Academic Learning Compact
Consistent with its mission and guiding principles, Florida Gulf Coast University
is committed to academic excellence and continuous quality improvement, as supported
by a sound teaching-learning process. Within this process, students and instructors
share responsibility for learning that is a movement from the simple to the complex,
the concrete to the abstract, and the dependent to the independent. The Academic Learning
Compact (ALC) initiative supports the teaching-learning process by clearly identifying
expected core student learning outcomes in the areas of content/discipline knowledge
and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills; aligning curricula
with expectations; and using assessment to guide continuous improvement.
Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Graduates will be able to:
- Apply social work ethical principles.
- Engage diversity and difference in practice.
- Advance human rights and social and economic justice.
- Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research.
- Knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
- Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver
effective social work services.
- Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate individuals, families, organizations, and
communities.
Content/discipline knowledge and skills are assessed at the program levels. Instructors
assess knowledge of ethical standards in 6235: Social Welfare and History; SOW 6305:
Social Work Practice I; and Field Education I, II, III, and IV. Practice skills are
assessed in the Foundation Year in the two practice courses offered: SOW 6305, 6306,
and in Field Education I and II. In the Concentration Year practice skills are assessed
in SOW 6124, 6344, 6369, 6611, 6616 and Field Education I and II. Instructors in
SOW 6236 Social Policy Analysis evaluate the student's progress after the completion
of the final advocacy project demonstrating required knowledge. Research is assessed
in SOW 6405: Research I: Methods and SOW 6435: Research II: Practice Evaluation which
demonstrate the required research skills.
Communication Skills
Graduates will be able to:
- Identify as a professional and conduct oneself accordingly.
- Apply social work ethical principles.
- Engage diversity and difference in practice.
- Advance human right and social and economic justice.
- Respond to contexts that shape practice.
Communications skills are assessed in the social work practice courses: SOW 6305.
6306, 6124, 6186, 6344,6369, 6611, 6616 and Field Education I, II, III, and IV.
Critical Thinking Skills
Graduates will be able to:
- Apply critical thinking to strengthen professional judgment.
- Advance human rights and social and economic justice.
- Respond to contexts that shape practice.
- Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate individuals, families, organizations, and
communities.
Critical thinking skills are assessed in all MSW courses. Specifically in SOW 6124:
Psychopathology, SOW 6306: SOW Practice II; SOW 6405: Research Methods, SOW 6435:
Practice Evaluation, and SOW 6389: Advanced Practice Seminar.
