Field Education
The Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work is well-known for its strong model of field education that is educationally-directed with hands-on learning experiences where students develop their social work practice skills in an agency setting. Faculty, community social work practitioners, and students partner in ways that are designed to best prepare students with the skills needed for a successful career in social work.
Students in the BSW, Full-Time MSW, and Part-Time MSW programs are placed in Field Units and then are placed in social work practice settings tied to that Field Unit. Field Units provide a conceptual base for practice as well as a supportive environment to learn, critique, and consult.
- Field Units are organized around a social problem area, field of practice, or a client population. Each unit has a range of field placement agencies and settings appropriate to its theme.
- The field education experience for Generalist Practice MSW students is designed to provide a generalist practice perspective and direct practice experience. The focus is on learning and applying analytical and intervention skills within an ethically based, problem-focused approach. Such an approach affords opportunities for a variety of system interventions within a particular practice situation.
- Advanced Generalist Practice MSW students’ field education experience shifts its focus to advanced practice skill development and provides an integrated way to link field experiences with course work in the context of the student’s specialization and focus area.
- Field faculty have scholarly as well as professional involvement in their particular areas of expertise; many have made influential contributions to social work practice.
Below is a listing of our Generalist Field Units. Click on a link to view a specific unit or scroll down to browse. Note that not all participating agencies listed may be able to take students in a specific year. The listings are meant to provide the students with a general idea of possible placements.
Social Work Practice in Community Agencies
Social Work Practice in Intellectual and other Disabilities
Social Work Practice in Public and Private Child Welfare
Social Work Practice with Older Adults
Below is a listing of our Advanced Practice Field Units. Click on a link to view a specific unit or scroll down to browse. Note that not all participating agencies listed may be able to take students in a specific year. The listings are meant to provide the students with a general idea of possible placements.
Social Work Practice in Community Agencies
Social Work Practice in Educational Settings
Social Work Practice in Health
Social Work Practice in Intellectual and other Disabilities
Social Work Practice in Mental Health
Social Work Practice in Policy and Administration
Social Work Practice in Public and Private Child Welfare
Social Work Practice in Public Child Welfare
Social Work Practice with Older Adults
Social work students will complete a Field Preference Form to let the field office know what they would prefer in terms of a field unit and placement agency ideas. Then the field office will notify students and field faculty of the field unit assignments. Field unit availability may vary from year to year because of curriculum needs, personnel changes, or funding. Please be aware of deadlines and other Important Dates for the Field Program.
Social work students should be advised that Wisconsin State Statutes require the State Department of Justice to conduct background checks on all potential field education students prior to the field placement. See the Field Education Handbook in the Student Resources pages for the link to order and pay for the background check online and for other important information.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FIELD UNITS SEE THE TABS AT TOP OF PAGE
For additional resources on field units, the agencies they work with, and field course expectations see the Field Education Handbook, found on the Student Resources pages.
Upcoming field program events can be found on the Social Work calendar.
Many field program events are recorded and available for viewing on YouTube. Videos include workshops, presentations, and student perspectives.
Field students complete a change-agent project in field seminar in collaboration with their field supervisor and are able to present a poster summarizing this project to present in the annual Student Poster Symposium.
Audrey M. Conn
Clinical Associate Professor; Director of Field Education
What’s your role in field? As the Director of Field Education I am responsible for the policies and practices of the Field Education Program.
What’s your favorite thing about field? One of my favorite things about field education is the opportunity to engage and partner with students, agency supervisors, and field faculty as agents of change. I also enjoy staying in contact with students after graduation and hearing about the many ways our alum impact their communities as practicing social workers.
Amy Basel
Field Program Assistant
What’s your role in field? I assist students with completing the required field forms and help students, field faculty and supervisors with any field education document needs. I help coordinate agency supervisor information, affiliation agreements, and field events as well as assist with the field office providing CEU certificates for participants attending SSW sponsored events.
What’s your favorite thing about field? The people I work with are wonderful and I enjoy seeing the student’s learning through the various projects and programs that they work on in field education. My favorite thing is to see all of the agencies and supervisors that our students work, and I especially like being able to help out the wonderful field faculty and staff with any helpful information regarding field forms and events.
