Social Work Field Education

One of the most important, and exciting, components of social work education are the field practica. Human service and social change agencies provide settings in which students are challenged and supported in the integration of theories and practice skills. The School of Social Administration partners with hundreds of public and nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland in order to provide BSW and MSW students high quality field education experiences. Field education programs are coordinated from the Philadelphia and Harrisburg campuses.

Social work students work closely with Field Education Specialists in identifying placement sites appropriate to curriculum objectives, learning goals and individual interests. In most cases, the Field Education Specialist also serves as a liaison between the School of Social Administration and the field placement agency during the academic year. Depending on the student´s particular situation, a new field placement site may be developed. Also, for students already working in a social service agency, it may be possible to design a field placement opportunity at that site. Currently, nearly 75% of all SSA students take advantage of this employment-based option.