Masters of Social Work Field Experience:

Course Success

Once your field experience has been secured and all necessary paperwork has been completed you will be enrolled in your field course by the Field Experience Office. You may not start your hours until the course start date. 

Field Education involves your work at the agency and assignments in your field experience course. Your field course is different than other courses you have taken. It requires completion of 200 hours each term/course during your generalist placement (two consecutive terms for a total of 400 hours) and 250 hours at your agency during each term/course of your advanced practice placement (two consecutive terms for a total of 500 hours). 

You are responsible for ensuring that your Field Instructor signs off on logged hours. Review the Meditrek Time Log Guide for Students for detailed instructions for logging your field hours. 

Important things to keep in mind about logging hours:

1. Only hours that have been verified by your Field Instructor will count as completed hours. 
2. You must have 200 hours verified for each 11-week quarter for Generalist (Foundation) Field. 
3. You must have 250 hours verified for each 11-week quarter for Advanced Practice Field. 
4. Your Field Instructor needs to review and sign your logs. 
5. Your time sheets are important records for your licensure process and are stored in Meditrek for your use later. You are also encouraged to keep a copy for your records.
6. The weekly synchronous class meeting counts toward your field hours.  Your field liaison will review and approve these hours on your logs.

At the mid-term and at the end of your field experience courses your Field Instructor will evaluate your learning based on the core competencies outlined on your Learning Agreement. 

You will want to ensure your Field Instructor completes the evaluations.

You will be required to participate in a weekly synchronous call. You will meet face to face with your classmates and Field Liaison (course instructor) in real time, in your field course. 

You will also participate in a mid-term and final site visit with your Field Liaison and Field Instructor.

You will work with your Field Instructor (site supervisor) to establish a Learning Agreement. Your Field Liaison (course instructor) must approve the learning agreement. You can locate the learning agreement within your classroom and will upload the completed learning agreement both in your course and in Meditrek.

See more about Learning Agreements in the MSW Field Education Manual

You should remain at the same site for both quarters of your field placement. The Field Office establishes contracts with all sites and a change in placement disrupts these contracts, the agencies, clients, and a student's learning experience. 

If a change is necessary a request form is required, which will be reviewed before any decision about changing a placement is made.