Students participate in experiential and integrative learning opportunities in affiliated community organizations. The 600 hour field experience begins in the senior year of the BASW program. These hours are completed over two semesters. The students work collaboratively with their assigned Field Advisor to secure a generalist field placement that aligns with their goals and interests. This experience additionally prepares students for the professional positions they will assume in the marketplace after graduation. Students learn under the supervision of a qualified field instructor and with the support of a field advisor and liaison from the School of Social Work.
The importance of the role of the field instructor as teacher, guide, and role model to the student cannot be underestimated. Field instructors perform these responsibilities on a voluntary basis, often to give back what they were given and to continue to remain current and challenged in their thinking about the practice role they perform and the social issues they face in their work with individuals, families, small groups, neighborhoods, communities, and organizations. No two field instructor or student experiences are identical, but there are threads of commonality in all field placement experiences.
The field education experience is supported through the SONIA online software. All field-related documents are both created and housed in this HIPAA-compliant software program. The system is managed by the students, assigned faculty, and the field education office. Requests for field placements, field learning plans, evaluations, and timesheets are a few examples of documents managed through SONIA.
To learn more about SONIA: Coming Soon
BASW Field Education Schedule and Handbook
- BASW Field Education Schedule (2023-2024) (PDF)
- BASW Handbook
Field Learning Plans and Evaluations
Students are required to complete a Field Learning Plan and two Field Evaluations during their internships. These documents are completed through the Field Education Software SONIA in conjunction with the student's Field Instructor. The Field Learning Plan is the syllabus for learning that will take place during the student's internship. The Field Evaluations are use to measure progress and identify areas for improvement. Currently the Field Learning Plans and the Field Evaluation documents are being updated to comply with CSWE 2022 EPAS. A link to the document will be posted in the near future.