Field Education
Information & Forms for Agencies
To ensure that placement sites and fieldwork instructors meet accreditation standards, interested agencies and potential fieldwork instructors need to provide information describing the agency’s services. The potential fieldwork instructor also provides information describing his or her work experience and academic training.
Responsibilities of the Agency
- Accept and cooperate with the University and MSW Program’s policies and guidelines. Including, signing the University Contract and providing the MSW Program with information regarding the agency, its services, programs and policies.
- Accept and evidence commitment to the educational objectives inherent in the fieldwork curriculum.
- Provide appropriate office space, telephone access, supplies and other necessary materials to enable a student to function effectively.
- Provide students with a formal orientation to the agency, the mission, policies and procedures (including workplace safety), various departments or programs, and any collaborating partnerships in the community, at the beginning of the internship
- Designate qualified field instructors. Must have an MSW and a minimum of two years post-masters experience and ability to provide ongoing supervision of at least one hour per week to discuss the student's progress on projects and learning activities, professional development, and related challenges.
- Modify the schedules of any employee selected to be a field instructor to assure that adequate time is available for teaching and student supervision activities, including meetings and/or training sessions at the University.
- Provide any needed assistance to the field instructor in developing appropriate learning experiences within the agency.
- Facilitate student involvement in agency staff and committee meetings, conferences and seminars, and any related activities that provide the student with opportunities for making professional contacts. Students need to be included as an active part of the agency and engaged in a variety of experiences, including contacts with clients.
- Provide students with adequate access to appropriate agency records for the student's research and class assignments, respecting the confidentiality of clients.
- Adhere to policies and practices reflecting nondiscrimination applied to clients, staff and students.
- Inform the MSW Program of any change in administration at the agency that impacts the field program.
- A PPS/SSW candidate must be supervised by someone who holds a PPS credential in School Social Work or an MSW with another PPS credential, and a minimum of two years post-MSW experience. In those instances where the supervisor of record does not have a PPS/SSW credential in School Social Work, the approved university program will ensure that the SSW Performance Expectations are reinforced and incorporated into the field experience. In addition, a valid CWA authorization is required in those settings where the candidate will accrue hours and experience toward the CWA authorization.