School of Social Work

MASTER SYLLABUS
SOCIAL WORK 3410-200 CRN: 28323
FOUNDATIONS OF ETHICS AND
VALUES IN SOCIAL WORK
WOW PROGRAM
(1 credit hour)

Challenging Minds, Leading Change, Transforming Lives

Please be aware if there is a question about a grade, it must occur no more than seven days after
the grade is posted. I will not entertain any questions regarding a grade past the seven day
deadline.
This syllabus is subject to change
Instructor:
Email:
Work Phone:
Office Hours:
Classroom:

Norma Schropshire, L.M.S.W., Adjunct Professor

ar3183@wayne.edu
Please contact me via e-mail and assume a 24-48 hour turnaround, M-F only.
Email, Wimba, VSee or by appointment
Web Course ~ WOW Program

Winter 2014 Dates for this Course: Class begins on January 06, 2014 and closes April 29, 2014
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to familiarize the student with their personal values and the intersection of
their values with the values of their client population and the NASW Code of Ethics. Students
will become familiar with the meaning and concepts as well as the process of thinking about and
confronting ethical issues and dilemmas. The primary goals of this course are to promote personal
awareness of ethical questions and knowledge of their historical contexts.
The course provides students with the opportunity and ability to critically interpret and evaluate
philosophical texts, positions, and arguments. In particular, students will examine a variety of
ethical issues by focusing on forms or ideals of life and models for relating to others.
This course may appear to be redundant to the extent that every course in the School has some
ethics content in it; however, this course goes beyond the descriptive analysis. It puts the student
in touch with his or her personal values and ethics which provides an understanding of the
underpinnings of their belief system which serves as the impetus for all decision making
particularly when it comes to making decisions which conflict with their your belief system.

COURSE COMPETENCIES AND PRACTICE BEHAVIORS FOR THIS COURSE

2.1.1 Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly

Practice Behaviors:
Advocate for the client access to the services of social work; practice Personal reflection and
self-correction to assure continual professional development; attend to professional roles and
boundaries; demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance and communication;
engage in Career long learning; use supervision and consultation
2.1.2 Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice
Practice Behaviors:
Recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide
practice;
make ethical decisions by applying standards of the NASW Code of Ethics; tolerate
ambiguity in resolving conflicts; apply concepts of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled
decisions
2.1.3 Apply Critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments
Practice Behaviors:
Distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge, including research based
knowledge, and practice wisdom; analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention and
evaluation; demonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with
individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and colleagues.
Benchmarks
A. Students will employ values clarification as a process regarding use of self in their
professional role.
B. Examinations (5)
Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course students will be able to:
Recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide
practice (competency 1 -B)
Illustrate how professional conduct is shaped by social work's commitment to the
inherent values (Competency 2-A)
Make ethical decisions by applying standards of the NASW Code of Ethics and, as
applicable of the international Federation of Social Workers, International Association of
Social Work Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles (Competency 2-B)
Discuss the inherent values of the social work profession and how they are embedded in
ethical standards (Competency 2-B)
Tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts (Competency 2-C)
Identify value conflicts and ethical dilemmas experienced by social workers
(Competency 2-C)
Apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions (Competency 2-D)
Recognize ethical issues and apply ethical decision-making frameworks and protocols
through enhanced use of critical thinking skills (Competency 3-A)
Identify and grapple with competing arguments by examining their limitations and
strengths (Competency 3-A)