Suggestions for Utilizing the 2008 EPAS in CSWE-Accredited Baccalaureate and Masters Curriculums—Reflections from the Field, Part 1: The Explicit Curriculum

Abstract

In April 2008, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) issued new guidelines for Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). The 2008 EPAS shift the focus of assessment from the evaluation of program objectives to assessment of educational outcomes and student achievement of practice competencies. Major accreditation challenges for social work programs derive from the 2008 EPAS involving sequencing the assessment tasks, and developing accurate and useful instruments. This article is Part 1 of a 2-part series presenting a model for sequencing curriculum accreditation and reaffirmation tasks. In this Part 1, the explicit curriculum is explored including multiple measures to assess the extent to which students are achieving practice behaviors (as indicators of core social work competencies). Part 2 of this discussion, focused on the implicit curriculum, will appear in the next issue of the Journal of Teaching in Social Work (Vol. 30, Issue 3).