US Mexico Border Social Work, Minor
Department of Social Work
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
The social work profession is dedicated to enhancing human well-being and to help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. The minor in social work introduces students to practice with diverse populations and multi-level social systems.
The program is focused on practice with U.S. Mexico Border populations; addressing poverty, structural racism, and oppression; providing leadership in promoting human rights and social and economic justice; and service with vulnerable and underserved populations.
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A minor is earned in conjunction with a bachelor's degree.
To receive a minor (18 - 24 units) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject matter areas with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. At least 12 units of the minor must be unique to that minor and not applied to any other minor.
In addition to University Requirements:
- Complete individual plan requirements.
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
No more than fifty percent of the units used to satisfy minor requirements may be used to satisfy major requirements.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 21 |
| Major GPA | C |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
Purpose Statement
The US Mexico Border Social Work minor provides students with the knowledge, values, and skills required to those social and economic injustices issues along the US Mexico border. The US Mexico Border Social Work minor is guided by a person and environment construct, a global perspective, respect for human diversity, and knowledge based on scientific inquiry. This perspective is an excellent preparation for a wide variety of occupations along the US Mexico border. The purpose of the US Mexico Border Social Work minor is actualized through its quest for social and economic justice, the prevention of conditions that limit human rights, the elimination of poverty, and the enhancement of the quality of life for all persons living along the US Mexico border.
Our curriculum is designed for students to be exposed to the CSWE core competencies: professional identity, ethical practice, critical thinking, diversity in practice, human rights and justice, research based practice, human behavior, policy practice, practice contexts, and the planned change process. This curriculum is provided to the students through traditional classroom lecture and discussion, service-learning experiences, community change projects, and community engaged research. Students will leave this program with a sense of leadership and service in the provision of social welfare to people, families, and communities, globally, regionally, and locally. Our students also leave this program as globally engaged stewards of US Mexico border issues and committed to Hispanic populations, the Defense, Customs and Border Patrol and Military communities.
Student Learning Outcomes
Ethical Practice
- Social workers recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide practice;
- Social workers make ethical decisions by applying standard of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and, as applicable, of the International Federation of Social Workers/International Association of Schools of Social Work Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles;
- Social workers tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts; and
- Social workers apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions.
- Social workers distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge, including research-based knowledge, and practice wisdom;
- Social workers analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation; and
- Social workers demonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and colleagues.
- Social workers recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures and values may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create or enhance privilege and power;
- Social workers gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse groups;
- Social workers recognize and communicate their understanding of the importance of difference in shaping life experiences; and
- Social workers view themselves as learners and engage those with whom they work as informants.
- Social workers understand the forma and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination;
- Social workers advocate for human rights and social and economic justice; and
- Social workers engage in practices that advance social and economic justice.
- Social workers use practice experience to guide the processes of assessment, intervention, and evaluation; and
- Social workers use research evidence to inform practice.
- Social workers analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance social well-being; and
- Social workers collaborate with colleagues and clients for effective policy action.
- Social workers continuously discover, appraise, and attend to changing locales, populations, scientific and technological developments, and emerging societal trends to provide relevant services; and
- Social workers provide leadership in promoting sustainable changes in service delivery and practice to improve the quality of social services.
Minor Requirements
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Take the following 21 units with a Grade of "C" or better in each course:
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This minor is not available to students pursuing the Social Work degree. Please contact an advisor for more information.
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Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.