Your internship, is about applying and doing, the opportunity for you to connect the theoretical and conceptual contribution of the classroom with the practical world of the practice setting. Classroom and internship each contribute to the development of a students’ competencies of professional practice. Graduate school is a rare opportunity to have so many people; your internship supervisor, faculty and other students, supporting your professional development.
How Internships Works:
Students are required to complete two internships at a program or agency in their local community and work with Social Work Department field office to identify acceptable field sites. The most important objective of the internships is to prepare students for competent social work practice. Internships enhance learning by providing students with opportunities to integrate and apply theories, research, values, methods and practice skills acquired throughout the curriculum to the reality of work with individuals, families, groups, and communities. Both the internships and concomitant seminars stress the importance of learning to recognize and respect the dignity and worth of diverse client systems regardless of race, color, gender, age, creed, ethnic or national origin, ability, political, or sexual orientation. Below is some important information about the field experience.
- Internship instruction is concurrent with coursework; students are required to take co-requisite Social Work Practice and Internship Seminar courses at the same time while interning.
- During the first internship students spend two days per week (16hrs) in the field for four terms.
- In the second internship students spend three days each week (24hrs) in the field for four terms.
- Based on student and agency need, some flexibility in the day and time may be possible; however, there are no placements on the weekend.
- Students in their first internship are placed in settings that enable them to obtain generalist practice skills, while second internships are in agencies that offer opportunities to learn Advanced Generalist skills.