Attention new BSW students!
Congratulations on your acceptance into the BSW Program! As part of the acceptance process you have been asked to select which program of study you will be following. If you selected a “Traditional Senior Year” (versus a “spilt senior year”) you will begin your field practicum this fall. The following will assist you in the placement process.
BSW Field Practicum
The purpose of the social work field practicum is to provide students with an opportunity to apply academic knowledge and practice skills gained in the classroom to authentic human service experiences. Field practicum settings offer guidance and supervision in preparing graduates for entry-level professional practice while University faculty members serve as liaisons between the settings and the students. These Faculty Liaisons facilitate an integrative seminar to aid students in the synthesis of classroom knowledge with their social work experience.
Overview of the Student Placement Process
The School of Social Work hosts an annual “Field Fair” during spring semester where field settings and social work students are invited to meet and discuss the field practicum opportunities for the coming academic year. After students have been formally admitted to the social work program, they submit the application for field practicum to the Field Coordinator. The Field Coordinator then meets with each student to discuss different fields of practice and available field practicum settings. Possible placement sites are identified and the student is sent for interviews. Upon completion of each interview, the Field Instructor will evaluate each student for suitability and communicate willingness to accept the referred student. A process of “matching” will then be completed. While consideration is given to the student’s preferences regarding the type experience desired, the final decision to refer to a field setting is made by the Field Coordinator. Final selection authority rests with the field agency. It is the policy of the School of Social Work not to assign students to an agency at which they or their family members have received services.
Instructions
Finding an appropriate placement site for your practicum is a complex and competitive process that requires your detailed attention to the instructions below.
1. Attend the Field Fair on April 8, 2009 from 1:30 to 3:30pm in Ballrooms “A and B” of the Joe Crowley Student Union. This is your opportunity to talk with agency representatives and current student interns to help aid in the selection of your field placement. UNR/GBC 3+1 students and out-of-state students are not required to participate in this event.
2. Review the “Field Practicum Agencies” list. This file will give you general information about agencies available. Please note that agency availability may vary from year to year.
3. Download and complete the “BSW Field Practicum Application.”
4. Download and complete the “Resume Template.”
5. E-mail the field application and the resume template to jmanit@unr.edu. Please note that your resume will be sent to prospective agencies electronically.
****The field application and resume template are due April 9, 2009 by 5:00 p.m.****
6. Download, carefully review, and initial/ sign the “Field Practicum Student Agreement.”
7. Contact Candace Bortolin (775-784-6542) to schedule a thirty (30) minute appointment with the Field Education Program Coordinator. Interviews will take place Monday April 13th thru Tuesday April 21st. Bring a hard copy of the application, resume, and student agreement to your interview. UNR/GBC 3+1 students will schedule a 30 minute phone interview.
NOTICE!
Please note that professional attitudes and demeanor are included in your academic review of the field practicum, including this early placement process. You are expected to be on time to all meetings and interviews. You will also be expected to regularly check e-mail and phone messages in order to maintain communication regarding your placement. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT ANY AGENCIES ABOUT FIELD PLACEMENT. All contacts with agencies are facilitated by the Field Education Program Coordinator until you have been successfully placed. Finally, it is important to note that failure to comply with these and future instructions may prevent you from obtaining a field practicum placement.