Welcome to the Practicum Hub!
The term practicum refers to all required components of the field placement course combined. For each practicum course a student must participate in and complete:
- The Agency Fair and Field Orientation/Skills Sessions.
- A required number of hours “on placement” in a community agency.
- Full attendance at 6 practicum seminars and in some cases, supplemental seminars.
- All written requirements including a learning contract, evaluations and theory-to-practice assignments.
The placement process used at Carleton’s School of Social Work is well outlined in the BSW and MSW Practicum Manuals, posted in the relevant program section to the left. Students are responsible for reading the practicum manual early in their degree programs to familiarize themselves with the course application deadlines and placement process and the policies and procedures related to field education, with special emphasis on Section 4.0 Field Placement Process and Protocols.
To take a practicum course, students must apply to the School of Social Work well in advance of the desired placement term and participate in required pre-placement activities. Distance placements carry a significantly earlier application date than placements within Ottawa and Region. See Section 4.3 Important Dates and Section 7.1 Distance Placements.
Professional Suitability
Students in the Bachelor of Social Work are expected to conform to the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) Code of Ethics and the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Students who violate these codes of ethics may be required, in accordance with the Senate Policy on Social Work Professional Suitability, to withdraw from the program with either the status Continue in Alternate (CA) or the status Dismissed from Program (DP).
Important Information Regarding Police Record Checks
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/contact-us/Police-Record-Checks.asp.
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.