School of Social Work
Field Education
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BSW Field Education | MSW Field Education | Field Manuals
The field practicum is guided by a number of important principles pertaining to social work education. Knowledge, values, and skills first defined and learned in the classroom are reinforced and refined through professionally supervised practice. Curriculum content areas are, further, most effectively and most fully absorbed under conditions of planned, supervised integration and synthesis.
Our field practice provide students with an initiation into the traditions of the social work profession and the practice of the social work community. There are approximately 150 social service agencies that serve field education by providing diverse sites and day-to-day teaching and supervision by qualified field instructors. These agencies are a critical component of the field curriculum and carry a large share of the responsibility for the education of students in the field.
BSW Field Education
Undergraduate students enroll in SWK 430, Field Education, and SWK 431, Field Seminar, during their final semester. Students in SWK 430 must complete a minimum of 420 hours by attending field placement 32 hours per week.
SWK 430. Field Education (9 hrs.) Prerequisites: Must have completed the required university general education curriculum, the social work core, and the professional foundation. The student must have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA. Co-requisite: SWK 431. This internship in a social service agency provides experience in direct service to client systems and enhances and develops generalist practice skills.
SWK 431. Field Seminar (3 hrs) Co-requisite: SWK 430. The seminar enables students to further develop generalist practice skills and integrate professional knowledge, values, skills and theory with practice.
Please refer to the Undergraduate Bulletin and the BSW Program Handbook for more detailed information on courses and degree plans.
MSW Field Education
FULL-TIME STUDENTS
First Year
SWK 659. (2 hrs.) Full Time Field Education I. Students attend field placement three days per week. Students attend weekly group sessions that process field experiences to assist with developing a professional identity. Students should complete a minimum of 300 field hours.
SWK 661. (1 hrs.) Full Time Field Education II. Students begin field at a different agency, attending three days per week. Students attend weekly group sessions that process field experiences to assist with developing a professional identity. Students should complete a minimum of 300 field hours.
SWK 662. (1 hrs.) Full Time Field Education III. In the semester following SWK 661, students continue at the same agency. Students attend placement three days per week. Students attend weekly group sessions that process field experiences to assist with developing a professional identity. Students should complete a minimum of 300 field hours.
PART-TIME STUDENTS
First Year
SWK 626. (1 hr.) Part Time Field Education I. Students attend field placement two days per week. Students attend weekly group sessions that process field experiences to assist with developing a professional identity. Students should complete a minimum of 225 field hours.
SWK 627. (1 hr.) Part Time Field Education II. In the semester following SWK 626, students continue at same agency for two days each week. Students attend weekly group sessions. Students should complete a minimum of 225 field hours.
By the end of SWK 626 and SWK 627, students need to have accumulated a total of 450 field hours.
Second Year & PT Advanced Standing
SWK 641. (1 hrs.) Part Time Field Education III. Students attend a new field placement two days per week. Students attend weekly group sessions that process field experiences to assist with developing a professional identity. Students should complete a minimum of 225 field hours.
SWK 642. (1 hrs.) Part Time Field Education IV. In the semester following SWK 641, students continue at same agency for two days each week. Students attend weekly group sessions. Students should complete a minimum of 225 field hours.
By the end of SWK 641 and SWK 642, students need to have a total of 450 hour
- Field Education is an educationally directed program offering students opportunities to practice and test the classroom skills, theories, and principles while working in a social work agency under the supervision of a social worker, who serves as the field instructor.
- To view the field instructors manual click here.
- To view the field students manual click here.
- FAQ and tips for field students
Contact Us
Denise Brown-Rouse, LCSWCoordinator of Field
601.266.5852