MSW Field Education
Welcome to the Field Experience!
The MSW-UTC program is pleased to offer a wide variety of agencies that can serve as field internship sites. Employment-based internships are encouraged for individuals who would like to be employed in a social service agency and for those already working in a social work setting, as long as new learning experiences can be provided. Please consult with the Field Education Director about placement/employment guidance or on becoming a practicum site. Field education is considered the signature pedagogy of social work education:
“The purpose of the social work profession is to promote human and community well-being. Guided by a person-in-environment framework, a global perspective, respect for human diversity, and knowledge based on scientific inquiry, the purpose of social work is actualized through its quest for social and economic justice, the prevention of conditions that limit human rights, the elimination of poverty, and the enhancement of the quality of life for all persons, locally and globally.”
(CSWE Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards, 2015)
Students who enter the MSW-UTC Program complete two distinct field placements: an 8-credit, 400-hour foundation placement, and an 8-credit, 500-hour concentration placement. Those who come into the program with advanced standing complete a single, 8-credit, 500-hour concentration field placement
The field experience provides critical opportunities for students to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to real-life interactions with clients in a safe, supervised setting. Students not only interact with clients and professionals in the field, but they also bring actual practice examples back to the classroom.
Within this site, you can explore information about becoming an MSW Field student, as well as information on how to become a field practicum site. Click on the links below to explore the Field Manual, which contains many forms, policies, and procedures for Field Students and Agencies.