The University of Iowa BA with a major in Social Work program has been continuously accredited by the Council on Social Work Education since 1974. Graduation from a CSWE accredited program is required for a social work license at the bachelors and masters level.

Form AS4 (B) A form required for Reaffirmation, Candidacy, and ongoing compliance per AS 4.0.3.

This form is used to assist the Commission on Accreditation in the evaluation of the program’s compliance with the Accreditation Standards below:

4.0.3 The program uses Form AS 4(B) and/or Form AS 4(M) to report its most recent assessment outcomes for each program option to constituents and the public on its website and routinely up-dates (minimally every 2 years) its findings.

All programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation (COA) are required to measure and report student learning outcomes.  All students are assessed using a minimum of two measures on their mastery of the nine competencies that comprise the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) and any additional competencies programs may choose to add.  These holistic competencies reflect the dimensions (knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive & affective processes) of social work practice that all social workers are expected to master during their professional training.  

Programs determine a percentage-based benchmark for each competency and determine an outcome-measure benchmark (minimum score) for each measure. The competency benchmark (which can differ for each competency) represents the minimum percent of students the program expects to have achieved the outcome measure benchmarks in both/all measures for each of the nine competencies. The program then determines the percentage of students that attained each outcome measure (e.g., minimum score or higher), and aggregates the percentages for both/all measures together to obtain the percentage of students demonstrating competence inclusive of two (2) or more measures. The result of aggregating both/all outcome measure percentages provides the percentage of students achieving the competency benchmark. An aggregated percentage at or above the competency benchmark is considered achievement of that competency. If the program has more than one program option, the program must report data for each program option, and also an aggregate of all program options combined to determine an overall percentage of students across all program options achieving the competency benchmark.

Posting Form AS 4 for Ongoing Compliance with AS 4.0.3

Per the requirement of CSWE COA’s recognizing body, the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and accreditation standard 4.0.3, programs must post this form publicly on its website and routinely up-date (minimally every 2 years) its findings.  Upon request, programs must provide CSWE with the weblink to the published form on the program’s website where it is accessible to the public. Data presented on the form must be collected within 2 years of today’s date at all times. 

Form-AS-4(B) Assessment Data (2022-2023)

The University of Iowa Baccalaureate Social Work Program
Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
Last Completed on May 22, 2023

Summary of the Program’s Assessment Plan | Generalist Practice

All students are assessed using a minimum of two measures on their mastery of the nine competencies that comprise the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards of the Council on Social Work Education and any additional competencies programs may choose to add. Summarize the program’s competency-based assessment plan. Programs may add/delete rows to accurately reflect the number measures included in the data presented.

Assessment Measure #1: (Case Study and Self Development Assignment)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Cognitive/Affective, Values

When/where students are assessed:

SSW:3840 Human Behavior in the Social Environment

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor

Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Assessment Measure #2: (Assessment Paper)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Knowledge, Skills Values

When/where students are assessed:

SSW:3841
Fundamentals of Practice

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor

Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to

have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Assessment Measure #3: (Goal Setting Paper)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Knowledge, Skills Values

When/where students are assessed:

SSW:3841
Fundamentals of Practice

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor

Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to

have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Assessment Measure #4: (Ethical Dilemma)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Values

When/where students are assessed:

SSW:3841

Fundamentals of Practice
Who assessed student competence: Instructor
Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9: 80%
Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9: 80%

Assessment Measure #5: (Accessibility Survey and Reflection)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Cognitive/Affective Processes, Values

When/where students are assessed:

SSW:4843 Social Welfare Policy and Practice

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor

Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Assessment Measure #6: (Article Critique, Quizzes. Proposal, Paper)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Knowledge, Values

When/where students are assessed:

SSW:3844
Intro to Research

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor

Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Assessment Measure #6: (Skills Lab Final Video)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Skills, Cognitive/Affective Processes

When/where students are assessed:

SSW:3842
Interpersonal Skills Lab

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor

Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Assessment Measure #7: (Learning our Collective History)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Knowledge, Values Cognitive/Affective Processes

When/where students are assessed:

SSW:3847
Discrimination Oppression Diversity

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor
Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9: 80%
Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9: 80%

Assessment Measure #8: (Self Reflections)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Knowledge, Values
Cognitive/Affective Processes

When/where students are assessed:

SSW: Social Work Processes

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor

Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Assessment Measure #9: (Processes Portfolio)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Knowledge, Values
Cognitive/Affective Processes/skills

When/where students are assessed:

SSW: Social Work Processes

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor

Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Assessment Measure #10: (Performance Review)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Knowledge, values Cognitive/Affective 
Processes/skills

When/where students are assessed:

SSW: Social Work Processes

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor

Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Assessment Measure #11: (Integration Paper)

Dimension(s) assessed: Cognitive/Affective Processes

When/where students are assessed:

SSW:4189 Field Experience Seminar

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor

Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Assessment Measure #12: (Learning Contract)

Dimension(s) assessed:

Cognitive/Affective
Processes, Knowledge, Skills

When/where students are assessed:

SSW:4193 Field Experience

Who assessed student competence:

Instructor

Outcome Measure Benchmark (minimum score indicative of achievement) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Competency Benchmark (percent of students the program expects to have achieved the minimum scores, inclusive of all measures) for Competencies 1-9:

80%

Assessment Data Collected during the Academic Year (2022-2023) BA Program in Iowa City, Iowa

Competency, Competency Benchmark, and % of Students Achieving Benchmark

COMPETENCY

COMPETENCY BENCHMARK (%)

PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS ACHIEVING BENCHMARK

Aggregate of Students n = (73)

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

80% of students will demonstrate competence inclusive of 2 or more measures

95.26

Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice

80% of students will demonstrate competence inclusive of 2 or more measures

98

Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice

80% of students will demonstrate competence inclusive of 2 or more measures

94.25
Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice 80% of students will demonstrate competence inclusive of 2 or more measures 89.4
Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice 80% of students will demonstrate competence inclusive of 2 or more measures 96.6
Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities 80% of students will demonstrate competence inclusive of 2 or more measures 96.8

Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

 80% of students will demonstrate competence inclusive of 2 or more measures 89.06
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities 80% of students will demonstrate competence inclusive of 2 or more measures 98.88
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities 80% of students will demonstrate competence inclusive of 2 or more measures 95.5