Introduction
Practicum education, social work’s signature pedagogy, is an integral and valuable component of the learning process in that it provides the arena for applying and demonstrating social work values, ethics, and knowledge in the practice site with diverse clients and systems. You are provided with supervised hands-on opportunities to apply skills and knowledge obtained from across all areas of the curriculum.
Our practicum education office works closely with each student to find the best fit for the practicum education experience. Salem State has developed strong relationships with agencies and programs throughout Massachusetts, including the North Shore, Greater Boston, Merrimack Valley, and other regions.
Some service settings include:
· Health and Behavioral Health Clinics,
· Boston and Community Based Hospitals,
· Mainstream and Therapeutic Schools
· Child and Family Services
· Community Practice and Macro Policy Settings
· Older Adult Service Providers
· Hospice Agencies
BSW Practicum Education
Bachelor of social work (BSW) practicum education is designed to provide undergraduate students with an opportunity to learn and enhance their skills for generalist social work practice. Generalist social work practice is the focus of all BSW programs and involves the development of foundational knowledge, skills and values to work with individuals, families, groups, and organizations through systematic problem-solving.
Practicum Education for the BSW program requires a minimum of 425 supervised hours (16 hours/week during the academic year) of practice in an agency or organization serving diverse client populations. Students are supervised by an experienced professional who holds a bachelor of social work (BSW) or master of social work (MSW) degree with at least two years of post-graduate experience. In addition, a member of the BSW faculty works closely with students as a practicum professor who leads weekly seminars where students' learning is reinforced and supported.
Students who continue employment while in the program should make certain their employers allow for scheduling changes or flexibility of hours because most practicum education hours take place during the business week.
A student’s current place of employment may fulfill the requirements for your practicum education, provided it meets certain requirements and is approved by the practicum education office.
MSW Practicum Education
Master of social work (MSW) practicum education is designed to provide graduate students with an opportunity to learn and enhance their generalist skills in the first placement and advanced skills in the second placement to work with individuals, families, groups, and organizations.
MSW students complete two practicum experiences: the first requires a minimum of 480 supervised hours of practice and the second requires a minimum of 600 supervised hours of practice in an agency or organization serving diverse client populations. Students can choose an academic year or summer block internship. Academic year internships are 16 to 20 hours per week from September through late April. Summer blocks internships run from mid-May through August and are 32-40 hours per week. Students are supervised by an experienced professional who holds a master of social work (MSW) with at least two years of post-graduate experience. In addition, a member of the MSW faculty works closely with students as a practicum professor who leads monthly seminars where students' learning is reinforced and supported.
Students who continue employment while in the program should make certain their employers allow for scheduling changes or flexibility of hours because most practicum education hours take place during the business week.
A student’s current place of employment may fulfill at least one of the requirements for your practicum education, provided it meets certain requirements and is approved by the practicum education office.
Advanced Standing
The Advanced Standing program is where BSW students can plan to complete the MSW Program in one calendar year (May to May) or they can extend their plan to complete the MSW Program in two years. Practicum Education starts during the fall semester which includes approximately 20 hours a week at the student’s internship for a total of 600 supervised hours. Students planning on completing the Advanced Standing study plan in two years will begin their practicum at the beginning of their second fall of enrollment at 20 hours a week. There is no summer block option. The supervision requirements and employment-based practicum information is the same as the MSW section above.
MSW Online Cohort
Students in the MSW Online program take all courses virtually but complete their practicum experiences in person. The program begins in January and continues throughout the academic year including summers over a three-year time period. While all courses are provided online in the evenings, the practicum experience will be completed during the business week during the fall and spring semesters. Foundation level practicum education consists of 16 hours per week for a total of 480 hours and the advanced year practicum education consists of approximately 20 hours per week for a total of 600 hours. The supervision requirements and employment-based practicum information is the same as the MSW section above. Students in the online cohort complete in-person practicum experiences within Massachusetts.