MSW Field Instruction
Field instruction is an integral part of the academic preparation of MSW students. The MSW program mission, goals, and objectives provide the framework for the design and implementation of the field instruction curriculum. The field instruction component of the curriculum provides students with the opportunity to put their classroom learning into practice while under close professional supervision.
Requirements
Students in their first year of the full or part-time MSW programs will complete a foundation level internship, SOW5532. At the foundation level, students will complete 300 hours in an agency over the course of one semester, under the supervision of a qualified MSW field instructor. All MSW students will complete a clinical level internship SOW6535 and SOW6536. The clinical internship requires the student to complete a total of 600 hours over the course of two semesters, 300 hours each, in one agency under the supervision of a qualified MSW field instructor.
During each semester that a social work student is in a field placement, the student is concurrently enrolled in an Integrative Field Seminar Class taught by regular or adjunct faculty. The purpose of these seminar classes is to integrate social work research, theory, and policy with the activities the student is involved while in the field placement. Students are responsible for creating a collaborative learning contract with their field instructor at the agency and for providing an agency summary and client case presentation at least once during the semester for the benefit of the other students in the class. The field integration seminar adds further to students' field experience by exposing them to the experiences of fellow students in different settings.
Each student will have at least one agency site visit mid-term to evaluate the student’s progress in the agency and to address any concerns that may arise from either the student or the agency field instructor. Progress is gauged through use of the learning contract to which scores are assigned the midterm and final point of the semester.
Students planning to enroll in field education must receive approval to do so through the Field Education Office the semester prior. Application deadlines are noted below.
The application must be completed and submitted using Exxat or another requisite data management system as outlined by the department. Once submitted, the application is reviewed and a determination as to eligibility to enter field is made. If approved, students will participate in field interviews with the Field Coordinator on assigned dates. Following the interview, each student will be assigned to an agency and provided with the information necessary to schedule an interview. Upon interview, if the agency is agreeable to working with the student, the student will then complete and submit the Field Confirmation Form located in the data management system. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that any pre-placement requirements of the agency are completed prior to the first day of the semester.