MSW – Practicum Courses and Application Process

SOWK 5606 Practicum I is designed to introduce students to the wide array of social programs and services, legislation and policies that exist within the community. This practicum is intended to familiarize students with the issues, complexities and impacts of providing and facilitating services at individual, family, group, organization, community and societal levels, and to deepen students’ abilities to apply critical thinking skills in practice. Practicum I provides students with opportunities to build on existing skills and experience and to develop more advanced social work skills in the areas of engagement and rapport building, assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation, and termination; and to engage in social change efforts through advocacy, mediation, critical analysis and/or activism. Students are provided with opportunities to develop and apply structural and other social work-related knowledge and skills through supervised practice in an agency or organizational setting. Practicum I also provides students with a context of practice within which to construct a professional  identify, apply core social work values in practice and use critical self-reflection for personal and professional development.

The specific knowledge and skill objectives of Practicum I are:

• To understand the social services sector in a community, and the role of the field placement setting in the community (i.e., mandate, philosophy, funding and organizational structure, services and programs) and to use this understanding to sensitively and appropriately access, refer to and utilize existing programs and services in the best interests of the client.
• To identify the ethical principles and core values that guide social work practice, apply the ethical principles and values in practice situations, and critically reflect on their own work in light of ethical frameworks and guidelines.
• To evaluate one’s own values and life experience (social location) and to recognize how these influence practice.
• To identify and integrate elements of structural social work practice into their work and to begin to evaluate associated outcomes.
• To recognize and challenge the extent to which a culture’s structures and values may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create or enhance privilege and power, with specific attention to issues of race, class, gender, age, ability, sexual orientation, religion and culture.
• To understand the relationship between personal issues and social, political and economic processes and structures.
• To identify and demonstrate sensitivity to issues of power at all levels (at the level of the social work relationship, organizational level, community level, and societal level).
• To identify different models of social work practice in action and critically reflect on their impact on individuals, families and communities.
• To develop and hone social work skills, such as engagement, assessment, planning, implementation, termination, evaluation, mediation, advocacy and activism.
• To identify and begin to challenge the research and policy issues and structures that affect practice.
• To demonstrate initiative and responsibility for own learning.
• To use supervision and consultation to advance and develop their own professional practice
• To demonstrate professional demeanour in behaviour, appearance, and communication .

SOWK 5606 is a two-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.

SOWK 5607 Practicum II is a designed to build upon the knowledge and skills that students developed in either their first placement, or during their undergraduate Social Work education. Practicum II provides an opportunity for students to apply, test, develop and integrate knowledge, theory and skills for social work practice in one or more of the following areas: practice with individuals, families, groups and communities; research; social administration and policy. In field placements in Practicum II, students take on greater responsibility in providing services, honing their skills and bringing a critical perspective to their work in the field. Practicum II is designed to allow for the opportunity for students to contribute to the practice setting, community or policy area in innovative and/or concrete ways.

The specific knowledge and skill objectives of Practicum II are:

• To understand the social services sector in a community, and the role of the field placement setting in the community (i.e., mandate, philosophy, funding and organizational structure, services and programs) and to use this understanding to sensitively and appropriately access, refer to and utilize existing programs and services in the best interests of the client.
• To develop the ability to assess strengths and gaps in service delivery systems and resources, and propose solutions or strategies to address the shortcomings.
• To use the CASW Code of Ethics (2005), appropriate consultation, and relevant laws, regulations and literature to guide ethical decision making and enhance professional self-awareness and regulation.
• To engage in self-reflection and use critical thinking skills necessary for accountable and effective practice.
• To recognize and address the structures and mechanisms of oppression, discrimination, power and inequality, with particular understanding of systems of oppression involving race, class, gender, age, ability, sexual orientation, religion and culture.
• To recognize dimensions of diversity that combine to create one’s social location and to explore how multiple perspectives and life experiences interact in the context of social work practice.
• To form mutual, purposeful and empowering relationships with others from diverse populations.
• To develop advanced skills in social work intervention at all levels and to recognize how intervention is shaped by the personal, social, cultural, and institutional context.
• To use multiple perspectives to understand client’s strengths and problems and inform intervention.
• To review professional literature and use research methods to inform practice and identify avenues for new knowledge creation.
• To identify research questions and policy issues that emerge from practice and contribute to new knowledge creation where possible.
• To critically evaluate agency programs and/or practices in relation to client needs and articulate possible solutions where appropriate.
• To apply advocacy and social change strategies and practices to advance social and economic justice.
• To demonstrate commitment to professional development and growth.
• To engage in self-directed learning.

