Social Work Internships

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Field instruction is a vital component of the bachelor’s in social work program at the University of South Alabama. It is in the field that academic knowledge, values, ethics and skills are integrated with real world experience in a planned way to produce competent social workers. South’s field instruction program is truly a partnership that includes the University, social work faculty, agency and community social workers who provide collaborative learning experiences for social work students that prepares students as professional social workers. Click here to view a list of field agency partners. 

Questions? Contact Laurie Haas, Field Coordinator of Social Work, at lhaas@southalabama.edu.

Social Work Field Placement

Field instruction is designed as a one semester block placement of 436 clock hours and is required of all Bachelor of Social Work students. This translates to 30-32 hours per week during the semester.  The student is normally in the final semester of coursework prior to graduation and is concurrently enrolled in SW 412 Field Instruction and a three credit capstone Senior Seminar (SW 414). Senior Seminar assists the students with integration of classroom and field content. The field instruction placement is designed to provide a direct experience within a social agency in which students apply the knowledge, values and skills they have learned in a real world setting.

▼   How to Qualify
Students are not admitted to the field if they have not successfully completed all required social work courses and completed the application process. Prior to entry into field instruction, students must have professional liability insurance and attend an orientation seminar presented by the Bachelor of Social Work program. The primary point of contact for field instruction is the program field coordinator, Laurie Haas
▼   Program Supervision
Through on-site supervision and structured observation, social work students engage in supervised generalist practice activities that focus on the development of engagement, data collection, documentation, and assessment skills with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and community systems represented in the agency. Students should have the opportunity to work with their own cases and apply their generalist knowledge and skills in working with multi-level systems.  Students should receive at least one hour per week of on-site structured supervision by the designated agency field instructor, as well as additional supervisory contacts by that individual on an as needed basis.