1. How many hours are involved in the Practicum experience? MSW program The 2-year MSW program requires a total of 1010 clock hours in practicum placement. Students earn 460 hours in their first year of graduate school and the remaining 550 in their second year. Students who enter the MSW program in Advanced Standing have fulfilled the first year practicum requirement as a part of their BSW program and complete 550 hours in practicum in their concentration year. BSW program Students in the BSW program earn 10 of their 46 social work credits in two practicum courses, SWK 4315 and 4325 taken during their final undergraduate year. A total of 600 clock hours must be spent in undergraduate practicum placement. Generally, students spend 20-24 hours each week at their site and earn 300 hours each semester. Undergraduate students completing a practicum must be concurrently enrolled in required classroom courses. (back to top)
2. What is the process of Practicum Placement and how does a student learn about potential placement sites? Practicum placement is different at each campus. Your campus' Field Education Coordinator will provide all placement information during your planning orientation. (back to top)
3. What is an Employment-based Practicum Placement (EBPP) and how can I secure an EBPP? An EBPP allows the student to use his or her place of employment as the site in which the requirements of field practicum are fulfilled. Students may apply for an EBPP if the following criteria are met:
Six RULES to REMEMBER re: EBP Placements
4. Can previous or current work experience be counted as practicum? No previous work experience or current work experience may be counted toward practicum hours unless it is in an approved EBPP. (back to top)
5. What are stipend opportunities? There are a limited number of stipends for students in practicum placements and most are awarded through a competitive process. Some stipends are awarded by practicum sites while others are awarded by outside entities. Students should weigh their need for a stipend when considering placement sites. (back to top)
6. May a student complete a practicum out-of-state? Each out-of-state placement opportunity is fully evaluated by your campus’ Field Education Coordinator. (back to top)
7. Do all practicum sites have a dress code? Some sites have dress codes and others do not and those that do have considerable variation in their requirements. You will need to ask this question at the sites at which you interview. (back to top)
8. Must a student purchase Malpractice Liability Insurance? Each student placed in a field practicum must be covered by a minimum of $1,000,000/$1,000,000 in malpractice liability insurance and must provide proof of such insurance coverage to the Practicum Coordinator and the practicum site prior to the beginning of the practicum. Students must purchase their own insurance, and liability insurance at reasonable student rates is available from the Student Professional Liability Insurance Program as well as from other sources. Students interested in purchasing insurance through the Student Professional Liability Insurance Program must first be members of the National Association of Social Workers. For more information, visit www.socialworkers.org and www.americanprofessional.com Students completing a paid practicum may be covered by their employer’s insurance policy. If so, they must provide written verification of ALL STUDENT ACTIVITY coverage to the Field Practicum Coordinator prior to beginning placement. (back to top)
9. Does my supervisor have to have an MSW? All MSW students must be assigned to a Field Instructor who has an MSW. BSW students may be assigned to a Field Instructor with either an MSW or BSW. Each student must meet with his or her Field Instructor for at least one hour of supervision weekly. (back to top)
10. May I count school and national holidays toward practicum hours? If a site is closed for a holiday but the University is not and it is a day that the student would normally be in placement, the student may count that time toward total practicum hours. Had the site been open, the student would have been there. Examples of such holidays are Veterans’ Day and Presidents’ Day. Students are not expected to be in practicum placements on days that the University is closed. Examples of such holidays are Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving. No time may be earned for practicum on such holidays unless the student is actually at the placement on the day and fulfills responsibilities of the practicum placement. Students who celebrate religious holidays not observed by the site may be granted leave time by the Practicum Instructor, but time granted for such observances may have to be made up. Such plans for leave time should be negotiated with the Field Instructor and addressed in the Teaching-Learning Agreement. Students may not count time at their agency for University or national holidays when the University is not in session. An example of such a holiday is Christmas. (back to top) 11. If my agency is closed for a reason other than a national holiday, such as due to weather or spring break, may I count that time toward my total accumulation of practicum hours? You may count the hours toward practicum ONLY if the agency is closed for a national holiday, such as Veterans’ Day or Presidents’ Day. If you are placed at a school and it will be closed for spring break or if the agency closes for snow or ice, you will need to develop a plan with your field instructor for making up those hours. (back to top)
12. What hours can I count toward my total accumulation of practicum hours? View "Practicum Hours - The Rules" here. (back to top)
13. May I finish my hours earlier than the official last day of placement? Students are expected to be in practicum from the beginning until the end of the term. Any deviation from the practicum calendar must be authorized by the faculty liaison assigned and must have the agreement of the field instructor. Students who need to make significant modifications to the practicum schedule must complete and submit a request for a modified practicum. Such requests must be approved by the Field Education Coordinator. (back to top)
14. Will I have to purchase a parking pass? You may be required to purchase a parking pass in order to have parking at your practicum site. This will depend on your agency. There is not funding available through the School to cover this expense. (back to top)
15.What is the difference between "Field Education Coordinator", "Faculty Liaison", "Field Instructor", "Preceptor"?? What is my "site"?? What's the difference between "Concurrent", "Extended" and "Block"?? Find our "Glossary of Field Practicum Terminology" here. (back to top)