Online MSW students take a leading role in developing a practicum that help them gain valuable experience and prepare for their social work career.
The information below is specifically for students in our part-time online MSW program. If you are a student in an on-campus program, review the practicum guidelines for your program.
As of fall 2025, field education is now known as practicum education in the School of Social Work. However, you may still see references to “field education” in course titles, documents and other dated web content.
Explore specific requirements below for your program track:
Field Placement Type | Minimum Total Hours | Minimum Weekly Hours | Semester Time Period |
---|---|---|---|
Foundation Year (first placement) | 420 | 15 | Fall-Spring |
Advanced Year (second placement) | 480 | 15 | Spring-Summer |
If you requested an employment-based practicum , follow the instructions on the employment-based practicum webpage.
Read more tips for navigating your practicum as an online student.
Practicums are professional learning experiences in real-life practice settings. Attending an interview does not guarantee you will be offered a practicum, as our partner organizations often interview multiple students and make selections.
Here are some helpful tips to secure your practicum: