International and Out-of-Region Practicums
Katherine Wilkins, MSW '25, completed her international practicum with One Sky Foundation in Sangklaburi, Thailand.
By immersing themselves in other environments, social workers can expand their self-awareness and cultural consciousness. Our transformational international and out-of-region shared practicums can help you broaden your global perspective to better understand and address social injustice.
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.
Practicums in other countries or regions are developed by our practicum education staff in partnership with the student and an interested organization. The policies outlined here apply to international, out-of-region and regional immersion practicums (advanced year only).
Overview
Our curriculum allows for “block” or immersion practicums (in which 480 hours are completed in one semester) in the final spring or summer of the MSW program.
If you wish to request approval to pursue an immersion practicum in your advanced year, you must do so before the due date for advanced year practicum applications. This timeframe reflects the significant time required to secure legal affiliation and ensure potential practicums meet School of Social Work program requirements.
A practicum must be included in one of the following categories to be considered for an immersion practicum:
- Out of region/out of state
- International
- Regional agencies: Only agencies with approved block practicum options. The Practicum Education Office does not have a pool of immersion sites available but will work one-on-one with students to explore the feasibility of particular block practicum in the region.
Students should not approach agencies directly to request block practicums.
Eligibility
The practicum education director must assess and approve all block practicum options. To be eligible, you must be in good standing and not involved in a review process.
Due to the greater demands placed on students in an immersion practicum, you must submit three recommendation forms and exemplify excellence in all areas of the program to be approved. The additional standard of proof is required because you will be further beyond the school’s resources if the need for additional support arises.