Overview
The Master of Social Work program at the University of the Fraser Valley is an accredited program of the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE). The School of Social Work and Human Services at the University of the Fraser Valley adheres to the standards and requirements of the CASWE.
The intent of field education at the Master of Social Work level is to:
- Build upon existing knowledge, theory, and practice to develop advanced practice
- Engage in advanced critical thinking about service delivery and policy issues
- Demonstrate professionalism and uphold the BCCSW Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice
- Promote social justice
- Seek opportunities to develop leadership skills
- Critically reflect on one’s role in supervision
All students are required to complete one field placement over the last two semesters of the MSW program. Students are placed in an agency or community setting to integrate their classroom learning with practice-based situations.The field placement is an applied, practical course. Field placement requires students to continually process the learning that is taking place through reflective activities.
Important considerations
- Acceptance into the MSW program does not guarantee the student a field placement.
- Students who are on academic warning or academic probation or subject to academic or non-academic student conduct proceedings will not ordinarily be permitted to register in a field placement.
- Social Work students are expected to adhere to the Social Work code of ethics and standards of practice and the SWHS field practice guidelines while in their field placement.
- Field placements typically take place Monday–Friday during regular agency hours and must take a minimum of 21 weeks to complete. The School is not able to facilitate evening or weekend placements and students need to plan their commitments accordingly.
- Sites have strict placement application processes in place. Students are not to contact agencies directly to set up a placement but can suggest potential placements to the Field Education coordinator.
Pre-placement activities
Attendance is required at pre-placement activities that take place in the semester before your placement. These activities can include, but are not limited to, interactive workshops, panels with professionals, and themed sessions designed to help you get the most out of your placement.
Field placement format
The MSW field placement is formatted as a concurrent model that runs over two semesters. Students are enrolled in an online seminar as part of their field placement. Participation in the online seminar, attendance at scheduled face-to-face sessions, and completion of assignments are required to receive credit for this course.
- 450 hours over two semesters
- 2 days per week
- 21 week minimum to a 28-week maximum
The days of field placement are flexible and may be negotiated between the student and supervisor based on the student’s and supervisor/agency schedule. Students are to contact the Field Education coordinator if variations to the concurrent model are requested.
Field practice guidelines and UFV policies
Field practice guidelines and UFV policies are in place to ensure student success, and provide support and guidance to students, field instructors, and faculty liaisons during the field placement.
These resources provide a detailed description of student responsibilities in the field placement. Students are expected to read and understand the guidelines and policies prior to the field placement and refer to them throughout. Students will be asked to sign a form indicating they have read and understood the field placement guidelines and will be held accountable for any breaches.