Welcome to the field education, or practicum/internship, part of our curriculum. The Council on Social Work Education, which accredits our BSW and MSW programs, requires that each social work student, regardless of the student’s previous life experience, take field practicum/internship, agency-based courses. These courses, which are comprised of carefully designed field practicum/internship experiences, are meant to assist students to:
- integrate classroom knowledge and theory with actual practice experience;
- develop professional self awareness and accountability;
- hone practice skill competence; and
- exercise ethical decision making in the context of social work values and codes of conduct.
You will be assisted in the field-agency placement process. BSW students intern at the same agency 15 hours per week during their last two consecutive semesters, for a total of 450 field practicum hours. MSW students intern for 16 hours per week their first field year and 17 hours per week their second field year, for a total of 900 practicum hours.
You will have an agency-based field instructor as your practicum/internship teacher, guide, and mentor. This person is a social worker who meets our field program requirements. Your instructor guides your learning through a purposeful use of the supervisory relationship, development with you of professional teaching-learning goals and activities, and evaluation of your utilization of social work values, knowledge, and skills in practice. Your willingness to be accountable for your learning, to expand your conscious self-awareness, and to become competent by doing will enhance your professional growth.
We are excited about the profession of social work and look forward to sharing our enthusiasm with you!
Professor Naomi White
Coordinator of Field Education
Office: Polsky Bldg. 415 C
Phone: (330) 972-5978
Email: naomi1@uakron.edu
|
