Social Work Field Education Frequently Asked Questions

Find the answers to your frequently asked questions below:

When will I start my field placement? 

BSW students will begin their field placement hours in the Fall of their Senior year or the Summer following their Junior year. 

MSW Advanced Standing students also begin their field placement hours in the Fall semester. 

Generalist MSW students cannot start field in the Fall of the year they were admitted, so most start field in the Spring of their second semester of the program and continue through into summer.  Some students may choose to complete field placement hours over the course of Summer I and Summer II sessions. 

Students in the MSW Advanced Standing track are not allowed to complete all field hours over the course of Summer I and Summer II sessions. Various options are offered to our MSW students to provide flexibility in completing the program. Students will have the option to complete Field concurrently with their coursework, following the fall semester, choose a summer field option, or focus solely on Field Education outside a coursework schedule. Students will discuss these options in their 1-on-1 with the field director or field coordinator.

How many hours will I spend in my placement? 

BSW students will complete 400 hours over the course of two semesters. 

Generalist MSW Students will complete 400 hours over the course of two semesters. 

Specialized MSW Students will complete 500 hours in an advanced generalist or clinical setting over the course of two semesters. Students will remain at their chosen agency for the duration of the field education experience. 

What exactly is the learning agreement? 

Social Work Education is a competency-based profession. To demonstrate competence in Field, students must complete the Field Learning Agreement, which is composed of the 2022 CSWE EPAS Competencies. Students will complete their agreement over the course of the Academic Year. All students must earn 80% on the learning agreement to successfully complete field education.

Can I do my field placement at my place of employment?  

Yes, students can utilize their place of employment as a field site if that site meets the departmental requirements to qualify as a field site. Field sites must provide opportunities for students to meet all CSWE EPAs. Students who are interested in an employment-based internship should select this option when submitting their field education application.

Am I allowed to change placements from semester to semester while I am in the field as a social work intern? 

No, students pursuing a clinical placement do so only in the specialist year; however, some students elect a more advanced generalist experience, which removes the 100 clinical contacts requirement and makes the student solely responsible for earning 500 hours.

Am I expected to quit my job to complete my field internship?  

Absolutely not! We will never encourage nor force you to make those hard choices, but some students do elect to step away from employment, take a leave of absence, or drop to part-time to meet the field experience requirement. Field education is a time commitment and one that you should plan for, especially if working. Students are encouraged to work with their field faculty to discuss field placement options.

I am a 60-hour MSW student. Can I use my current place of employment as my internship placement for both the generalist and specialist field internship? 

While this is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, generally students must intern at a different agency each year while enrolled in the Social Work Program. Students are not allowed to intern at the same agency for both internship experiences. 

I completed a 450-hour internship at another university. I see that your BSW and MSW Generalist programs require only 400 hours. Can the remaining 50 hours transfer towards my MSW placement?  

Unfortunately, no. Any hours accrued while in another program do not roll over into the field experience at UTC. 

Am I required to attend orientation and/or field bootcamp? 

Yes, every student in the BSW & MSW Program will attend orientation in the Fall if starting field in August or Spring.

My current job requires me to complete a background check when I was hired there. The background check was positive. Could I get a copy of that report to submit with my field application since I had one done recently? 

Unfortunately, no. The Field Program at UTC can access background reports only through specified channels identified by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations. Because of this, any student applying to field education MUST submit to a background check as defined and outlined by the program.

Prior to entering my career, some things happened in my life that will result in criminal infractions on my background check. Will this prevent me from getting placed into field education? 

We strongly believe that each of us has a story. While we believe that stories shape us, they do not define us. Students who are concerned about background-related challenges should disclose them during the field education application phase. Failure to disclose infractions will result in removal from field education.

Are there any paid internships for students? 

We always advocate for paid internships for our students, and several secure payment/employments during or at the conclusion of the experience. Departmentally, we do not offer paid internships, but students are always encouraged to inquire about such options during their individual interview.

What if I don’t like my internship? Am I able to quit and find another one? 

Field placement is the first chance for students to embody the identity of a social worker. Field helps students uncover areas of passion while also identifying opportunities for growth and/or challenge. Not liking an internship is not a reason to end placement, and students should be aware that self-termination without planning can determine continuation in field. If you are having issues with placement, you are encouraged to reach out to faculty for support and guidance. 

What happens if I am terminated from Field Education by my field agency? 

The program has very specific guidelines around professional expectations and fitness for field. When students are terminated prematurely due to concerns, the student will be asked to discontinue field education through a withdrawal process. It should be noted that termination could involve additional costs, the loss of credits, and delayed graduation.