How to talk about ethics in your Master of Social Work (MSW) personal statement
The Code of Ethics and your Personal Statement
Many schools of social work ask about ethics in the Master of Social Work (MSW) personal statement. I often find that applicants aren’t sure how to answer the question and end up tossing in a few sentences that can feel clunky and awkward, and stick out like a sore thumb in an otherwise well-written personal statement.
There are a couple of ways you can answer questions about ethics. Admissions committees are looking for applicants to demonstrate critical thinking skills and an understanding of social work ethics.
First, make sure you research the code of ethics used by the social work profession in your geographic area and make sure you understand what they are. In the USA, you’ll need the NASW Code of Ethics. In Canada, you’ll need the CASW Code of Ethics.
Since I’m Canadian, I’ll reference the CASW Code of Ethics (2005), however, there is a lot of overlap between various countries' codes of ethics:
CORE SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND PRINCIPLES (CASW Code of Ethics, 2005)
Value 1: Respect for the Inherent Dignity and Worth of Persons
Value 2: Pursuit of Social Justice
Value 3: Service to Humanity
Value 4: Integrity in Professional Practice
Value 5: Confidentiality in Professional Practice
Value 6: Competence in Professional Practice
So, how should you integrate the Code of Ethics in your personal statement? Here are 3 strategies:
Strategy 1: Ethical dilemmas
It might be appropriate to discuss an ethical dilemma you have faced (if you have practice experience) and reference the above values, as well as how you resolved the issue.
Strategy 2: Case study
You could also discuss a possible ethical dilemma if you don’t have an example of your own, and how you would navigate that scenario.
Strategy 3: Value alignment
Maybe you’ll discuss how the values of the profession align with your personal values. (For example, maybe you have a history of advocating for social justice, which you have demonstrated with your experience doing X, which aligns with Value 2: the pursuit of social justice)
Demonstrate critical thinking skills in your personal statement
How you answer the question about ethics is going to depend largely on what the school is specifically asking for, as well as what makes sense based on your personal background. The most important thing is that you show the admissions committee that you have the critical thinking skills needed to face and resolve ethical dilemmas as a social worker.
If you found this helpful, don’t forget to enroll in my FREE 10-day mini course for MSW applicants. Through a series of emails, I’ll teach you how to write a strong personal statement for your Master of Social Work program.
In addition, be sure to check out these free resources for MSW applicants:
Happy writing!
Michelle
