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What is field learning?Field learning is an integral part of social work education that aims to prepare students to become skilled social work practitioners by applying social work theory to direct work with individuals, families, groups, and/or larger systems. Students spend a significant number of hours per week outside the classroom engaging in social work practice under the guidance of field instructors.Students are required to complete 600 hours in the professional foundation and 600 hours in the advanced concentration field practicum (with the exception of OYR students who are required to complete a total of 900 hours). Students are also required to take the appropriate co-requisite practice class while completing required field practicum hours. Should extended placement hours be required, a practice elective must be taken concurrently. |
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How is an Advanced Concentration placement (2nd year) different from a Professional Foundation placement (1st year)?The Professional Foundation year offers opportunities for the development of generalist social work practice skills. Second year, or Advanced Concentration, placements focus on the development of more specialized clinical skills and emphasize the conceptualization of the professional use of self in the treatment setting and increasingly autonomous practice. Some agencies will only accept second year students for field placement due to insurance regulations, prerequisite coursework or experience, or other agency requirements. |
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I have never worked with a client. How can I be expected to do this as an intern?Students are admitted to the School based on identified abilities and attributes that are necessary for success in the profession. Students are to acquire the necessary practice skills by integrating theory/course work with assignments in placement settings. |
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How are field learning sites chosen?Sites are selected based on an agency's ability to provide learning opportunities necessary for the development of students' social work practice skills. The Field Learning department works with over 500 agencies, schools, and other organizations in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT) representing a wide range of services in many fields of practice.Once the Field Learning team receives all information from both the student and the Faculty Advisor, the student’s material will be given to a clinical faculty who will match the student to a field learning site based on the student’s academic program, professional interests, goals and objectives, past experience, where the student lives in relation to the field learning site, and requirements of the field learning site. The clinical faculty consults with the student’s classroom instructors and Faculty Advisor to make the best possible match. |
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How is my field placement assignment made?In the Foundation Year, students are placed in one of the practice systems where he/she is expected to learn and practice within a generalist perspective (see learning objectives for Foundation Year in the MSW Manual). Upon receipt of the student’s Field Learning Placement Questionnaire, an up-to-date resume (CV) and a Summary Form, a member of the clinical faculty in Field Learning matches the student to a field learning site based on the student’s program, professional interest, experience, where they live, and requirements of the field learning site. All forms can be located on the Silver School’s website. At the beginning of the second semester of the Foundation Year, the student will meet with his/her Faculty Advisor to plan for the Advanced Concentration year. In addition, the mandatory Professional Development Day, held early in the Spring semester of the Foundation Year, introduces students to the multitude of social work roles and responsibilities across social work practice systems (fields of practice).In the Advanced Concentration Year, it is possible for the student to focus his or her graduate education on specific aspects of social work within specific practice systems (fields of practice). The Faculty Advisor, in the capacity of educational consultant, assists the student with the development of educational goals and objectives for the Advanced Concentration year that will facilitate the individual student’s professional development and growth (see learning objectives for Advanced Concentration Year in the MSW Manual). Students may also elect to apply for one of the Specialized Field Learning Opportunities in the Advanced Concentration year. The student will complete the Placement Questionnaire for the Advanced Concentration Year, an updated resume and a Summary Document. The student’s Faculty Advisor will complete an Assessment Form. If the student is interested in applying for one of the Specialized Field Learning Opportunities, an additional short essay is required from the student (located on the Placement Questionnaire) as well as a letter of reference from the Faculty Advisor (located on the Faculty Advisor Assessment Form). Students are allowed to apply for only one of the Specialized Field Learning Opportunities. All forms can be found on the School’s website. |
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Is it possible to arrange my own placement?In order to maintain the integrity of the placement process and because of its long-standing relationships with social work agencies, the Field Learning department is responsible for developing student placements. Students are not to contact agencies independently (e.g., not to inquire about available placements, not to arrange interviews). If there is an agency in which you are interested you may provide written information regarding the agency to your Faculty Advisor or e-mail it to field.learning@nyu.edu. As appropriate, the Field Learning office will contact the agency to explore the feasibility of developing the placement. |