SOWK 5607 is a two-credit practicum course that is taken during the Spring/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. 

This is the most common option by students. This is where the Practicum Coordinators will review your application and resume and find a placement for you. 

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.

Criteria for eligibility for a distance placement:

Distance placements will only be considered for students at the Advanced level of the MSW program who have met all of the prerequisites for SOWK 5607. Students must submit a two-part distance placement application for a placement within Canada, and a three-part distance placement application for an international placement.

The following criteria will be considered when reviewing distance placement applications for MSW students:

Student Criteria:

• Maturity of student and demonstrated ability to follow-through.
• High level of self-direction, initiative, clarity of purpose.
• Good academic standing.
• Strength of proposal.
• Strong previous placement evaluation if the student completed Practicum I.
• Appropriate rationale for a distance placement.
• Learning needs could be better met at a distance than locally.
• Consideration of financial needs of student/financial issues related to placement.
• Consideration of a student’s future employment possibilities.
• The student’s ability to participate in teleconference, email and telephone communication with a Faculty Liaison at Carleton University (this will require access to a computer with a microphone and may require a USB headset, for which the student would assume financial responsibility).

Agency Criteria:

• The setting must be committed to the roles and responsibilities of a field setting, such as providing the student with appropriate work assignments and a qualified Field Supervisor for the duration of the placement.
• The placement must provide the student with adequate opportunities to achieve the learning objectives of Practicum II.
• The Field Supervisor must be committed to the roles and responsibilities of a Field Supervisor, such as providing a minimum of one hour of regular weekly supervision, consulting with the Faculty Liaison, completing the Mid-Point and End-Point Evaluation Forms, and facilitating evaluation conferences with the student.

Health and Safety risks, responsibilities and liability will also be reviewed when considering distance placement applications.

Distance Placement Application and Proposal:

Part I

The student must submit Part I of their distance placement proposal along with a completed Practicum Application Form, and copy of their resume, to the Practicum Coordinator by the appropriate deadlines (i.e., two months in advance of the regular Practicum application deadlines).

In Part I of the distance placement proposal, students should provide the following:

• Rationale for wanting to do a distance placement.
• The geographical location in which they would like to secure a field placement.
• Their learning objectives for their placement.
• A short list of potential practicum agencies, if known at the time of application.

Once the student has submitted the above documents, they should book an individual meeting with the Practicum Coordinator to discuss their interest in a distance placement.

Part II

The student must submit Part II of the distance placement proposal by the deadline noted with the other Application Deadline information.

Part III is also required for students applying for international placements.

In Part II of the distance placement proposal, students will be asked to provide the following information:

• An outline of a possible field placement, providing the following: the agency name and contact information (i.e., address, phone number, website); an overview of the agency’s mandate, programs and services; the field placement opportunity.
• An outline of how the placement will meet the student’s learning objectives.
• The name and contact information of the Field Supervisor who would supervise the student and confirmation of their credentials (i.e., BSW or MSW).
• Information on plans for student health insurance coverage* when outside province of current residence.

Part III

This section is only required for international placements only.

In Part III of the distance placement proposal, students should provide the following:

• Outline what cultural/international orientation the student will participate in prior to departure in order to prepare for the cultural differences and who will provide this orientation (e.g., Carleton University International Student Services Office provides a one-day orientation in early April each year).
• Address the issue of reciprocity given possible language limitations, the historical context of social work in that country, and how to make a contribution in a culturally meaningful manner.
• Identify how the student will finance the international placement experience (The School does not have the institutional means to help students finance an international placement. It is the responsibility of the student to explore financial options).
• Provide a risk assessment (i.e., potential safety concerns) of the environment where the student will be working.
• Address health and insurance coverage.*
• Sign a Carleton University Assumption of Risks, Responsibility and Liability Waiver. Available on the International Students Services Office (ISSO) website.

* The Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities provides limited private insurance coverage (through Chubb Insurance) for students in unpaid field placements which the School has approved to take place outside of Ontario (international and other Canadian jurisdictions). However, the student is advised to obtain complementary insurance since Chubb Insurance does not provide full compensation.  This private insurance is an accidental death/injury policy, and does not cover many healthcare benefits, so students should have additional health insurance. Information on the Ministry provided insurance coverage for students in unpaid placements is available at:  http://tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/publications/guidelines.html#03

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.

