Securing a Practicum

In the Foundation Year you are assigned to internships that will fulfill the requirements for developing your generalist social work practice skills. Advanced Concentration Year students may be more specific about agency requests. Although the Practicum Education Department will make every effort, we cannot guarantee that students will be assigned to one of these choices. Students who perform social work-related jobs at their place of employment may wish to consider an Employment-Based placement. Final approval of sites is at the discretion of our practicum development department.

You will find lots of information about internships in the Practicum Manual.  If you work in a social service job (case aide/manager, CASAC, etc.), you may qualify for employment based placement, as long as you and your agency meet the criteria and your role meets core competencies with a qualified new practicum instructor (not your current supervisor.)

Criteria for All Internships:

Assignments must follow the plan approved by the Graduate School of Social Work Practicum Development Department. The practicum liaison must be notified immediately of any changes.

1. Foundation Year Assignments
   • Direct service assignments provide students with experience in pre-encounter, engagement, exploration, contracting, assessment, ongoing interventions and termination.
   • Assignments may include a variety of organization and community work, casework and collateral contacts.
2. Advanced Concentration Year Assignments
   • Clinical assignments in the second year provide the students with ongoing counseling opportunities that will further develop engagement, assessment and intervention skills.
   • Assignments may include individual group, family and collateral contacts.
   • Students should have the opportunity to work with a variety of issues.
3. A qualified practicum instructor must be assigned. Qualifications include 3 years post-MSW experience, an LMSW, and training for new practicum instructors. If your internship is employment-based, the Employment-Based Practicum Instructor must differ from the intern’s regular supervisor AND cannot serve as the practicum instructor for more than 1 academic year.

Criteria for Eligible Internship:

Students must complete 450 hours of field placement per academic year.

Full-Time (15 Hours) practicum assignment includes:

• 7-10 hours of direct service assignments.
  (Client contact, collateral contacts)
• 1 hour of practicum instruction
• 1 hour for process recordings.
• Staff meetings, team conferences, in/service training.

Part-Time (11 Hours) practicum assignment includes:

• 5-7 hours of direct service assignments.
• 1 hour of practicum instruction.
• 1 hour for process recordings.
• Staff meetings, team conferences, in/service training.

Criteria for Eligible Employment-Based Internship:

An employment-based intern must complete 450 hours of an internship per academic year, in an assignment different from his/her regular work responsibilities that includes a change of program and/or population served.

Full-Time (15 Hours/Week) practicum assignment includes:

• 7 – 10 hours of direct service assignments.
• 1 hour of practicum instruction.
• 1 hour for process recordings.
• Staff meetings, team conferences, in-service training.

Part-Time (11 Hours/Week) practicum assignment includes:

• 6 – 8 hours of direct service assignments.
• 1 hour of practicum instruction.
• 1 hour for process recordings.
• Staff meetings, team conferences, in-service training.