BSW Program Field Placements
Field placements provide opportunities for students to apply theories and skills in a practice setting. Under the supervision of the McGill BSW Field Placement Coordinator and a qualified field supervisor from a social services agency, department, or organization, students gain practical experience working with diverse communities and populations.
Objectives
- At the BSW level, field placement experiences aim to prepare students for the generalist practice of social work.
Field Education Schedule for BSW Students At a Glance
Immunization Record and Vaccination For Incoming Students
- BSW students, along with all students enrolled in applied health and social services professional programs, are expected to provide the university with an up-to-date immunization record and vaccination status.
- Once admitted into the BSW program, please see the McGill Student Wellness Hub webpage for required immunizations for instructions on submitting documentation related to immunization and vaccination status.
- All documentation related to immunization and vaccination status are submitted and reviewed by the McGill Student Wellness Hub which provides a private, confidential, and protected portal for medical records.
- The Wellness Hub reviews documentation from all health and social services professional program incoming students on a rolling basis. To avoid any delays, please upload your immunization and vaccination status documentation as soon as possible. The deadline to do so is September 30th.
- Failure to submit your completed documents by the specified deadlines may result in your field placement being delayed or cancelled. Please ensure you begin the process as soon as possible, as some immunization requirements take time to complete.
- The specific School of Social Work standing requirements for immunization can be found at Important Immunization Information for Social Work Students.
Expectations
- Student are expected to be in field placement full days on Tuesdays and Thursdays during U2 and U3.
- Students are not permitted to take SWRK required courses, 500 or 600 level SWRK complementary courses, or non-SWRK complementary or elective courses on U2 and U3 field placement days.
- Students are expected to be functional in French (comprehension, spoken, and written) for the field placement components of the BSW program.
- BSW students in U2 are not permitted to complete their U2 field placement in an out-of-province social services agency, department, or organization in the spring/summer semester.
- Some field placements require a high level of French.
- Not all social services agencies, departments, or organizations offer placements at each academic level.
- Availability at any given social services agency, department, or organization is subject to change before students are placed.
- Students must be prepared to travel at least one hour to the field placement.
- Students should consider field placement as opportunities to be challenged: to work with unfamiliar populations or issues.
- Specific course prerequisites may be required for some social services agencies, departments, or organizations.
- Students are not permitted to do their field placement in a social services department in which they have previous work experience.
- The School of Social Work cannot guarantee specific placements or locations.
- Students must work with the Field Placement Coordinator throughout the placement process.
Link to Field Placement Options
The following includes a list of organizations that have offered BSW field placements within the past few years. Not all sites have the capacity to take a student each year. All questions and concerns as well as preferences can be discussed with the BSW Field Coordinator.
Please see BSW List of Field Placements.