Eligibility Criteria:

• The organization must meet the criteria for a field setting outlined in this manual.
• The student’s placement assignments and workload must be substantively different from their responsibilities as an employee.
• The student is located in a different work unit or department.
• The student must be assigned a qualified Field Supervisor, who is a different individual than the student’s work supervisor.
• The Field Supervisor must be committed to the roles and responsibilities of a Field Supervisor, such as providing a minimum of one hour of regular weekly supervision, consulting with the Faculty Liaison, completing the Mid-Point and End-Point Evaluation Forms, and facilitating evaluation conferences with the student.
• The student is discharged, during placement hours, from any encumbrances and duties associated with regular employment.
• There is clear understanding among all agency personnel that the primary focus of the placement is education/learning.

Placement in the Place of Employment Application and Proposal:

The student must submit a proposal for a placement in their place of employment, along with a completed Practicum Application Form and a copy of their resume, to the Practicum Coordinator by the deadlines noted with the other Application Deadline information.

In the proposal for a placement in their place of employment, students should provide the following:

• A summary of the student’s roles and responsibilities as an employee in the current work setting.
• The name and contact information of the student’s current employment supervisor.
• A summary of the proposed field placement, including specific learning objectives, goals and activities to be undertaken.
• The name and contact information of the potential Field Supervisor, and confirmation of their credentials (i.e., BSW or MSW).
• An outline, developed in collaboration with the agency, of how the student and the Field Supervisor will ensure that the student’s learning remains a priority throughout the field placement.
• An outline of how difficulties will be addressed should they arise during the field placement.
• A signed Letter of Agreement from the agency assuring the student’s educational needs will be met (i.e., the Field Supervisor will be granted sufficient time and resources within the work schedule for educational supervision, and the student will be released from duties as an employee in order to fulfil the requirements of the learning contract).

The Practicum Coordinator will make a decision based on the criteria outlined in this section.

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.

Students must apply to take a Practicum Course by submitting a Practicum Application Form deadlines posted here.

Due to large number of students in field each semester, the practicum application deadlines are firm.   Applications that are submitted after the deadline may not be considered and can also delay placement in an appropriate agency, and therefore, the student’s completion of the MSW degree program. Students may turn in their Practicum Application Form prior to the deadlines posted and are encouraged to do so.

Students are asked to list their areas of interest for a field placement on the Practicum Application Form. Students should consider the following when listing their preferences:

• Population group: i.e., children, youth, adults, women, families, older adults, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, etc.
• Level of practice: i.e., direct intervention, social administration and policy, research.
• Areas of concentration: i.e., mental health, addictions, anti-violence, disabilities, poverty and homelessness, housing, criminal justice, immigration, child welfare, long-term care, employment, recreation, community development, etc.
• Specific agencies of interest with the understanding that placements in these agencies may or may not be possible to accommodate.

Submitting a Practicum Application Form does not mean the student has secured a placement, nor does it mean that the student is officially registered for a Practicum Course. The Practicum Application Form is there to signal that the student intends to register for the Practicum in the upcoming semester and has reviewed and met all prerequisites.

It is the student’s responsibility to have the necessary police record check completed in advance of the field placement. In Ontario, there are provincial laws that require organizations to conduct police records checks for individuals who will be dealing with children and vulnerable adults as part of their recruitment responsibilities. This police record check is required even if students have had a recent police records check completed for some other purpose. Students must apply in person by attending any of the major police stations. The possible existence of criminal convictions and outstanding charges, as well as incidents of all notable police contacts for at least the previous five years, will be considered for release. A criminal record may delay or prohibit certain field placements. Obtaining a police records check can take 6 to 8 weeks or longer so students must apply for this well in advance of the beginning of the field placement. Students will be prohibited from beginning their field placement if they fail to provide a police records check to field settings where this is required.

In Ontario, provincial laws require organizations to conduct police record checks for individuals who will be dealing with children and vulnerable adults. The Level 3 Vulnerable Sector Check is required, even if students have had a recent police record check completed for some other purpose.

Students can apply online or in person in Ottawa or their primary place of residence, by attending any main police station. For more information on in-person and online applications, please go to: https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/reports-and-requests/record-and-background-checks.aspx

The information released by the police as part of the record check might include existence of criminal convictions, outstanding charges, as well as any incident where there has been notable police contacts for at least the previous five years. If any such information is revealed on the police record check it may be difficult, if not impossible, for you to secure a practicum.

Please note that if you are not from Ottawa, your process will be different.

