Field Education

Social work education is intentional in its integration of classroom instruction with experiential learning. From the moment you start an MSW at BCSSSW, you'll begin to gain real-world experience through a field practicum with an organization that complements your goals and passions.

An Exceptional Field Education Experience

Strong partnerships

We're deeply embedded in the region, with more than 1,000 longstanding agency partnerships.

Personalized Placements

We listen to your career goals and match you with agencies that fit your interests and strengths. 

Comprehensive Support

A dedicated advisor and field supervisor will guide and mentor you throughout your practicum. 

During your first year of field education, you’ll spend two days every week at a human service provider—usually Monday and Tuesday—for a total of 16 hours per week, completing a minimum of 480 hours. This practicum sets the groundwork for your development as a social worker. With training and mentosrhip from a supervisor, you will learn the limitless ways in which a social woker can make an impact on the lives of others. 

Monday


Field
Practicum

Tuesday


Field 
Practicum

Wednesday


Classroom

 

Thursday


Classroom

 

Friday


Classroom

 

You'll train 24 hours per week--usually Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, completing a minimum of 720 hours during your second year. During this field education experience, you will build upon your practice skills and increased autonomy under the mentorship of a skilled and experienced supervisor. 

Monday


Field 
Practicum

Tuesday


Field 
Practicum

Wednesday


Field 
Practicum

Thursday


Classroom

 

Friday


Classroom

 

Agency Partners


Our students engage in direct social work practice in public schools, medical centers, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and a wide range of settings in the human services sector.

1,000+

Agency Partners

 

Become a partner

Advocates, Inc.

Boston Medical Center

Boston Public Schools

Brigham & Women's Hospital

Cambridge Health Alliance

Camp Harbor View

Carroll Center for the Blind

Catholic Charities

Catholic Relief Services

Children's Hospital

DOVE Inc.

East Boston Neighborhood Health Center

Hope House, Inc.

Jesuit Refugee Service

Justice Resource Institute

MA Department of Mental Health

United Way

Veterans’ Administration Medical Centers

Wayside Youth and Family Support Network

Casa Esperanza Field Experience

Field Placement Process

Print

Start here to find an impactful field placement that fits your interests.

Review Field Agency Database

Students at Boston College School of Social Work receive professional training from organizations throughout the Greater Boston area. Search current agencies by region, specialized practice method, practice type, and population. The agency listings represent the broad range of practicum opportunities available but are subject to change as staffing and programming change.

Field Agency Database

Application Instructions

  1. Have an electronic copy of your latest resume ready in Microsoft Word.
  2. Review the Message from the Assistant Dean of Field Education Sheet (PDF), which includes important considerations about the matching process and agency assignments. This sheet is also posted on the first page of the application.
  3. Answer all questions in the application, upload your resume, and click "Submit" before you log out or your answers will be lost.
  4. After you finish and submit the form, you will be emailed a confirmation receipt.
  5. You can log back in to your application to edit.

Questions

If you have questions, please contact the Field Education department at swfield@bc.edu or 617-552-4027.

 

Apply

Review the message from the Assistant Dean of Field Education. It includes important considerations about the matching process and agency assignments. Your resume will be provided to agency personnel to review your experience and qualifications before an interview is scheduled.

Begin Field Practicum Application

I am endlessly grateful for the thought, time, and care my supervisor gave to my education and growth as a social worker and human. I will be referencing conversations and insight I gained this year for years and years to come, and I'm certain that big and small moments will take on new meaning as I continue to grow. I deeply respect the way that my supervisor centers relationships, restoration, liberation, and collaboration.
Anna, Current MSW Student

Meet the Field Education Team

Susan Coleman

Assistant Dean of Field Education
617-552-0774
susan.coleman@bc.edu

Sarah Hood

Assistant Director of Field Education
617-552-1931
sarah.hood@bc.edu

Joseph Mclaughlin

Assistant Director of Field Education
617-552-0831
joe.mclaughlin.2@bc.edu

Matthew Orlando

Assistant Director of Field Education
617-552-6728
orlandom@bc.edu

Kenna Sullivan

Assistant Director of Field Education
617-552-8044
kenna.sullivan@bc.edu

Ximena Soto

Assistant Director of the Latinx Leadership Initiative (LLI)
617-552-0776
ximena.soto@bc.edu

Lyndsey McMahan

Assistant Director of Global Field Education
617-552-4020
mcmahanl@bc.edu

Paris Roulston

Field Education Program Assistant
617-552-4027
paris.roulston@bc.edu

Dispatches from the Field