1. Adrienne Chel Rodriguez, LCSW Field Education Coordinator
Generalist Practice Field Education Orientation Department of Social Work SOW4510 BSW Field Education / SOW4522 BSW Senior Seminar SOW5532 MSW Foundation Field
Adrienne Chel Rodriguez, LCSW
Field Education Coordinator

2. For Your Review….. BSW Field Instruction Information available online:
MSW Field Instruction Information available online:
TK20 (Department of Social Work) available online:

3. Welcome to Field Education!
Field Education is recognized as the signature pedagogy for social work education. Field Education offers students the opportunity to develop social work competencies and practice behaviors in an agency under the supervision of a professional social worker. Field is the point at which students integrate classroom knowledge into the practice setting.
The Field Office is committed to providing students with opportunities to develop and master the competencies set forth by CSWE. Our goal is to support you through each step of this process.
Congratulations on reaching this milestone! We look forward to working with each of you.
Chel Rodriguez, LCSW Loan Crider, LCSW
Field Education Coordinator Assistant Field Education Coordinator

4. CSWE Requirements
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) defines the processes and policies related to the field education program.
Hours requirements
Supervision requirements
Supervisor qualifications
Learning opportunities (must provide opportunities to participate in activities reflective of competencies)
In-person contact
Admission criteria to field
Placement Process
Selection of field agencies
Monitoring students
Assessment & evaluation

5. Generalist Practice Placement
CSWE requires BSW and MSW students to complete a generalist practice placement.
At this level students are developing basic social work skills reflective of the core competencies defined by CSWE.
Professional development (NASW code of ethics); working with diverse populations; advocacy for social, economic, and environmental justice; research-based skills and knowledge; policy issues; engaging with and assessing individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities; intervention strategies; how to evaluate practice…..

6. Expectations:
This is not a clinical placement. Students are not expected to and should not be providing therapy to clients.
Some examples of generalist practice activities are as follows:
Interviewing skills, completing psycho-socials, identifying referral sources and completing referrals, developing intervention plans, participation in professional education opportunities, identifying policy issues affecting clients, participating in agency staffings/meetings, navigating ethical dilemmas, case management….

7. SOW4510 Senior Field Instruction
SOW4510 is a (9) credit hour course.
During student’s final semester of study.
Student will complete 400 hours in one semester (25 hours per week Spring/Fall or 35 hours per week Summer).
Placement in one agency, to be determined by Field Office.
There is an application process for placement in senior field.
Student must meet certain eligibility criteria.
Requires application via Tk20. Purchase/activation of Tk20 account.
Required supervision with an approved BSW or MSW supervisor for a minimum of one hour per week.
Enroll in and attend weekly SOW4522 Senior Seminar, (3) credit hour course.
Student cannot be enrolled in more than one 3-hour course in addition to field and seminar (9-hour course).
Students are not to contact potential agencies prior to being instructed to do so by the field office.

8. Are you ready to apply for Senior Field?
Is Summer 2018/Fall 2018 your final semester of study?
Do you have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher?
Do you have a social work GPA of 2.5 or higher?
Will you have completed all prerequisite social work courses by the end of the Spring 2018/Summer 208 semester?
Will you have you completed all general education requirements by the end of Spring 2018/Summer 2018 semester?
Do you need more than one (3) hour credit course in addition to field (9 credit hours) and seminar (3 credit yours)?

9. SOW5532 MSW Foundation Field Instruction
SOW5532 (3) credit hour course.
Student will complete 300 hours in one semester.
Placement in one agency, to be determined by Field Office.
There is an application process for agency placement.
Student must meet certain eligibility criteria.
Requires application via Tk20. Purchase/activation of Tk20 account.
Enroll in and attend weekly SOW5532, (3) credit hour course.
Required supervision with an approved MSW supervisor for a minimum of one hour per week.
Students are not to contact potential agencies prior to being instructed to do so by the field office.

10. Eligibility requirements for SOW5532
Minimum GPA of 3.0
No incomplete grades
• Completed SOW5105 Human Behavior in the Social Environment I, SOW5305 Generalist Practice I, SOW5404 MSW Research Foundations, and SOW 5757 History Philosophy, and Theory of Social Work Practice
Purchase and activate a Social Work Tk20 account

11. Summer 2018 Field Dates
Field Application Summer 2018 opens: February 20th
Field Applications DUE: March 6th at 11:55pm
Late applications will NOT be accepted!
Group Pre-placement Interviews: March 19th-23rd
(Students will receive an appointment invitation via )
Field Placement Confirmation Forms Due for Summer 2018: April 30th
Field Placement Summer 2018 begins: May 11, 2018
Field Placement Summer 2018 ends: August 10, 2018

