FAQs

You will receive a notification from your dedicated Field Placement Coordinator prior to each field experience start date.

Traditionally, yes. However, your Field Placement Coordinator will collaborate with you to adjust your work schedule during the fieldwork portion of the program.

No. Due to the educational nature of the fieldwork, sites do not pay students. Students are responsible for their transportation and travel expenses.

No, though students are strongly encouraged to list agency referrals on the field intake form for the Field Placement Coordinator to arrange. The school is required to review and approve the agency prior to the start of fieldwork.

The purpose of fieldwork is to create new learning environments and broaden students' clinical experience beyond their current work. To that end, your Field Placement Coordinator will collaborate with you to adjust your work schedule during the fieldwork portion of the program. 

Field placement is the required experiential learning component of Keuka College’s online MSW program. Whether you follow the traditional or advanced track, you will apply what you learn in the classroom to real-world situations to prepare you for your future in clinical social work.

The field placement team collaborates with you to secure quality placement sites that reflect your educational goals, desired practice specialty, and scheduling requests. The team ensures all experiences meet CSWE accreditation standards and the agencies and field instructors are approved prior to the start of your fieldwork.

Completing the field placement intake form initiates the field placement search process. Upon completion of the form, you will be required to complete all field clearance requirements (by the school and agency) prior to the start of your first field experience. Most agencies have additional requirements for the school and/or interviews that students must complete prior to starting field hours. As active participants in the placement process, and to help focus the placement team’s search, students are encouraged to provide any local sites where they would prefer to complete their field hours.

Field placement provides real-world, hands-on clinical social work experience. The traditional track requires 900 hours of fieldwork, and the advanced track requires 500 hours. The placement team will provide support and work with you to identify and secure placement sites, allowing you to focus more of your time on coursework and building core competencies to succeed as a clinical social worker.

Typically, students complete their field hours at: 

• Community centers/organizations 
• Human service agencies 
• Counseling and therapy centers 
• Addiction and mental health treatment facilities 
• Adoption agencies 
• Senior care facilities, such as nursing homes 
• Correctional facilities 
• Hospitals/Clinics

Your Field Placement Coordinator and faculty will be with you through the entire process to answer your questions, provide a field experience orientation, verify your field clearance requirements, and walk you through the field experience checklist. The checklist details the dress code, clinical tools, and professional expectations to ensure your success.