In certain field settings, students may be required to provide documentation confirming immunization or demonstrated immunity to the certain communicable diseases prior to entry into the setting.  Required immunizations generally include, but may not be limited to, the following:

• Rubella
• Measles
• Hepatitis B
• Varicella/Chicken Pox
• Tuberculin Mantoux Screening

It is important that students make appropriate arrangements with regard to supplying the field setting with the required documentation in advance of the field placement.

In the event of a pandemic, the impact for practicum students in health settings may vary but a likely effect would be that the student’s learning contract may be suspended and the student may be re-assigned to different areas. The priorities in the health settings would likely shift and student’s learning objectives might become low priority. In this event it would be important for the Faculty Liaison to work closely with the student regarding arrangements and looking at ways of dealing with this crisis as a useful learning experience for the student.

The information below is to give the student an overview of their role and responsibilities during the entire practicum process.

1. Attend a Field Orientation workshop. (Required for all Practicum I students and any Practicum II students who have never attended a Field Orientation at Carleton School of Social Work).
2.  Attend the Agency Fair in the term prior to your Practicum Course. (Note: For students intending to commence a Practicum Course in the Fall term, the Agency Fair is held prior to the Field Orientation).
3. Complete and submit the Practicum Application Form as per the established guidelines and deadlines.
4. Check your Carleton email regularly for follow up from a Practicum Coordinator. If you have elected to be matched by the School, you will be provided with your initial placement option(s) via email, and will be given three days to confirm your interest in being prioritized for the opportunity before it will then be made available to another student. You will also be given a deadline to prepare a cover letter that is tailored to the specific position to which you are applying. If you have elected to proceed with an alternative placement option (distance or workplace), the Practicum Coordinator will provide you with information on the process and associated deadlines for your selected option. Please respond to the Practicum Coordinator by the provided deadline.
5. If electing to be matched by the School, submit a tailored cover letter and resume via email to the Practicum Coordinator by the provided deadline. Students must provide a targeted cover letter and resume for their first choice via email to the Practicum Coordinator by the provided deadline. Deadlines are strict to ensure the highest degree of success in securing an appropriate field placement opportunity for the term selected.
6. Practicum Coordinator will contact the agency that has been selected. Once the student’s cover letter and resume are received, the Practicum Coordinator will forward them to the potential Field Supervisor. Students are included on this correspondence. Field Supervisors are asked to contact students directly within 10 business days should they be able to consider the applicant for a potential placement position.
7. Provide regular email updates to the Practicum Coordinator on progress. Students should inform the Practicum Coordinator of the following at the earliest opportunity: lack of contact from the Field Supervisor within 10 business days; inability of placement setting to consider them for a placement position; booking of an interview; offer of a placement. The Practicum Coordinator will continue to work with each student to secure a field placement as needed. If additional applications are required, the student will be asked to provide an updated cover letter. Students are responsible for providing regular updates to the Practicum Coordinator in a timely manner, and for responding to any correspondence from the Practicum Coordinator, Practicum Administrator, or field settings promptly.
8. Interview with potential field setting. The job interview is a crucial part of the field placement process. It is an opportunity for the potential Field Supervisor to determine if the student applicant is well suited for the placement opportunity, as well as an opportunity for the student to ask questions about the field placement and field setting to ensure goodness of fit. Students are responsible for preparing for placement interviews and presenting a professional demeanour. Students should be prepared to provide professional references.
9. Confirm placement by completing all required documents. If both the field setting and the student wish to move forward with a field placement following the interview, the placement will be confirmed with the signing of the Practicum Agreement Form (See Appendix B). The student will be provided with this form, along with the required insurance documents (based on their specific placement arrangements) by the Practicum Administrator. These forms must be completed in full and returned to the Practicum Administrator by the provided deadline (two weeks) to proceed with a field placement. The student is also to arrange their start date and placement schedule directly with their Field Supervisor, as per the days/hours in placement established for each Practicum Course in this manual. Once a student has accepted a field placement with an agency, the placement searching process ends.
10. Ensure all agency pre-placement requirements are met in advance of the field placement. All students are responsible for obtaining a police records check for service with the vulnerable sector in advance of the field placement. In some field settings, students may be required to obtain a tuberculosis skin test, provide proof of immunizations and health records, and/or meet other agency requirements for placement in advance of the field placement. Students are responsible covering all costs associated with pre-placement requirements, and submitting any required agency documents directly to their agency.
11. Ensure you have officially registered for the Practicum Course. For information on the registration process and timeframes, refer to the University’s Registrar’s Office. For difficulties registering for a Practicum Course for which you have applied, contact the Practicum Administrator.