Field education is the educational cornerstone of social work as a practice-oriented profession. Students are placed as interns in a range of social service agencies, offering them intensive "hands on" opportunities to develop a professional social work identity. Students provide more than 200,000 hours per year in service to the community. Full-time students are assigned to two different facilities and spend two days per week in the first year and three days per week in the final year placement. Students are placed in settings such as mental health centers, schools, hospitals, prisons, policy institutes, substance abuse treatment centers, nursing homes and courts.
A searchable database of potential Field Placement Options is available on-line for students to review during the field placement process. Placements are available in a variety of settings, geographic locations and with a range of populations. The field staff will work with you to find an appropriate match that meets your personal and educational goals.
The goal of field education is to integrate classroom learning with the development of competency in practice. Clinical Practice students focus on direct practice with individuals, families and groups. Macro Practice students are placed in settings that provide them with experiences in advocacy, community development, social planning and policy analysis.
- Where can I look up different field placement options?
SCHEDULE
Full-time Students
The first year field placement is scheduled for 16 hours per week for 30 weeks from early September through the first week of May. Students are in the field on Monday and Tuesday of each week. The final year field placement is scheduled for 24 hours per week; students are in the field on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday from early September through the first week in May.
Part-time Students
There are two field placement schedule options for part-time students:
Plan A: Students in Plan A, who have current social work experience, are eligible to take a summer block option for the first field placement, which is an extended field placement taken during the summer of their second year in the program. Summer block is scheduled for (40) hours per week from late May through August. They continue in the same placement agency in the fall to complete their final year placement. The final year placement is scheduled for twenty-four (24) hours per week. Students are in the field on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from early September through the first week in May.
Plan B: Plan B students, who have no current social work experience, follow the same two day a week first year placement and three day per week final year placement as full time students. They do not, however, begin their placement until the start of the second academic year of the three- year part-time program. They may select any two days of field education based on class schedules, employment schedules and field agency time availability. In the third year, part-time students enroll in the traditional three-day 24 hour per week placements scheduled on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Request for exceptions to this policy can be submitted by the student's faculty advisor to the Academic Review Committee.
ADVISORS
The field faculty advisor assists the student and field supervisor to meet the students field education objectives and integrate learning in the classroom and field. The field faculty advisor meets regularly with the student to provide ongoing support, guidance, and information. The advisor meets at least once per semester with the student and field supervisor together at the agency to assess strengths and areas in need of further work.
Role of Liaison
- Call the agency at the beginning of the semester to communicate with the field supervisor.
- Meets regularly (once per month) with the student advisee at the GSSW. Makes field visits to meet with the field instructor and student at least once per semester.
- In many cases field advisors will meet more frequently than the minimum and field supervisors and students are encouraged to request help when needed.
- Determine the student grade based on the meeting with the field supervisor and a review of the Student Field Performance Evaluation and Field Portfolio of written assignments.
- The students field education grade (Pass or Fail) is determined by the faculty advisor based on the meeting with the supervisor and review of evaluation and other materials.
SUPERVISORS
Each student is assigned a field supervisor, usually an employee of the agency where the student is placed, who provides ongoing consultation and education on practice issues.
What are field supervisors responsible for?
- Provision of regularly scheduled individual supervision for a minimum of 1 1/2 hours per week.
- Use of process recordings and other methods required by the School to provide students with feedback on their work with clients.
- Coordination of appropriate assignments for the student.
- Ongoing student evaluation and completion of a written evaluation at the end of each semester.
How are field supervisors chosen?
They are chosen based on the following requirements:
- A Master's degree from an accredited school of social work.
- Commitment to serve as a field supervisor for the entire academic year.
- Familiarity with agency policies, programs and procedures and adequate authority to implement a learning contract at the agency.
- Demonstrated practice competence or experience in the student's social work major.
Faculty advisors do an ongoing evaluation of the field placement and supervisor through regular agency visits and meetings with students. Both faculty advisors and students complete an annual evaluation of the agency and supervisor.
FIELD OF PRACTICE
As a second year student, you will have a chosen a field of practice for your coursework. Your final year field placement will be related to your chosen field of practice:
- Child, Youth & Families
- Global Practice
- Health & Mental Health
- Older Adults & Families
- Individualized Program
PLACEMENTS IN OWN AGENCY (POA)
In certain instances, students may complete their field education requirements by doing a field placement at the agency where they are employed. The agency must meet the following requirements:
- Provide MSW supervision to the student from a person who is not the employee's current supervisor
- Provide a placement experience in a unit that offers different services and responsibilities from those that exist in the current employee's role
- Provide financial support to the students