Field Education for Bachelor of Social Work

Supported professional experience for NAU students earning degrees in Social Work

The Social Work Field Education Program 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 big step closer to a career in social work. This firsthand experience will help you discover, develop, and enhance your social work skills.

Two models:

Every BSW student must complete 480 hours of field placement in order to complete the Social Work degree. We offer two different models for meeting this requirement:

Concurrent field placement:

Students gain an intense field experience at an organization while taking courses. Devote 18 hours a week at the organization for a minimum of 240 hours per semester and earn 6 credit hours. This option is spread over two concurrent, back-to-back, semesters reaching the total of 480 required hours in an organization setting.

Block field placement:

Students are placed at an organization full-time and gain an intense field experience without concurrent classwork. You must intern a minimum of 35 hours per week for full fifteen weeks, and will earn 12 credit hours in one semester. This option is for students who have completed all of the core social work courses. Summer block is 12 weeks at 40 hours a week.

Field Education partnerships:

NAU students pursue field training with agencies from diverse sectors:

• federal
• state
• tribal
• voluntary
• private

Here is a helpful guide of words you will read throughout this site.