Field Instruction
Welcome to Field Instruction - where social work education meets the real world! Field learning in the M.S.W. program is a dynamic partnership between School of Social Work faculty, students, and agency field instructors and supervisors.
Students in the M.S.W. program apply their classroom learning in field internships that are conducted under the supervision of an M.S.W. field instructor. The School of Social Work has established field placements at a range of social work agencies through the Twin Cities metro area and extending into Greater Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and North and South Dakota. Students arrange field placements in consultation with field coordinators, and with approval by the director of field instruction.
Full Program students complete two internships: SW 8010 - Field Practicum I (8 credits) and SW 8020 - Field Practicum II (6 credits). Each internship is 480 hours in length. An integrated field seminar accompanies the first placement. The first internship provides a generalist orientation to the field of social work and supports the foundation curriculum. Students complete the first internship concurrent with Practice Methods courses (SW 8201 and SW 8202) over the academic year or in a block placement the summer immediately following completion of the Practice Methods courses. A concurrent placement requires 16 hours each week over the academic year, while a block placement requires 40 hours each week over 12 weeks of the summer.
The second field placement should satisfy the specific educational goals of the chosen concentration. Students may take the second placement through the academic year while enrolled in concentration requirements or in a block placement after the concentration requirements have been completed.
Students eligible for advanced standing take one field placement of 480 hours. SW 8030 - Advanced Standing Field Practicum is worth 8 credits and is accompanied by an integrated field seminar that runs concurrent with the placement.
Students may complete the advanced-standing field requirement concurrently with course work through the academic year in which a student is completing concentration requirements or in a summer block placement following completion of the concentration requirements. The advanced-standing placement should support the specific educational goals of the chosen concentration.
When students study through distance education, the School of Social Work assists them in locating appropriate placements near their home communities. However, when this is not possible, students should expect to travel to complete the field component of their graduate work.
More information about agencies that serve as U of M social work field sites is available under Internship Information.