Field Education

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• Internship at Employment Site Application (doc, MSW Students only)

MSW I - Foundation Year SW 650 Field Application Materials for 2009-2010 MSW I -SW 650 Field Orientation Lab Announcement (pdf, posted 3/30/09)

MSW FIELD EDUCATION

Field Education is an integral part of the curriculum and a core requirement for the MSW program. Each field course includes two major components: the practicum agency internship and the school-based practicum labs. It provides the social work student with an opportunity to integrate and apply course theoretical knowledge and engage in social work practice in a community-based agency setting with supervised field learning experience. Field instruction prepares the students for professional practice and competence in social work by helping them develop the values, knowledge, and skills they will need to assume a range of professional roles.

The field practicum process is organized, sequential, selective, and individualized within the framework of a specified social work agency, and in congruence with the goals, requirements, and expectations of the School. Over the course of a two-year period, graduate field education is expected to include:

1. direct practice interventions with individuals, families, and groups;
2. indirect practice interventions focusing on community, organizational, and/or institutional change;
3. a diversity of modalities, populations, treatment issues; and
4. a range of theoretical and teaching methodologies and models.

Concurrent Field Education and Curriculum Integration

The Field Education curriculum begins only in the Fall semester and continues to the Spring semester for one academic year. Through the field practicum internship and practicum labs, students engage in selected and organized activities and apply the social work skills, knowledge, and values learned in the classroom.

To foster the integration process, all students in the field practicum must be concurrently enrolled in, and must satisfactorily complete the appropriate practice classes during the first and second years of field instruction. Students must have a "C" or better in the practice class to continue the field education process.

Integration is a two-way process. The field practicum is expected to provide "in vivo" experiences relevant to academic content, and the student is expected to apply this content to his/her activities in the field. Also, the student is expected to share course information with his/her field instructor for purposes of planning, integration, and to meet course requirements. On the other hand, the student is expected to utilize relevant field material in his/her course work through class discussion and case presentation.

The Field Education Structure

The field practicum year-long course begins only at the start of the fall semester and continues through to the end of the spring semester. Placements extend over the Academic Year, excluding University break periods.

Foundation Year and Advanced Year Field Practicum course placements must be in different agencies with different field instructors, each of which must meet the criteria and objectives for that year of field instruction. Students are assigned to the MSW I Foundation Year practicum that exposes them to a generalist experience, including micro, mezzo, and macro practice and a broad range of clientele. The MSW II Advanced Year Practicum is coordinated with a student's choice of concentration and specialization. Please refer to the Master Field Course Syllabus for additional requirements and information.

 
last updated: 8/03/09

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