MSW Advising: Practicum

Practicum Instruction is an integral component of social work education. Practicum teaching is a partnership between the Social Work Program and social service organizations who work together to help students integrate theory and practice. It is conducted in the field by professional social work practitioners selected by community agencies and approved by the faculty of the Social Work Program and the School of Social Work. As part of the total MSW curriculum, the Practicum provides students with an opportunity for the development and enhancement of social work knowledge and skills with individuals, groups, families, organizations and communities. Fieldwork also allows students to build an understanding and appreciation of the many ways a scientific and analytic approach to knowledge-building informs and is informed by professional practice.

Certain underlying assumptions guide the organization and implementation of the Practicum and give direction to agency personnel and University faculty involved in Practicum education.

1. The Practicum is necessary to translate social work knowledge effectively into practice skills and competence.
2. Agencies and the MSW Program share a commitment to the highest standards of social work education. Agencies providing educational opportunities for students through the expertise of their practicum instructors supplement coursework by demonstrating how social work theories and principles of empowerment, social justice, multiculturalism and social change are reflected in professional practice.
3. The MSW Program, the agency and the student share a common commitment to education as the primary purpose of the Practicum. Service to the agency, its clientele and the community are secondary purposes and result from the student's involvement in practice organized around educational objectives which are individualized in a learning contract.
4. The Practicum must present opportunities for students to become knowledgeable about social welfare and social work practice within the larger community contexts of socioeconomics, geopolitical systems, patterns of population growth and distribution, globalization trends, and other structural elements of Western and international societies. In addition, practicum must include opportunities for students to become sensitive to the broad issues and trends in social welfare services, policy, advocacy, and justice movements. The current realities and dilemmas of social service delivery systems should be examined in light of the latest research and practice wisdom regarding program evaluation and development challenges, prevention guidelines, social change methodologies, and professional vision.
5. The Practicum must provide opportunities for students to gain experience in working with a diverse range of persons and, with assistance from the Practicum Instructor, in understanding the relationship of strengths, values, beliefs and unique attributes in clients' social identities, including age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.
6. The Practicum Instructor must model social work values and ethics and provide instruction about values and ethics and their implications for social work practice.

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