SOCIAL WORK 3410-200 CRN: 28323

FOUNDATIONS OF ETHICS AND

VALUES IN SOCIAL WORK
WOW PROGRAM
(1 credit hour)

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 NAME: JEANNIE LAWRENCE
PHONE # 248-924-0305
WEDNESDAY 12:40-3:25 PM -UC 1 ROOM 210
WAYNE STATE EMAIL ADDRESS-AE8301@WAYNE.EDU
OFFICE HRS. BY APPT. ONLY
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 works
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)