Field Instructors and Task Supervisors

Current MSW Program Field Instructors

Every student in the Masters program will be assigned to a community agency and complete an internship placement under the guidance and supervision of an experienced professional social worker called a Field Instructor. Field Instructors within a practice setting are essential partners and on-site teachers in the endeavor of helping the student to develop the requisite competencies and advanced practice behaviors of professional practice. We would like to thank you for your time and commitment as we move forward in this partnership!

Internship Descriptions


Foundation Year students:


In the Foundation Year field placement, students are exposed to generalist social work practice. The goal of the practitioner is to enhance human and social well being and develop a base of core social work knowledge, values, and skills. Student will work at a variety of system levels- individuals, families, groups, organization, and communities. Students should be engaged in all steps of client work including assessment, planning, intervention, termination, and evaluation. The generalist social worker should take on a variety of social work roles- advocate, broker, networker, counselor, educator, case manager, facilitator, planner, researcher, mediator, and administrator. Depending on the experience and comfort level of each student, they may progress from observing and shadowing their Field Instructor to co-facilitating therapy or group sessions and handling a small individual client load. Foundation Year students will be in their field placements for 16 hours each week.

Examples of types of activities Foundation Year students may be involved in:

  • Psycho-social assessments
  • Interviewing and problem-solving
  • Supportive counseling with individuals and families
  • Co-facilitation of groups
  • Completion of agency paperwork
  • Resource identification and referral
  • Case management
  • Advocacy and crisis intervention
  • Evaluations (determination of outcomes, data collection, etc.)
  • Community development task forces
  • Agency Board meetings
  • Professional and educational workshops
  • Developing and presenting training workshops/materials
  • Volunteer recruitment



Concentration Year students (includes Advanced Standing (Acrobat Icon 174 KB) students):


In the Concentration Year field placement, students will focus on the development of more specialized clinical skills or macro skills, depending on their concentration. The concentration year internship will also allow for increasingly autonomous practice. Concentration Year students will be in their field placements for 20 hours each week.


Individuals and Families Concentration:

This clinical concentration prepares students for advanced practice with individuals, families, and small groups. Students will utilize a variety of interventions with clients based on various clinical theories. They will apply ethical principles of social work practice to inform their professional judgments. Students learn how to monitor progress and evaluate outcomes of interventions and how to determine which approaches are most effective. They will be expected to carry an individual case load of clients.

Students in this concentration will choose to specialize in one of the following four tracks:

Child Welfare; Children, Youth and Families; Adult Mental Health; Older Adults
Examples of types of activities Individuals and Families Concentration Year students may be involved in:

  • Advanced clinical assessments
  • Development of treatment plans
  • Specific use of intervention or psychotherapeutic models based on advanced theories
  • Developing client satisfaction surveys
  • Develop and provide a presentation on a relevant topic
  • Raise awareness of mental health issues by developing and disseminating educational materials
  • Advocate for client access to social work services
  • Plan and facilitate weekly group sessions
  • Develop resource guide to address target population needs
  • Case management and resource referral
  • Evaluations (determination of outcomes, data collection, etc.)
  • Community meetings to address gaps in service

Macro Concentration:

This concentration focuses on community need, program design and development, resource acquisition, program maintenance, leadership and organizational administration, and the values and ethics that guide macro practice.

Examples of types of activities Macro Concentration Year students may be involved in:

  • Developing and implementing an agency needs assessment
    • Interagency taskforce meetings
    • Promoting opportunities for citizen action
    • Grant writing
    • Working with groups for educational, community organizing, or legislative change purposes
    • Supervise agency volunteers
    • Analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance social well-being.
    • Outreach and coalition development with other agencies.
    • Research, evaluation, and data collection
    • Develop and provide educational trainings, workshops, and materials
    • Develop and administer a specific program within agency

Resources

MSW Field Calendar (Acrobat Icon 75 KB)
Criteria for Selection of Agencies, Field Instructors and Task Supervisors (262 KB)
Affiliation Agreement (Acrobat Icon 76 KB)
Field Instructor FAQs (137 KB)
MSW Field Manual (Acrobat Icon 1,310 KB)

Learning Agreements

Foundation Year Learning Agreement (Acrobat Icon 356 KB)
Concentration Year Individuals and Families Learning Agreement (Acrobat Icon 467 KB)
Concentration Year Macro Learning Agreement (Acrobat Icon 428 KB)

 Field Evaluations

Foundation Year Field Evaluation (Acrobat Icon 727 KB)
Concentration Year Individuals and Families Field Evaluation (Acrobat Icon 546 KB)
Concentration Year Macro Field Evaluation (Acrobat Icon 312 KB)