12. Fall 2018 Field Dates Field Application Fall 2018 open: February 20th
Field Applications DUE: March 6th at 11:55pm
Late applications will NOT be accepted!
Group Pre-placement Interviews: March 26th-30th
(Students will be receive an appointment invitation via )
Field Placement Confirmation Forms Due for Fall 2018: TBD
Field Placement Fall 2018 begins: August 24, 2018
Field Placement Fall 2018 ends: December 7, 2018

13. Overview of the Placement Process
1. Students should have active Tk20 account.
2. Complete the Summer 2018/Fall 2018 field application.
3. Application subject to approval by Field Coordinator.
4. If application is approved, student notified of appointment process
for pre-placement interview with Field Coordinator.
5. Student participates in group pre-placement interview.
6. Students are assigned to field agency upon completion of all interviews, not at the time of the interview (notified by ).
7. Student contacts agency to schedule agency interview
8. Student participates in interview
9. If accepted by the agency, student completes Field Placement Confirmation Form in Tk20

14. Please understand that this is a PROCESS.
Placement Process
Please understand that this is a PROCESS.
The field office has established specific protocols due to the high number of students that must be placed each semester.
Over the course of the year the field office on average places over 200 students.
There are multiple levels of students entering field each semester, ie. 120-hour, 400-hour, foundation MSW, clinical MSW.
Please do not contact a potential field agency prior to being instructed to do so by the field office.
This is also at the request of the agency as they become overwhelmed due to the number of students seeking placement.
Contacting potential agencies presents many issues and may disrupt placement for you or another student.

15. Expectations of Placement Process
The importance of FLEXIBILITY and ability to adapt to CHANGE is an essential social work skill. Start practicing this now!
Things don’t always go as planned, ie. agencies back out, close, etc. sometimes placements fall through, even at the last minute.
Agencies make decisions independent of the Field Office, and sometimes that involves change that affects the student, ie. change in agency requirements, hours of availability, staff changes.
Students must be prepared to work with any population!
Once assigned, students are not permitted to change agencies.
Students are placed in agencies capable of providing the opportunities for students to master the social work competencies set forth by CSWE.

16. Completing the Field Application
Make sure you purchase the social work Tk20 account. uwfsocialwork.tk20.com Applications must be submitted online via Tk20. Your resume must be uploaded in completing the application. Students are asked to provide a brief autobiographical statement, prior experience, learning objectives for the internship, and career goals. The Field Coordinator forwards applications to prospective agencies for their review. Please proofread your application and resume carefully as agencies have declined to interview students upon reviewing applications containing grammatical errors, misspelled words, excessive typo’s, etc. You will not be referred to an agency without having submitted the field application in full.

17. Special Issues
Any current or past situations in your life that may impact where you should be placed (i.e., being in recovery, being the victim of domestic violence, having a terminally ill relative, etc.) should be communicated to the field office in writing.
If there are any legal issues in your past it is important that you discuss such with the Field Coordinator. Prior legal involvement may not exclude you from completing your internship. However, agencies vary in their background policy requirements therefore it is necessary to address this prior to being referred to an agency.
Failure to disclose information that may be relevant to a criminal and/or Department of Children and Families background check may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the program.
This information should be disclosed prior to the preplacement interview.

18. Preplacement Interview
Following submission and approval of the field application by the Field Coordinator and Academic Advisor, the field coordinator will provide instructions for scheduling the pre-placement interview. Pre-placement interviews will be conducted as group interviews. The purpose of the preplacement interview is not to discuss agency preferences, rather to assist the Field Coordinator in determining appropriate fit between student, agency, and supervisor.

19. Agency Assignment
Upon completion of all pre-placement interviews, students will be notified by of their assigned agency. The name of the agency, contact person, and means of contact will be included in this . Under NO circumstances are you to contact an agency before being advised to do so by the Field Coordinator. Please contact your agency as soon as you are referred. Time is of the essence as some agencies require several weeks to complete the process of backgrounds, drug screens, etc. At the time of the interview please inquire as to agency screening process. Failure to do your part will not constitute an emergency on my part! Students should be prepared to work with any population.

20. Agency Interview First impressions are lasting impressions!!!
* PROFESSIONALISM * PROFESSIONALISM * PROFESSIONALISM *
Dress appropriately for the interview.
Arrive a few minutes early, ie. Don’t be late!
Communicate professionally in all oral and written communication with the agency, ie. and phone conversations.
Please treat the agency interview as if is a job interview.
At the time of the interview or shortly after the student will be notified as to the agency’s decision. If the agency accepts the intern, the next step is to complete the Field Placement Confirmation Form in Tk20.
REMEMBER!!!! You are representing the social work profession, the Department of Social Work, and the University of West Florida.
First impressions are lasting impressions!!!

