Director of Field Education
Online Field Education Coordinator
Department Chair
General Inquiries
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.
Take your learning out of the classroom while earning your social work degree from NAU
The Department of Social Work’s Field Education Office takes pride in our ability to place students with suitable organizations. Our Field Education Office works one-on-one with students to ensure they are prepared and ready professionally for their field placement.
Two models:
Every BSW student must complete 450 hours of field placement in order to complete the Social Work degree. We offer two different models for meeting this requirement:
Concurrent field placement: Accordion Closed
Students gain an intense field experience at an organization while taking courses. Devote 18 hours a week at the organization for a minimum of 225 hours per semester and earn 6 credit hours. This option is spread over two concurrent, back-to-back, semesters reaching the total of 450 required hours in an organization setting.
Block field placement: Accordion Closed
Students are placed at an organization full-time and gain an intense field experience without concurrent classwork. You must intern a minimum of 30 hours per week for 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 35 hours a week. Both options require a minimum of 450 hours.
Field education partnerships:
Concurrent field placement: Accordion Closed
Students gain an intense field experience at an organization while taking courses. Devote 18 hours a week at the organization for a minimum of 225 hours per semester and earn 6 credit hours. This option is spread over two concurrent, back-to-back, semesters reaching the total of 450 required hours in an organization setting.
Block field placement: Accordion Closed
Students are placed at an organization full-time and gain an intense field experience without concurrent classwork. You must intern a minimum of 30 hours per week for 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 35 hours a week. Both options require a minimum of 450 hours.
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.
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.
Field Liaison: NAU Social Work Faculty or Faculty Community Representative that will follow you through your placement.
Field Instructor or 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 Instructor 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-point and final.
Field Education Eligibility & Requirements
Do you meet the eligibility requirements for NAU’s BSW Social Work Field Education program?
Field Education is an important part of the Social Work learning experience, and it is vital that students are fully prepared to make the most of the opportunity. Our Field Education faculty help match qualifying students with the best placements for them.
All BSW students must complete 450 hours of Field Education with an approved organization.
To be eligible to apply for Field Placement, you must:
- Have an overall GPA of 2.25
- Information regarding background clearance for all students and instructions for Arizona students to obtain their Level One Fingerprint Clearance card can be found here Social Work Background Check and AZ Fingerprint Clearance Card Instructions
- Have formally applied and been accepted as a social work major
- Have attained senior status and have completed SW 321 with a grade of B or better. In addition, for block placement, you will have completed all required core courses
- Follow the procedures for applying for field placement
To complete the Field Placement requirement, you must:
- Participate in the field seminar
- Complete the required SW 408 assignments
- Complete a minimum of 450 hours
- For 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. Consult with the NAU Social Work Field Education Office.
BSW Field Placement Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester Start – February 1
- Spring Semester Start – April 1
- Summer Semester Start – November 1
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The Bachelor of Social Work & Master of Social Work program
at Northern Arizona University is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
The NAU Bachelor of Social Work program has been accredited since 1988.
The NAU Masters of Social Work program has been accredited since October 9th, 2020.