MSW Program

Please review the following to assist you in your planning process

MSW Practicum Education Manual 2024-2025 

It is essential that students plan carefully for their practicum, particularly with respect to the mandated hours per semester, educational and supervision requirements.

  • The Office of Practicum Education expects that students with traditional hours of availability will be able to do their internships during the regular weekday, business hours.
  • Extensive planning is required for students with non-traditional hours of availability.
  • This office will offer students suggestions of agency sites but strongly encourages students who work full-time to complete practicums in an organization that would qualify for an employment based placement or submit a self-referral form.

Practicum Placement Process:

  1. Submit the practicum application (located below) for entering your specific course: (5187/5188- Generalist Practicum) OR (8187/8188 – Advanced Practicum).
  2. All students are assigned a Practicum Education Specialist within weeks of submitting their application. The Practicum Education Specialist will work in close partnership with onsite and fully online students to assist with the placement process.
  3. Practicum Education Specialist will support all students in the confirmation/finalization of their plan.
    1. This process can include an agency interview for students being referred by their Practicum Education Specialist or completing a Self Referral option. At this interview, the educational opportunities and agency expectations should be discussed between student and agency. Interview-Guidelines-and-Questions
    2. If the student has applied for an Employment-Based practicum, the Practicum Education Specialist will schedule a meeting with the student, prospective practicum instructor and current employment supervisor to review educational opportunities and agency expectations.
  4. Practicum Education Specialist will confirm the practicum plan between the agency and the student.
  5. Student will register for their practicum course when available.
  6. All students obtain the maximum clearances required by the state in which the practicum is located. (Information found in Request your Clearances).
  7. All students entering a practicum course will be required to attend an orientation prior to the beginning of their practicum experience.

MSW Generalist Practicum: (1st Practicum in the 2 or 3 year MSW program) 

The MSW Generalist Practicum provides learning opportunities in generalist social work practice.  Students are placed in agencies that can offer a full spectrum of social work experiences and support the MSW Generalist curriculum. The generalist requirement takes precedence over requests to work with specific populations or on specific issues.

Time Requirements for Generalist Practicum: (450 hours total)

  • MSW Generalist Practicum students MUST attend their internships for a minimum of 15 or 16 hours per week
  • Practicum is two semesters long
  • Required 225 hours per semester

Complete the MSW Generalist Practicum application here

MSW Advanced Year Practicum: (2nd Practicum OR the only practicum for Advanced Standing Students)

Prior to the start of the student’s advanced program, students select a concentration that aligns with both their coursework and practicum work.

Concentrations are:

    • Clinical Practice OR
    • Macro Practice in Organizational, Community and Policy Arenas

Time Requirements for Advanced Practicum: (600 hours total)

  • MSW Advanced Practicum students MUST attend their internships for a minimum of 18-24 hours per week
  • Practicum is two semesters long
  • Required 300 hours per semester

Complete the MSW Advanced Practicum application here   

Options to complete your Practicum for Generalist and Advanced Year:

*Please remember that all fully online students must locate their own internship (via Employment-based or Self Referral Options), however, the practicum education staff person assigned will assist with assuring the student’s internship search is on track, make recommendations and assure compliance of agency site.

  • Practicum Department Placement (Onsite Program Only):
    • A Practicum Education Specialist will be assigned to locate a placement for your upcoming year based on the application. Student must have one full day or 2 half days (Generalist Year) or two full days or 3 half days (Advanced Year) available during the weekday to be eligible for this placement option. Half days must fit into standard business hours (e.g. 8am-12pm, 1pm-5pm)
    • All students admitted to the MSW program for Fall 2022 and beyond must have two or three full days available for this option.
  • Employment Based Proposal Information and Complete the Employment Based application here   
    • For students who would like to complete a practicum at their place of employment. The Employment Based-Proposal, completed in addition to the application, will be due before this plan can be confirmed.
  • Self Referral Information and application (Fully Online or Onsite Program Option) here
    • A student can independently contact an agency to solicit their own practicum including making inquiries to determine if an agency is interested in a student intern. Students who want to intern at a specific agency or who only have evening/weekend availability are required to complete a Self-Referral. The Self-Referral Form, completed in addition to the application, will be due after completing an interview with an agency.