Skip navigation, to content.

Field Education

Purpose of Field Instruction

Field instruction provides the opportunity for students to integrate theory and knowledge into practice through skill development and skill refinement within the context of professional values and ethics. Curriculum content areas of Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Social Welfare Policy, Research, and Practice are combined with the student's life experience to form the basis of professional practice. The agency/organization site with experienced professional supervision serves as the training ground for student development. Expectations are that the student develops practice competencies from the generalist perspective in the foundation year. In the advanced practicum it is expected that students focus on their skill and knowledge enhancement in their area of concentration. Students as advanced practitioners must demonstrate an ability to analyze, intervene, and evaluate in ways that are highly differentiated, discriminating and self-critical. They must synthesize and apply a broad range of knowledge as well as practice with a high degree of autonomy and skill. They must be able to refine and advance the quality of their practice as well as that of the larger social work profession.

Structure of Field Instruction

The field instruction component of the curriculum is designed as a four semester concurrent placement (this is to say it occurs simultaneously to the course work) that provides students the opportunity to integrate knowledge and skill into the application of professional practice.

The Foundation Year field experience is a two-day per week 14 week two semester 448-clock hour requirement at the same agency/organization for both semesters. Monitoring and integration of the experience for a student is through Field Practicum I and Seminar I, Fall semester and Field Practicum II and Seminar II Spring semester. The student must register for and continue with the same instructor and section of field and seminar for both semesters.

The Concentration Year field experience is a three-day per week 14 week two semester 560-clock hour requirement at the same agency/organization for both semesters. Monitoring and integration of the experience for a student is through Field Practicum III and Seminar III, Fall semester and Field Practicum IV and Seminar IV Spring semester. The student must register for and continue with the same instructor and section of field and seminar for both semesters.

MSW Field Education Goals

It is expected that field practicum will provide students with:

  1. Practice opportunities that enhance student learning by integration of previous classroom experiences and direct application of social work knowledge and skills within a community-based practice setting.
  2. Opportunities for collaborative learning and practice through a variety of professional interdisciplinary settings that offer direct experiences at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice.
  3. A learning environment that allows student development and maturity within the framework of professional values and ethics.
  4. An experiential setting that allows students to explore their professional utilization of self to promote change.
  5. An environment for practice that enhances the value of diversity and social justice.
  6. On-site supervision by an experienced MSW field instructor who is a licensed social work practitioner in New York State.
  7. Opportunities for student exploration of the professional context of practice including: social welfare policies and programs, agency structure and policies for operation, utilization of current research, and advocacy for populations-at-risk.
  8. Opportunities for application of evaluation methods to practice and/or program effectiveness.

MSW Field Education Objectives

Foundation Year Outcome Objectives for Field

By the completion of the foundation year field of practice field practicum, the student is expected to achieve competence as a generalist level social worker through demonstration of the following objectives. It is expected that satisfactory progress in developing competence is required by the end of the first semester.
 

  1. Apply foundation skills in critical thinking, problem solving and decision making in professional strengths-based social work practice. )
  2. Understand social work values and ethics, and foster an ability to uphold these standards in practice.
  3. Practice without discrimination in a manner that advocates social and economic justice and that empowers diverse and oppressed populations.
  4. Understand and appreciate social work history and it relationship to contemporary polices and services.
  5. Apply a generalist social work perspective to practice across systems.
  6. Critically examine theoretical frameworks and selectively apply these frameworks to understand human behavior and development in the contexts of individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations.
  7. Understand, analyze, formulate, and influence social policy from an empowerment and strengths-based perspective.
  8. Critically evaluate published research, integrate evidence-based practice interventions, and evaluate their own practice interventions.
  9. Use communication skills differentially across client populations, colleagues, and communities, to promote collaboration and client empowerment.
  10. Utilize supervision and consultation appropriate to social work practice.
  11. Function within the structure of organizations and service delivery systems, and, when necessary, seek changes that promote collaboration and team building.

Concentration Year Field Outcome Objectives

By the completion of the concentration year field of practice field practicum, the student is expected to achieve competence in their concentration field of practice through demonstration of the following concentration specific objectives. It is expected that satisfactory progress in developing competence is required by the end of the first semester.

