In the 3 year, 90 credit program, Year one, two and three will be referred to respectively as U1, U2 and U3.
About U1:
- BSW (U1) students spend 4 hours per week in the Winter term in a "mini volunteer" placement, in conjunction with a lab skills class.
- Assignments given out in the skills lab course (SWRK 222, Introduction to Practicum) will draw on the student's experience in the field.
- An evaluation is done by the field supervisor at the end of the placement. This evaluation is then submitted to the School and kept on record in the student's file. There will be no grade for this evaluation, but successful completion is necessary to pass SWRK 222. This process may help students reflect on his/her learning and areas of strength and weakness.
- The student is expected to meet with the supervisor at least once every two weeks to discuss the experience.
- U1 students cannot end the practicum early regardless of hours accrued.
Required Courses:
U2 Program Criteria:
Students must have completed a minimum number of 24 of the 90 credits of study in order to begin the second year (U2) of field placement.
About U2:
- U2 field placements are generally carried out in a community based setting where the student may be exposed to the following activities: outreach, advocacy, program planning and implementation, working with groups of individuals and different systems (e.g. welfare, health), participating in meetings, analyzing policies and their implications for practice, providing information, referral services, case management and needs and/or psychosocial assessments.
- The field placement will be carried out in one field setting during the whole academic year even though it represents two courses.
- U2 students are in field 2 days of the week, from September until mid-April and must complete successfully 400 hours (each course represents 200 hours) of field practice in an organization.
- Field days are Tuesday and Thursday.
U2 students cannot:
- End the practicum early regardless of hours accrued.
- Do their field placement in an agency/setting in which they have already worked, or are currently working.
- U2 placements cannot be done as a Block.
Required Courses:
U3 Program Criteria:
Students must have completed a minimum number of 54 of the 90 credits of study in order to begin the third year (U3) of field placement.
About U3:
- BSW U3 field placements are generally carried out in public service institutions that address physical and mental health, child protection, and disabilities, to name a few areas of practice. These placement opportunities emphasize developing competence for direct intervention with clients, specifically related to psychosocial assessment, intervention and evaluation.
- Students may be involved in any of the following activities: formal psycho-social assessments, counseling, group work, interdisciplinary work, working in teams, presenting at case conferences, understanding accountability structures, implementing intervention plans with clients or groups.
- The field placement will be carried out in one field setting during the whole academic year even though it represents two courses.
- U3 students are in field 2 days of the week, from September until mid-April and must complete successfully 400 hours (each course represents 200 hours) of field practice.
- Field days are Tuesday and Thursday.
- U3 students can do their placement as a Block at an approved social service agency outside of Quebec once coursework is completed.
U3 students cannot:
- End the practicum early regardless of hours accrued.
- Do their field placement in an agency/setting in which they have already worked, or are currently working.