Field Education

MSW program
The 2-year MSW program requires a total of 1010 clock hours in practicum placement. Students earn 460 hours in their first year of graduate school and the remaining 550 in their second year. Students who enter the MSW program in Advanced Standing have fulfilled the first year practicum requirement as a part of their BSW program and complete 550 hours in practicum in their concentration year.

BASW program
Students in the BSW program earn 10 of their 46 social work credits in two practicum courses, SWK 4315 and 4325 taken during their final undergraduate year. A total of 480 clock hours must be spent in undergraduate practicum placement. Generally, students spend 16 hours each week at their site and earn 300 hours each semester. Undergraduate students completing a practicum must be concurrently enrolled in required classroom courses.

Practicum placement is different at each campus. Your campus' Field Education Coordinator will provide all placement information during your planning orientation.

An EBPP allows the student to use his or her place of employment as the site in which the requirements of field practicum are fulfilled. Students may apply for an EBPP if the following criteria are met:

• The student is working in a social service agency that is able to provide the educational opportunities needed for the student to gain appropriate and necessary knowledge and skills.
• The educational opportunities may be clearly distinguished from the student’s employment duties. For example if the student’s employment duties include providing case management to children and families, the proposed practicum involves leading groups for adults with mental illness.
• The site is supportive of their employee’s role as a student and will provide required supervision for the student’s educational plan. Examples of support include providing the student with release time for course and field instruction, reassignment of the student to a different position within the agency in order to provide further educational opportunities, assuring that the student’s responsibilities in a prior position are covered by other staff, and allowing adequate time for the practicum instructor to provide required supervision, and permitting time for such activities as shadowing, conference attendance, and visits to community agencies.
• A qualified Field Instructor is available to supervise the student and this instructor is NOT the student’s employment supervisor.

and WHAT is NOT?

• An EBPP is NOT a way for students to get educational credit for the work they do in their places of employment or a vehicle for employers to get more hours of work out of an employee or provide time off for other staff.
• An Employment-based Practicum is NOT an opportunity to leave an established placement already assigned by the Practicum Program (eg. a work opportunity presents itself part way through the academic year).

Six RULES to REMEMBER re: Employment-based Practicum Placements

1. EBP are considered for students who are working in a social service capacity and students must work with their Field Education Coordinator and be approved for this opportunity.
2. The Practicum Program cannot pre-authorize Employment-based Practicum placements nor grant retroactive approvals.
3. There is no guarantee that requests for Employment-based Practicum placement will be approved.
4. The University of Oklahoma School of Social Work Practicum Program is under no obligation to find paid practicum placements or assure that students are able to be paid for a practicum placement.
5. Prior employment and life experience may not be credited toward practicum requirements.
6. The agency, not the School or the Practicum Program, determines the compensation the student receives while in an Employment-based Practicum placement.

No previous work experience or current work experience may not be counted toward practicum hours unless it is in an approved EBPP.

There are a limited number of stipends for students in practicum placements and most are awarded through a competitive process. Some stipends are awarded by practicum sites while others are awarded by outside entities. Students should weigh their need for a stipend when considering placement sites.

There are a limited number of stipends for students in practicum placements and most are awarded through a competitive process. Some stipends are awarded by practicum sites while others are awarded by outside entities. Students should weigh their need for a stipend when considering placement sites.

Each out-of-state placement opportunity is fully evaluated by your campus’ Field Education Coordinator.

Each student placed in a field practicum must be covered by a minimum of $1,000,000/$3,000,000 in malpractice liability insurance and must provide proof of such insurance coverage to the Field Education Coordinator and the practicum site prior to the beginning of the practicum. Students must purchase their own insurance, and liability insurance at reasonable student rates are available through a variety of options.  Information will be shared at your Practicum Orientation and campus-specific forms/information is available on the Field Education website.

All MSW students must be assigned to a Field Instructor who has an MSW. BSW students may be assigned to a Field Instructor with either an MSW or BSW. Each student must meet with his or her Field Instructor for at least one hour of supervision weekly. It is preferred that the Field Instructor be licensed, but it is not required.

Please refer to the Field Education Manual (PDF) for information.

Students are expected to be in practicum from the beginning until the end of the term. Any deviation from the practicum calendar must be authorized by the Faculty Liaison assigned and must have the agreement of the Field Instructor. Students who need to make significant modifications to the practicum schedule must complete and submit a request for a modified practicum. Such requests must be approved by the Field Education Coordinator.

You may be required to purchase a parking pass in order to have parking at your practicum site. This will depend on your agency. There is not funding available through the School to cover this expense.

The faculty member who is responsible for the Practicum Program on either the Norman or Tulsa campus. All placements must be approved by the Field Education Coordinator on the individual student’s campus.

The faculty member who oversees the student’s experience in Practicum, visits the student at the placement site, serves as the instructor of record, and awards the student’s grade.

The social worker who provides on‐site supervision at the practicum site. Usually, the practicum instructor is an employee of the site. All MSW students must be assigned to a practicum instructor who has an MSW. BSW students may be assigned to a practicum instructor with either an MSW or BSW. Each student must meet with his or her practicum instructor for at least one hour of  supervision weekly. The practicum instructor participates in evaluation of the student’s performance and recommends a grade.

Some sites elect to assign a Preceptor. A Preceptor is a site employee who provides some daily guidance for the student. Generally, a preceptor does not qualify as a Practicum Instructor. In some cases, site administration decides to delegate the official role of instructor to one MSW employee who then assigns preceptorship to another MSW but retains the overall responsibility for the student’s practicum experience.

The agency or facility where students are placed for practicum is an affiliated practicum site. All sites must have a legal written affiliation agreement with the OUSSW. Sites may include hospitals, schools, social service agencies, and correctional facilities as well as communitybased agencies and programs. Most sites are private non‐profit agencies, public agencies, or hospitals.

Concurrent Placement: A placement that occurs during the same semester as classroom coursework. Generally students in a concurrent placement spend 18‐24 hours at their practicum site each week.

Block Placement: A placement that occurs during a semester in which students take little or no classroom work and spend 36‐38 hours per week at the placement.

Extended Placement: A placement that spans two semesters, spring and summer, in which the student takes little classroom work and spends 18‐24 hours per week at the practicum site.

Modified Placement: A placement scheduled outside the bounds of the official Practicum semester, i.e. starting early and/or ending late