Our Mission

As members of the University of Washington School of Social Work, we commit ourselves to promoting social and economic justice for poor and oppressed populations and enhancing the quality of life for all.

We strive to maximize human welfare through:

  • education of effective social work leaders, practitioners and educators who will challenge injustice and promote a more humane society, and whose actions will be guided by vision, compassion, knowledge and disciplined discovery, and deep respect for cultural diversity and human strengths;
  • research that engenders understanding of complex social problems, illuminates human capacities for problem-solving, and promotes effective and timely social intervention; and
  • public service that enhances the health, well-being and empowerment of disadvantaged communities and populations at local, national and international levels.

We embrace our position of leadership in the field of social work and join in partnership with others in society committed to solving human problems in the twenty-first century.

Additionally, the School of Social Work and Criminal Justice shares the mission of the University of Washington Tacoma.

The University of Washington Tacoma educates diverse learners and transforms communities by expanding the boundaries of knowledge and discovery.

Finally, the Social Work programs commit themselves to providing access to social work education to residents of the south Puget Sound region. (Program goals emanating from UW Tacoma's defining characteristics and guiding principles.)