• Tradition and Prospects
  Keeping the traditional social work principles education, while embracing the new developments of the social work education, expanding and designing courses that fit for this era.
• Macro Integration
  Imparting micro and macro practice skills in theory and practice.
• Innovation and Reform
  In response to the needs of social adjustment and changes, the "Legal Aspects of Social Work” and the “Multicultural Social Work” programs were formed to promote innovation and reforms for better efficiency.
• Multiple Reforms
  Enrolling ten indigenous students into the department every year, and creating the “Aboriginal Social Work" program.
• Health and Humanities
  Valuing education and internship in community organizations and development, and guiding students into communities for field education to allow them to use community work methods.
• Social Science and Humanities
  Developing a close bond with both the College of Medical and Health Science and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences through mutual support, offering a liberal arts education.

According to social needs, the department has reorganized and created innovative courses, keeping the professional programs to meet the social development trends with the university's core competencies: health, care, innovation, and excellence. The department initiated the Family and Community Health Program, the Legal Aspects of Social Work Program, and the Multicultural Social Work Program to foster professional social workers for our society.

The department focuses on community development and organization work, guiding students in incorporating community work methods in the field. It undertakes the government's entrusted programs to cultivate community workers, including:

1. Biking around Communities:
   In order to encourage students to understand and get involved with the local communities, Biking Communities activities have been held, starting from 2005. The department purchased twenty bicycles in 2006 as tools for teachings in the community, to facilitate the faculty and students practice in communities and promote the collaboration between the university and communities.
2. Setting up the AU Volunteer Teams:
   The team serves communities by offering multiple and sustainable services to elementary and secondary schools as well as other institutions, promoting a university-community partnership along the way. The team also joined the Taichung County Peaceful Voluntary Service Team.
3. Actively linking with communities to expand students' experiences in practice:
   The department assisted the Nan-Liu Community to carry out an integrating program to care for foreign spouses, low-income families, and single-parent families. A youth program was established by the department, using a theater workshop to foster volunteers. Also, the department visited to prisons to hold group work programs and to create an innovative course called "Community Empowerment for the Disadvantaged Families".
4. A village-officer as social worker:
   Village-officers as social workers is an issue that has been discussed for nearly twenty years. The department aims to help students attend the national exam, in order for them to be qualified for the position of villager-office.

The department values and promotes multicultural education, using methods such as enrolling ten indigenous students every year, encouraging them to become co-learners and to further develop tribal welfare. Supporting and understanding different cultures to form strong alliances with other cultural groups, building a solid foundation for mutual respect.