UNLV School of Social Work

PURPOSE OF THE FIELD PRACTICUM
The field practicum sequence is regarded as an extremely important component of the student's professional development and is governed by the objectives of the BSW and MSW program mission statements, the foundation curriculum, and the three advanced curriculum concentrations: Direct Practice; Management and Community Practice and Child Welfare.

The field practicum sequence provides students with a unique opportunity to realize the goals and objectives of the program through concrete, practical, and community-based interactions with clients and practicing professionals. In the field practicum, students are supervised, monitored, and directed by agency field instructors and School of Social Work faculty.

The field practicum experience allows each student to apply to practice the academic knowledge and skills acquired from all areas of the curriculum where diversity, social justice, and attention to the needs of at-risk populations are emphasized. The field practicum sequence builds upon the generalist foundation, integrating systems theory, the problem-solving process, a strengths perspective, and social work values and ethics. The field practicum provides an opportunity for students to practice their skills evolving from generalist to more advanced techniques, and to apply their theoretical knowledge in settings where human conditions must be respected and enhanced. In essence, the field practicum sequence prepares students for social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, particularly those encountered within the complex and dynamic urban environment of southern Nevada.

RELATIONSHIP OF FIELD PRACTICUM TO THE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM
Upon entering the field practicum courses, students must follow their specified plan of study. All field practicums must be taken with the corresponding practice methods courses. Each course in a sequence builds upon the previous course, and provides students with theories and concepts that may be integrated and applied to practice in the field.

The social work practicum depends upon the student building on and integrating theories from across the entire social work spectrum as experienced in all courses and sequences. Activities provided by the wide variety of field agencies and professional networks within Clark County allow students to apply increasingly complex concepts from courses in individual, family, group, and community practice; human growth and development; social welfare policy; research methods; cultural competence, and supervision. Moreover, as research and evaluative knowledge and skills develop, the student grows in ability to critically assess the effectiveness of agency policies, procedures, and practice methods in meeting the needs of the community and clients at multiple system levels. Integration of theory and practice is facilitated through faculty review and feedback in the development of learning agreements and journals, course assignments drawn from the practice experience, and weekly field seminar classes that focus specifically on integrating students' field experience with curriculum content.

Each students' course syllabi are distributed to agency field instructors to enhance integration of course work in the field. In each subsequent field practicum, students are assisted in developing activities that reflect growth and increased levels of complexity, skill, and autonomy.

In order for the field practicum to be effective, it is imperative that the School of Social Work and participating agencies work together in planning and carrying out the educationally directed experience. At the same time, the School also recognizes the social responsibility of the agency toward its clients and the community, and is aware of the necessity that the educational objectives be complimentary to those of the agency.

While the School retains primary responsibility for the quality of the educational experience, it can only carry out that responsibility through cooperation and ongoing communication between the agency field instructors and the School. Significant care is taken to match students' backgrounds, experiences and interests to agencies that can provide the appropriate training opportunities.

Agency Practice Areas
Areas of agency practice currently available to social work students include:

Social Service/Community Resource

Domestic Violence

Health/Medical/Hospice

Mental Health

Inpatient
Outpatient

Child Welfare

Educational

School Social Work

Legal/Forensic

Elder Care/Geriatric

Substance Abuse

Homelessness

University of Nevada, Las Vegas Greenspun College of Urban Affairs School of Social Work

School of Social Work University of Nevada, Las Vegas Box 455032 4505 Maryland Parkway Las Vegas, NV 89154-5032 (702) 895-3311 telephone (702) 895-4079 facsimile			Field Education Program Purpose of the Field Practicum Relationship of Field Practicum to the Social Work Program Agency Practice Areas Agency Interest Packet Student Application for Foundation Practicum I (SWK 419) Student Application for Foundation Practicum I (SWK 719 and 799) Student Application for Field Practicum I (SWK 739,759, and 779) Bachelor of Social Work Field Practicum Evaluation Master of Social Work Foundation Practicum I & II Evaluation Master of Social Work Field Practicum Evaluation for Management and Community Practice Master of Social Work Field Practicum Evaluation for Child Welfare Master of Social Work Field Practicum Evaluation for Direct Practice BSW and MSW Learning Agreement BSW Field Manual MSW Field Manual NASW Code of Ethics Field Petition Form Activity Time Sheet PURPOSE OF THE FIELD PRACTICUM The field practicum sequence is regarded as an extremely important component of the student's professional development and is governed by the objectives of the BSW and MSW program mission statements, the foundation curriculum, and the three advanced curriculum concentrations: Direct Practice; Management and Community Practice and Child Welfare. The field practicum sequence provides students with a unique opportunity to realize the goals and objectives of the program through concrete, practical, and community-based interactions with clients and practicing professionals. In the field practicum, students are supervised, monitored, and directed by agency field instructors and School of Social Work faculty. The field practicum experience allows each student to apply to practice the academic knowledge and skills acquired from all areas of the curriculum where diversity, social justice, and attention to the needs of at-risk populations are emphasized. The field practicum sequence builds upon the generalist foundation, integrating systems theory, the problem-solving process, a strengths perspective, and social work values and ethics. The field practicum provides an opportunity for students to practice their skills evolving from generalist to more advanced techniques, and to apply their theoretical knowledge in settings where human conditions must be respected and enhanced. In essence, the field practicum sequence prepares students for social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, particularly those encountered within the complex and dynamic urban environment of southern Nevada. RELATIONSHIP OF FIELD PRACTICUM TO THE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM Upon entering the field practicum courses, students must follow their specified plan of study. All field practicums must be taken with the corresponding practice methods courses. Each course in a sequence builds upon the previous course, and provides students with theories and concepts that may be integrated and applied to practice in the field. The social work practicum depends upon the student building on and integrating theories from across the entire social work spectrum as experienced in all courses and sequences. Activities provided by the wide variety of field agencies and professional networks within Clark County allow students to apply increasingly complex concepts from courses in individual, family, group, and community practice; human growth and development; social welfare policy; research methods; cultural competence, and supervision. Moreover, as research and evaluative knowledge and skills develop, the student grows in ability to critically assess the effectiveness of agency policies, procedures, and practice methods in meeting the needs of the community and clients at multiple system levels. Integration of theory and practice is facilitated through faculty review and feedback in the development of learning agreements and journals, course assignments drawn from the practice experience, and weekly field seminar classes that focus specifically on integrating students' field experience with curriculum content. Each students' course syllabi are distributed to agency field instructors to enhance integration of course work in the field. In each subsequent field practicum, students are assisted in developing activities that reflect growth and increased levels of complexity, skill, and autonomy. In order for the field practicum to be effective, it is imperative that the School of Social Work and participating agencies work together in planning and carrying out the educationally directed experience. At the same time, the School also recognizes the social responsibility of the agency toward its clients and the community, and is aware of the necessity that the educational objectives be complimentary to those of the agency. While the School retains primary responsibility for the quality of the educational experience, it can only carry out that responsibility through cooperation and ongoing communication between the agency field instructors and the School. Significant care is taken to match students' backgrounds, experiences and interests to agencies that can provide the appropriate training opportunities. Agency Practice Areas Areas of agency practice currently available to social work students include: Social Service/Community Resource Domestic Violence Health/Medical/Hospice Mental Health Inpatient Outpatient Child Welfare Educational School Social Work Legal/Forensic Elder Care/Geriatric Substance Abuse Homelessness