BASW Field Practicum
Purpose of the Baccalaureate Field Practicum
The BASW program prepares its graduates for beginning generalist social work practice. The Field Practicum is an essential element of the curriculum in which students are placed in a social service agency for two 8-hour days per week in the senior year. Experienced social work professionals mentor students and evaluate the student's ability to apply social work knowledge, skills and values.
Admission to Baccalaureate Field
Students are admitted to the field practicum after completing coursework on social welfare policy ( SW 300A and SW 300B), theories and knowledge of human behavior in the social environment (SW 302A and SW 302B), and a course on how to use and conduct research (SW 301). These courses are taken the junior year and must be completed with a grade of C or better. Students also must have an overall GPA of 2.5 or better to enter field to ensure academic stability and maturity.
Structure of the Baccalaureate Field Practicum
Students will be placed in an agency at the start of their senior year and remain at that agency all three academic quarters. A minimum of 480 hours of field experience ( two 8-hour days per week ) is required. Coursework on practice with individuals (SW400A, fall quarter), with groups and families (400B, winter quarter) and with communities and organizations (400C, spring quarter) are taken while students are placed field so that learning and application of skills occur concurrently. Students are placed under the supervision of an approved agency employee who is their Field Instructor. The Field Instructor meets weekly with each student for a minimum of one hour of supervision.
A Faculty Liaison from the University visits the student and the field instructor at the agency each quarter. Students attend a monthly seminar with the Faculty Liaison to integrate field learning. Two process recordings are required quarterly as part of the seminar. The liaison is also available for assistance in solving any problems that arise in field.
BASW Field Documents
Field Calendar
2012-2013 BASW Field Calendar (PDF)
Field Manual
2012-2013 BASW Field Manual (PDF)
Process Recording Micro Form
Process Recording Micro word Document
Process Recording Macro Form
Process Recording Macro word Document
Process Recording Group Form
Process Recording Group word Document
Process Recording Meetings Form
Process Recording Meetings word Document
Attendance Log Form
Agency Orientation Checklist Forms
Agency Orientation Checklist word Document