MSW Field Practicum Fact Sheet for Agencies

Thank you for taking the time to consider providing a field placement for a Chicago State University Master of Social Work student. Our program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. 

• Our program prepares students for advanced social work practice that uses a trauma-informed, strength-based and family-centered principles in their approach to client systems. Students may specialize in Family Centered Direct Practice, Program Planning, and Administration, or School Social Work. 
• Agencies that serve as practicum sites serve populations that have traditionally been underserved and considered vulnerable and oppressed such as women, ethnic minorities, the poor, children, people of color, the elderly and persons of diverse religious and sexual orientations. Agencies that would like to provide field placements should align to the Program’s mission to prepare graduate social work students for a life-long commitment to competent, evidence-informed principled, strengths-based, trauma-informed, and family-centered social work practice; leadership and service to urban communities; addressing human rights issues including social, racial and economic injustice; and to a spirit of inquiry. 
• The first-year MSW students complete two semesters and a total of 400 clock hours in the field while second-year students complete two semesters and a total of 550 clock hours in the field. Placements average two days a week, beginning in August at the beginning of the academic year and end in May. Students in the School Social Work concentration require a minimum of 600 clock hours.  
• Foundation placements provide students the opportunity to apply the generalist model to practice as they assess and develop or enhance their beginning level practice skills with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations. Advanced placements allow students to work within their area of concentration where they are expected to take on more complex practice tasks, function more independently and demonstrate advanced skills e.g. multi-system assessments and multi-modal interventions or program development. 
• The majority of our students have several years of experience in social services and are employed during their educational experience. As a result, agencies providing quality-learning experiences during evenings and weekends are very much needed.

Field Instructor Requirements

• Agencies that would like to provide field placements should identify a Field Instructor who has two years of post-MSW experience and interest in providing educational opportunities for students. The Field Instructor is required to provide one hour per week of supervisory field instruction to the student.

Task Instructors are agency professionals who do not have a Master of Social Work degree but who provide day to day instruction for the student or instruction on specific tasks. 

The agency still identifies someone with a Master of Social Work degree to provide the MSW supervisory field instruction. In this case, the role of the MSW Field Instructor helps the student with socialization to the Social Work profession and integration of Social Work Theory with practice.

School Social Work Field Practicum Fact Sheet for Schools

Thank you for taking the time to consider providing a field placement for a ChicagoStateUniversity student. The MSW program of Chicago State University is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Our program prepares students to meet the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) requirements for School Social Workers and for advanced social work practice that uses strength-based, family-centered and trauma informed principles in their approach to client systems.

• Placements average three days a week, begin in August at the beginning of the academic year and end in May.  Students are required to complete a minimum of 600 clock hours in their Field Practicum. This requires students to complete 20 hours per week at the placement site.
• Schools that serve as practicum sites are public schools within the city of Chicago or suburban locations. Schools should serve a diverse student population, and provide opportunities for learning experiences across grade levels.
• Most of the students in the School Social Work concentration have several years of experience in social services and are often employed during their educational experience.
• A Faculty Field Liaison is assigned to monitor the placement and provide support to the school Field Instructor and to the Post MSW student.
• The supervising School Social Worker is required to meet with the student for one hour per week in supervision, help develop the Learning Contract and monitor and evaluate the student’s progress in meeting the ISBE Standards for School Social Workers.
• Schools that would like to provide field placements for Post MSW School Social Work students should identify a Field Instructor who holds a Type 73 Certificate for School Social Workers, has two years of post-MSW experience and is willing to provide an educational opportunity for a student.

For More Information:

If your agency would like to be added to our directory of field practicum sites or to request further information on our program please Contact: Lolita Godbold, Director of Field Education, (773) 995-2843, 9501 South King Drive, Science #116 A, Chicago, IL 60628.

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