COEP are responsible for revising the EPAS. The revision takes place in accordance
with the CSWE bylaws, which mandate that the policy statement be reviewed by COEP “at periodic
intervals not to exceed 7 years.” CSWE’s recognition by the CHEA also requires that accreditors have
a process whereby standards are reviewed periodically by the COA. The EPAS review process has
taken more than 5 years, and drafts have been issued for public review and comment. The intent of
the COA and the COEP is to solicit feedback from as many constituents as possible in as many ways
as possible. The COA and the COEP thank the programs, individuals, organizations, and communities
of interest that provided feedback on the drafts
About the 2022 EPAS Document
About the 2022 EPAS Document
The 2022 EPAS adopts a competency-based education framework identifying the nine social work
competencies accompanied by a set of behaviors for each competency. Following the nine social
work competencies, the EPAS describes five elements of an integrated program design:
- Program mission (EPAS 1.0)
- Anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (EPAS 2.0)
- Explicit curriculum (EPAS 3.0)
- Implicit curriculum (EPAS 4.0)
- Assessment (EPAS 5.0)
Continued: About the 2022 EPAS Document 1
The five elements of the EPAS each include educational policies and accreditation standards, which are conceptually linked to one another. Educational policies describe each of the five
program elements. Accreditation standards are informed by the educational policy and specify the requirements used to develop and maintain an accredited social work program at the baccalaureate or master’s level
Continued: About the 2022 EPAS Document 2
Each accreditation standard is preceded by a number, followed by the text of the standard.
Compliance statements used in accreditation reviews are located underneath each accreditation
standard. Viewed together, the accreditation standard and compliance statements provide an
indication of whether the standard has been met. The compliance statements are considered by the
Commission on Accreditation (COA) in determining whether the social work program meets each
accreditation standard.
Continued: About the 2022 EPAS Document 3
Accreditation standards with numbers preceded by the letter “B” apply only to baccalaureate-level
social work programs. Accreditation standards with numbers preceded by the letter “M” apply only
to master’s-level social work programs. Accreditation standards with numbers preceded by no letter
are applicable to baccalaureate-level and master’s-level social work programs
Competencies
SWE has adopted a competency-based education framework for its EPAS. A competency-based approach identifies and assesses what students demonstrate in practice. In social work,
this approach involves assessing students’ ability to demonstrate the competencies identified.
in the educational policy
The Nine Social Work Competencies
Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Competency 2: Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial,
Economic, and Environmental Justice
Competency 3: Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice
Competency 4: Engage in Practice-Informed Research and
Research-Informed Practice
The Nine Social Work Competencies (Continued)
Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice
Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups,
Organizations, and Communities
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups,
Organizations, and Communities
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups,
Organizations, and Communities
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families,
Groups, Organizations, and Communities
**Continued: Accreditation Process
Social work education at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels shapes the profession’s
future through the education of competent professionals, the generation of knowledge, the
promotion of evidence-informed practice through scientific inquiry, and the exercise of leadership.
Social work educators serve the profession through their teaching, research, scholarship, and
service. Social work educators are responsible for ensuring that students are prepared to practice
safely, competently, and ethically with all clients, constituents, and the public. Additionally, social
work education prepares competent practitioners to develop socially responsible policy, address the
policy implications of their work, and implement strategies to address inequalities and inequities.
