Director of Field Education:
Assistant Director of Field Education:
MSW Academic Success Coordinator
Field Education for Master of Social Work
Supported professional experience for NAU students earning degrees in Social Work
Social Work Field Education is your opportunity to gain real-world experience in a supported environment and build your resume working with local organizations. You will apply what you learn in the classroom and move one step closer to a career in social work. This firsthand experience will help you discover, develop, and enhance your social work skills. The Social Work Field Education experience and training involves participating in the life of the agency, attending regularly scheduled meetings, and other activities involving or sponsored by the field placement site.
Field Education Requirements
- The MSW, 2 year program requires a minimum of 900 hours at two different placement sites.
- The MSW, Advanced Standing 1 year program requires a minimum of 450 hours at one placement.
- MSW, Advanced Standing Field Placement must be in a different organization than your BSW placement.
- Students must devote a minimum of 15 hours a week at the placement site.
- Students are required to be available for field placement during normal business hours of Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. While student field placement days/schedules may vary to accommodate agency needs, all field placement hours must be completed on site. Evening and weekend only field placement hours are not allowed.
- Students must complete the requirements of their assigned field education course and participate in scheduled monthly field seminars.
- Students must comply with their state’s requirements for background checks and/or other necessary clearance items. Students will comply with the regulations within the state that their internship will take place.
- Students must be supervised by an MSW with at least two years post-graduate experience.
- Students who are interested in completing their field placement at their current place of employment, there is an additional approval process and application that is required.
Field Placement Terminology Accordion Closed
Field Placement: Internship
Field Placement Site: The community entity (agency, school, hospital, etc.) that offers and accepts a student for an internship. All the Field Placement Sites must have an agreement with NAU to provide this learning experience.
Faculty Field Liaison: NAU Social Work Faculty or Faculty Community Representative that will follow you through your placement.
Field Supervisor: Staff member from your field placement site that you will report to, will supervise your internship, and evaluate your skills, knowledge and social work competency.
Task Instructor: The person designated by your Field Supervisor to assist with your internship. This person is also employed by the field placement site.
Social Work Education Assessment Project (SWEAP): The online tool used to evaluate the student at mid and final-point of the internship.
Process to locate and confirm my Field Placement
Students will be required to find and confirm their field placement. The Field Education Unit will work with students who request help in identifying possible placements. An MSW Field Placement Partner Directory is available for students living in Arizona.
Field Education partnerships
Field placement sites offer students exposure to, and work within, the micro, mezzo, and macro practice fields. Some common types of field placement sites are:
- Community based mental health/behavior health – multiple programs
- Substance abuse treatment – both outpatient and inpatient
- Crisis Response with local police or fire departments
- Juvenile Probation/Adult Probation
- Hospital/Medical settings
- School based settings with social worker or Special Education
- Community based services for children and families, both for-profit and non-profit
- Adult or Geriatric services
- Adult Protective Services
- Independent Hospice Agencies
- Child Welfare Agencies – both private and state (including adoption services and/or licensing)
- Youth Shelters
- Veteran’s Administration or other Veteran outreach services
- Community based homeless or housing services
- Domestic Violence shelters and outreach services
- Private Practice – as long as mezzo and macro practice is available
- Legal assistance offices
- Developmental Disability Services for all populations
- Services and outreach to refugee populations
- Faith-based social services that serve marginalized populations
- Parenting Services
- Court Appointed Special Advocates
- Library
- Advocacy Center (i.e., Safe Child)
- Family Resource Centers
