1. Overview of Practicum for MSW Students
  2. MSW Practicum Courses
    1. SOWK 5606
    2. SOWK 5607
  3. Types of Placements
    1. Matched by School
    2. Place of Employment
    3. Distance
    4. Practicum Application Information

Overview of Practicum for MSW Students

Two-year (Foundation) MSW students who have an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than social work are required to complete a minimum of 450 practice hours (SOWK 5606 Practicum I) plus an additional 450 practice hours (SOWK 5607 Practicum II) or a thesis as part of their degree requirements.

One-year (Advanced) MSW students with an undergraduate degree in social work are required to complete a minimum of 450 practice hours (SOWK 5607 Practicum II) or a thesis as part of their degree requirements.

Practicum I and Practicum II each consist of a minimum of 438 hours in the field, in addition to mandatory participation in concurrent Practicum Seminars (12-13 hours), Faculty Liaison consultations, and completion of all written requirements. Each Practicum course is worth two credits and is graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. The satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade given for Practicum courses is not calculated into the student’s CGPA.

Practicum students normally complete each field placement in one agency/organization only. This is based on the principle that students need the time to observe and practice in order to gain competence and a sense of confidence. Practicum Coordinators may approve split placements (2 agencies) on a case-by-case basis.

Students admitted to the the MSW program with full-time status will complete their practicum(s) on a full-time basis. 

Students admitted to the MSW program with part-time status will typically complete their practicum(s) on a part-time basis (spanning two full academic terms).

Should an MSW student be registered with the Paul Menton Centre (PMC) and require accommodations for their practicum, a part-time practicum will be arranged. 

To apply for Practicum I or Practicum II, students must have completed all of the prerequisite course work, be in good academic standing, and seek permission from the School of Social Work by submitting a practicum application through mySuccess by the established deadlines.

MSW Practicum Courses

SOWK 5606

SOWK 5606 is a 2.0 credit practicum course that is taken during the winter term (January to April) of the full-time Foundation student’s first year of the MSW program. Only students whose undergraduate degree is in a discipline other than social work will register in SOWK 5606.

Successful completion of SOWK 5606 requires a minimum of 438 placement hours which can achieved by a 4-day per week schedule that spans the entire Winter term. Students are advised that they must be in placement during reading week in order to complete the required hours. Students must keep a log of hours that demonstrates the completion of 450 practice hours, which is signed by their Field Supervisor at the end of the placement period.

In addition to the time on placement, students are required to attend and participate in 6 practice seminars (12-13 hours), held at the School of Social Work throughout the term. Seminars, participation in consultations with Faculty Liaisons and written assignments are all MANDATORY requirements of the MSW Practicum I (SOWK 5606) course. Attendance and participation in additional Supplemental Practicum Seminars may also be required.

SOWK 5606 is graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Prerequisites

Students must apply by the applicable deadlines and meet the following prerequisites to be eligible for SOWK 5606:

SOWK 5607

SOWK 5607 is a 2.0 credit practicum course that is taken during the summer term (May to August) following the full-time student’s Advanced (or second) year of the MSW program. Only students whose undergraduate degree is in social work will register in SOWK 5607 as their first placement in the MSW program.

Successful completion of SOWK 5607 requires a minimum of 438 placement hours which is typically achieved by a 4-5 day per week schedule that spans the entire Spring/Summer term (May to August).  Students must keep a log of hours that demonstrates the completion of 450 practice hours, which is signed by their Field Supervisor at the end of the placement period.

In addition to the time on placement, students are required to attend and participate in 6 practice seminars, held at the School of Social Work throughout the term. Seminars, participation in consultations with Faculty Liaisons and written assignments are all MANDATORY requirements of the MSW Practicum II (SOWK 5607) course. Attendance and participation in additional Supplemental Practicum Seminars may also be required.

Prerequisites

Students must apply by the applicable deadlines and meet the following prerequisites to be eligible for SOWK 5607:

  • BSW or completed of MSW Foundation Year (Year I).
  • Completion of SOWK 5011SOWK 5012, and elective course requirements.

Types of Placements

Students will either be matched by the School or propose a placement in their place of employment or at a distance.

In general, the field placement is an unpaid educational experience and students are not entitled to receive wages or salaries for time spent in placement. Any other arrangement must be brought forward to the Practicum Coordinator and approved in advance. Conditions for approval include clear recognition of the placement requirements by all members of the field team and a primary focus on the student’s education/learning for the duration of the field placement.

Matched by School

This is the most common option. The Practicum Coordinators will review your application and resume and connect you with a placement setting. Please review the Matching Policies.

Place of Employment

Field placement arrangements in a student’s place of employment may be possible in exceptional circumstances. Generally, field placements in the student’s place of employment are approved only when, at a minimum, the student is placed in a site or program distinct from their usual work site and the Field Supervisor is not the student’s work supervisor. These criteria are necessary to uphold the educational focus that is fundamental to field placements. The field placement may be paid or unpaid.  In either case, this requires a clear delineation between the student and employee roles.

Students must submit an application for a placement in their place of employment by the deadline noted with the other Application Deadline information.

Cautions:

  • The student’s learning needs may be minimized in the interest of meeting agency priorities.
  • The student’s ability to think critically about the agency (e.g., mandate, administrative structure, policies, service delivery) may be constrained by the student’s concerns about critiquing the organization in which they are employed.
  • A negative evaluation of the student’s field placement performance may jeopardize their employee status.
  • Issues related to managing conflicts and disputes at the workplace may create tension for the student.

Distance

In exceptional circumstances, the School is open to the establishment of placements outside of the City of Ottawa and surrounding regions; however these placements can only be established when the student can be adequately accommodated and supported at a distance within the limited resources of the School. Distance placements constitute any placement that is more than a one-hour drive from Ottawa, and include out of province and out of country placements.

Distance placements can provide an enriching experience for certain students, enabling them to develop their knowledge of the social services sector and develop a professional network in another region. Distance placements may also provide opportunities for useful comparative studies for students, sometimes enriched by the experience of living in a different setting. However, students must demonstrate that they are well prepared for a distance placement, and the Practicum Coordinator must be able to assess the student’s ability to benefit from a distance educational experience, including the suitability of the potential field setting for a social work placement.

Deadlines for Distance Placement Proposals are firm and noted with the other Application Deadline information.

Preparing for Field Placement?  Be sure to review the Preparing for Field Placement – Resume, Cover Letter & Interview Guides file as well as Field Placement Sample Cover Letter – SOWK 4601-4602 – Summer-Fall.

Practicum Application Information

This section details the steps for applying to a practicum as well as other possible requirements such as Police Records Checks or Health Requirements. We have also included a step by step process on the practicum process to give you an understanding of the all the steps that the students, Practicum Coordinator, Practicum Administrator and Placement are responsible for.