Family and Community Concentration Field Objectives

  1. Apply advanced knowledge, values, and skills of social work practice, leadership, collaboration, and team membership within family and community practice settings by demonstrating:
    • all aspects of practice are guided by the thoughtful , purposeful use of the NASW Code of Ethics at advancing levels;
    • assessments and interventions are guided by empirical and evidence-based practice principles and standards;
    • effective and appropriate professional use of self in all phases of practice activities,
    • delivery of culturally competent and gender sensitive social work practice including appreciation and respect for diversity in relation to race, culture, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and differential ability;
    • effective use of communication skills (written and oral) at an advanced practice level, with a variety of client populations, colleagues, team members and members of the community,
    • appropriate use of technology required for professional social work practice within the agency;
    • social work skills at advancing levels required for effective for professional practice within the agency setting;  
    • leadership, collaboration and team work skills at a level expected for professional practice.
  2. Conduct advanced family and community policy analysis and practice by demonstrating:
    • sufficient knowledge and skill in assessment, planning, interventions and evaluation with attention to relationship-building, capacity-building and empowerment of individuals, families organizations and communities;
    • the ability to complete comprehensive assessments and interventions progressively and accurately reflecting the dynamics of complex practice situations;
    • incorporating knowledge of how traditions, customs and beliefs influence client systems and assess how these might constitute resources and or challenges;
    • critically considering how socio-structural inadequacies, oppression, discrimination, social and economic injustices impact client systems.
    • the ability to analyze social policies and their impact on client systems, professional staff, and community;
    • advancing skill application in a collaborative model of community-based practice to facilitate multi-level systems change.
  3. Appropriately conduct, evaluate, critically analyze and utilize qualitative and quantitative research  evaluation at an advanced level of collaboration in family and community practice settings by:
    • demonstrating advanced ability to apply practice and program evaluation techniques to effectively evaluate, monitor, and validate practice activities with the populations served by the agency;
    •  demonstrating understanding of the social work profession in the community context, and its current structure and issues within the specific practice setting in order to advance social work’s professional goals within the agency setting;
    • critically evaluating published research and integrating evidence-based practice interventions, and evaluate their own practice interventions
  4. Appropriately utilize and provide supervision and consultation in the delivery of advanced practice  with families and communities, from a strengths perspective by demonstrating:
    • advancing development of one’s own leadership and team work skills in the professional social work role;
    • accurate  recognition and assessment  of one’s own learning needs and take responsibility for promoting and evaluating ongoing professional growth;
    • pro-active  and effective preparation  for supervisory and team meetings;
    • evidence of effectively utilizing supervisory and team feedback to advance practice knowledge and skills.
     

Interdisciplinary Health Concentration Field Objectives

  1. Apply advanced knowledge, values, and skills of social work practice, leadership, collaboration, and team membership within interdisciplinary health care contexts by demonstrating:
    • all aspects of practice are guided by the thoughtful and deliberate and use of the NASW Code of Ethics at advancing levels,
    • practice assessments and interventions are guided by evidence-based practice including peer reviewed practice standards, theoretical knowledge and empirical evidence;
    • effective and appropriate professional use of self in assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation phases of advanced practice activities;
    • culturally competent and gender sensitive social work practice at an advanced level of skill development;
    •  effective use of communication skills (written and oral) at an advanced practice level, with a variety of client populations, colleagues, team members and members of the community,
    • appropriate use of technology required for professional social work practice within the agency setting;
    • social work skills at advancing levels required for effective practice within the agency setting;
    •  leadership, collaboration and team work skills at advancing levels for effective practice within the agency setting;
  2. Conduct advanced health care policy analysis and practice by demonstrating:
    • completion of comprehensive assessments and interventions progressively and accurately reflect complex practice situations;
    • the ability to analyze social policies and their impact on client systems, professional staff, and agency settings (federal, state, local and agency-based policies);
    • advancing skill application in a collaborative model of community-based practice to facilitate multi-level systems change;
    • critically considering how socio-structural inadequacies, oppression, discrimination, social and economic injustices impact client systems.
    • the ability to analyze social policies and their impact on client systems, professional staff, and community;
    • advancing skill application in a collaborative model of community-based practice to facilitate multi-level systems change.
  3. Appropriately conduct, evaluate, critically analyze and utilize qualitative and quantitative research and evaluation at an advanced level within interdisciplinary health care contexts by:
    • demonstrating advanced ability to apply practice and program evaluation techniques to effectively evaluate, monitor, and validate practice activities with the populations served by the agency;
    • demonstrating understanding of the social work profession in the community context, and its current structure and issues within the specific practice setting in order to advance social work’s professional goals within the agency setting;
    • critically evaluating published research and integrating evidence-based practice interventions, and evaluate their own practice interventions.
  4. Appropriately utilize and provide supervision and consultation in the delivery of advanced practice in interdisciplinary health care from a strengths perspective by demonstrating:  
    • advancing development of one’s own leadership and team work skills in the professional social work role;
    •  accurate recognition and assessment of one’s own learning needs and take responsibility for promoting and evaluating ongoing professional growth;
    •  pro-active and effective preparation for supervisory and team meetings;
    • evidence of effectively utilizing supervisory and team feedback to advance practice knowledge and skills.

Realization of Goals

The foundation and concentration year field objectives are realized operationally through the Field Practicum and Field Seminar experiences. The overall design of the MSW program is such that the achievement of program outcomes begins with an understanding of the mission of the program, demonstration of knowledge and skill acquisition in all courses, and culminates in an assessment of field objectives in the foundation year and concentration year field component. The formal evaluation procedure is an integral part of the Practicum requirement and is conducted each semester with the field instructor, faculty liaison, and student.

Course content integration assessment for field is conducted in the field seminar taken each semester concurrently with each practicum. Seminar requirements are designed to facilitate this integration through class discussion, exercises, writing, presenting, and participating in group activities.

MSW Field Education Agencies

A variety of community agencies and organizations in Rochester and surrounding areas are utilized for field practicum sites for students in the Greater Rochester Collaborative MSW Program. These agencies and organizations provide learning opportunities and activities that are consistent with the objectives, values, and mission of the program, college, and profession. Agencies and organizations in which students are currently placed for the field practicum can be found here:

Approved Field Practicum Sites

MSW Field Education Forms