21. After the agency interview…..
Agencies make the final determination as to whether or not the student will intern with their agency.
Agencies may or may not communicate their decision at the time of the interview.
If a placement is not confirmed at the time of the interview, please follow-up with the field office by .
If the placement is confirmed the student is responsible for the following:
Inquiring about onboarding process for interns, ie. completing background screens, drug screens, training, paperwork, etc.
The student is responsible for ensuring these requirements are completed prior to the start of the semester.
The student is responsible for following-up with the agency supervisor to determine a start date on or after the first day of the semester.
Schedules are negotiated between the student and the agency.
Complete the confirmation form in tk20.
If an agency declines it is the student’s responsibility to communicate that information to the field office ASAP.
If a student is declined after three unsuccessful agency interviews placement may be deferred to another semester.

22. Field Confirmation Form
Forms must be submitted in Tk20 by the specified due date.
The Confirmation Form will require the following information:
1. Name of agency
2. Address of agency
3. Name of Field Instructor (BSW or MSW supervisor)
4. Credentials of Field Instructor, ie. BSW, MSW,LCSW
5. address of Field Instructor
6. Phone number of Field Instructor
In some instances a student will be assigned a Task Supervisor.
If the student is assigned to a task supervisor, please contact the Field Office prior to completing the Confirmation Form.
Students are responsible for obtaining this information from the agency!

23. Who’s Who? ROLES
Seminar Instructor: The UWF Faculty assigned to teach the field seminar. Also known as Faculty Liason.
Field Instructor: The BSW or MSW supervisor providing the one hour per week of required social work supervision. *The field instructor must have a social work degree from a CSWE accredited program and two years of post-degree practice experience. Field instructors for MSW students must have a MSW degree.
Task Supervisor: A non-social work degreed person responsible for supervising student’s day-to-day activities. Not all students have a task supervisor, as their field instructor is present to oversee the student’s day-to-day activities.
Off-site Supervision: On occasion a student may intern in an agency in which there are experienced, qualified persons on-staff who hold a degree(s) in a field other than social work. In this case, you will meet with a social work degreed person off-site to complete the one-hour per week of required supervision. Please note that this person will be your field instructor, and your supervisor in the agency will be a task supervisor.

24. Agency Requirements
Each agency has specific requirements that must be met prior to beginning the internship.
Most agencies require a criminal background check (maybe local or Level II).
Some agencies require drug screens.
Most hospitals require proof of immunizations, TB test, and/or flu vaccine.
Always ask about agency requirements at the time of interview with the agency.
Students are responsible for completing ALL agency requirements.
Some agencies require the student to incur the cost of meeting these requirements.
The Department of Social Work does not reimburse or compensate students for any expenses related to field placement.

25. Seminar
During each semester that a social work student is in field placement, the student concurrently attends a field seminar course taught by regular or adjunct faculty. The purpose of this class is to integrate social work research, theory, and policy with activities the student is involved in while in the field placement. Field Seminar Course Attendance is MANDATORY. Attendance policies will be further outlined in the syllabus. SOW4522 is a graded course. SOW4510 and SOW5532 are pass/fail.
The seminar instructor serves as the primary liaison and will complete at least one site visit at the agency per semester.

26. Internship Attendance and Availability
Students are expected to report to their agency as scheduled. Excessive absences an/or tardiness will result in termination from the agency. Students are to adhere to the agency schedule. In the event of holidays or spring break, students should remain in the agency so as to ensure continuity of care for the clients served by the intern. Scheduling is negotiated between the student and agency field instructor. Students are not permitted to change this schedule without advance approval from their agency field instructor. Almost all of the placement agencies affiliated with the Department of Social work require a majority of hours be completed during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm). Placements that provide opportunities to work evenings and weekends are rare and cannot be guaranteed. Most field instructors work during regular business hours, and the majority of services are provided during regular business hours, hence opportunities capable of providing quality supervision and a relevant learning experience are limited to these times. If a students foresees that their schedule will be unable to offer the flexibility needed to be present during at least a portion of regular business hours, students are encouraged to consider if this is the semester to enter field.

27. Important Reminders
Students are not permitted to begin field internship hours prior to the start of the semester.
Students receiving an Incomplete must enroll in and pay for a one-hour directed study.
Hours cannot be completed between semester breaks
Field placement hours can be concluded no sooner than two weeks prior to the end of the semester.

28. Code of Ethics
Read the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics prior to beginning your field placement.
Ethical practice in field will be evaluated based on the NASW Code of Ethics. This is available online at the following website:

29. Helpful Links
Social Work Field Instruction Manual florida/colleges/ceps/social-work/field-manual- and-learning-contracts/Department-of-Social- Work-Field-Education-Manual.pdf TK20 (Department of Social Work) ered/start.do

30. Please direct any questions or concerns to the Field Coordinator Adrienne Chel Rodriguez, LCSW (850)

31. Please direct any questions or concerns regarding your degree plan or academic status to your Academic Advisor Charito Lyster (850)

32. Please direct any questions or concerns regarding Tk20 to Loan Crider, LCSW (850)