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Can students who are employed in the field of social work use that paid position as their field placement?Students may apply for an Employment Based Field Learning (EBFL) placement for their Advanced Concentration year. Applications are reviewed by the Field Learning department for approval, which is based on the timely submission of the EBFL application, the integrity of the placement as a field learning site, having passed the probationary period at the agency, and the ability of the agency to fulfill the educational goals of the Advanced Concentration requirements (Students are not allowed to progress into Advanced Concentration placement without the completion of all professional foundation requirements). Field Learning assignments must be different from what job assignments had been, and there must be a person available to provide Field Instruction who is different from the work supervisor. |
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Are there any paid field learning placements available?No. There are a minimal number of placements that offer a small stipend, but these vary year to year. |
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Are there evening or weekend placements available?Evening and/or weekend placements are available only to students in the Extended (part-time) Program and the 32 Month Program for Working Professionals. Even for these students, these placements are extremely limited, as most agencies are not open and/or Field Instruction is not normally available at night and on weekends. Typical placements occur within standard business hours Monday-Friday. |
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How far will I have to travel for my field placement?Every effort is made to plan a reasonable commute. One hour of travel time each way to a field placement site is considered reasonable. |
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How many hours will my field placement require?Please see the document “Field Learning Required Hours” on our Website. |
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What is the role of my Faculty Advisor?Faculty advisement is provided to all students throughout their school attendance. During the practicum, the advisor serves as the student’s academic advisor as well as the school’s liaison to the field agency. Advisors are assigned by the Assistant Dean of Field Learning. Part-time students, prior to the practicum and during any hiatus between practicum years will be assigned to the Coordinator, Extended and OYR Program, for advisement. Students not enrolled in a degree program will be assigned to the advisor for non-matriculated students. The role of the advisor for the Foundation and the Advanced Concentration Year is explained below.Foundation Year: Once Field Learning Sites are arranged, professional foundation students are assigned to a faculty advisor who has a two-fold responsibility, for student advisement in academic as well as field matters. Advisors work collaboratively with agencies to enrich the field practicum experience. In discharging these responsibilities, faculty advisors serve as a guide and resource for students about all aspects of their graduate education. The faculty advisor is the School’s liaison to students’ field learning agencies and field instructors. The professional foundation faculty advisor reads each student’s records at least once a semester; plans with the student for his/her advanced concentration Field Learning Site; and gives the field learning grade at the end of each semester. Advanced Concentration Year: Advanced concentration advisement is less intensive than advisement in the first year. Advanced concentration advisors are assigned at the beginning of the academic year and serve as a guide and resource for students. Faculty advisors meet with each student individually at least once each semester, and are available for additional individual conferences upon request. Similar to the Foundation Year, the faculty advisor reviews the six-week educational statement and the mid-year and final evaluations and gives the Field Learning Site grade at the end of each semester. The faculty advisor becomes familiar with the agency and the student’s assignment, initiates early telephone contact with the field instructor, and visits the agency during the academic year to consult with the student and field instructor. |
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What if I have a question about my field placement?Prospective and newly admitted students should email inquiries to field.learning@nyu.edu. |
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What if I do not like my field placement?Placement sites are selected based on their ability to provide sound learning experiences; assignments are made based on a variety of factors, including students' learning needs and location. A change in a field learning site can take place; however, this is not done lightly. If you are in a field learning site that you feel is not meeting your educational needs, contact your Faculty Advisor immediately. Your Faculty Advisor will review your educational goals and objectives in the context of the goals and objectives for either the Foundation Year or the Advanced Concentration Year. If, upon review and reflection, you and your Faculty Advisor feel that your learning needs are not being met, a plan will be developed to address the situation. You, your faculty advisor and Field Instructor and/or a member of the Clinical Faculty in Field Learning will collaborate to find a solution. |
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What if I have a question that is not answered here?If your question is not answered here or on the Web site, which has information including calendars, manuals, and forms, you can e-mail questions to: field.learning@nyu.edu. |