Complimentary Placement Services
Keuka College’s online students receive the same services and support that they would receive if they were on campus. Our dedicated field placement teams collaborate with you to find experiential learning sites in your community to achieve the hours of real-world, hands-on experience that are required for your degree. This service is included in the program cost and allows you more time to focus on your coursework and personal responsibilities.
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Online MSW Field Placement Services
Support From Start to Finish
Your field placement experience will be one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of earning your MSW degree. As an online MSW student, you will work with your field placement team to secure a field site for the experiential learning portion of the curriculum. They will:
- Collaborate with you to secure quality placement sites that reflect your educational goals, desired practice specialty, and scheduling requests.
- Ensure all field experiences meet CSWE accreditation standards, and that the agencies and field instructors are approved prior to the start of your fieldwork.
- Prepare you prior to the fieldwork by providing a realistic idea of the work you will be doing and ensuring that you are ready to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
The field placement team act as facilitators in the placement cycle. They are responsible for field placement matters, which include:
- Orientation
- Document/clearance requirements
- Student relocation compliance
- Site assessments and communications
- Tech support
- Scheduling and logging of placement hours
Field Placement Services - FAQs
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. The student is expected to be flexible with schedules in securing appropriate field placement. Keuka College does not guarantee a practicum placement that will fit a student's specific scheduling desires. Agency programs and services typically occur during normal business hours, and the student needs to be available during these times.
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 identifies and secures quality placement sites within your local community so that you can focus on your coursework and the core competencies that will help you succeed.
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
You will receive a notification from your field placement team prior to each field experience start date.
Your field placemen team 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.
Traditionally, yes. However, your field placement team will collaborate with you to adjust your work schedule during the fieldwork portion of the program. The student is expected to be flexible with scheduling in securing appropriate field placement. Keuka College does not guarantee a practicum placement that will fit a student's specific scheduling desires. Agency programs and services typically occur during normal business hours, and the student needs to be available during these times.
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 team to arrange. The school is required to review and approve the agency prior to the start of any fieldwork.
It depends. Fieldwork is supposed to create new learning environments, which often makes it challenging for some students to get that experience in their daily workspace. Your field placement team will collaborate with you to adjust your work schedule during the fieldwork portion of the program.
