Field - Northern Social Work Program

Field instruction provides students with an opportunity to engage, as beginning practitioners, in the processes of social work assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation and integration of theory from classroom course work to placement setting. Students complete their field placement requirements in a variety of service agencies and organizations. 

The Faculty of Social Work has undergone an update of its curriculum. With the new curriculum rollout, there is a transition period where students who were admitted prior to the new curriculum beginning in 2023 will need to complete the requirements of the old curriculum. It will be important for those admitted prior to 2023 as well as those admitted into the new curriculum to become familiar with the transition, how courses will be rolled out as well as, for returning students, to know how the new curriculum rollout may impact the courses they need to register for to complete their BSW degree.

Legacy students:

Referring to both students admitted and the curriculum that were or in use prior to 2023. Policies that apply to this student type or curriculum will be highlighted in orange to make it easier to identify.

Contemporary students:

Referring to both students admitted and the curriculum that is being introduced in 2023. Policies that apply to this student type or curriculum will be highlighted in blue to make it easier to identify.

Preparing for Field

Students in the BSW program at the Northern site work closely with the Field Coordinator in preparing for and securing an appropriate field placement.

Please note a student placement in a field setting is not guaranteed based on the completion of pre-requisite courses. 

Students completing their first practicum complete Field Instruction 1: 

Legacy students

Legacy students registered for SWRK 3150 Field Instruction 1 are required to complete 420 hours in field placement (21 hours per week for 20 weeks from September – April) and 36 hours in a Social Work Skills Application Seminar.  Students approved as eligible for Field Instruction must have successfully completed all prerequisite courses and have a minimum Degree Grade Point Average (DGPA) of 2.5. 

Contemporary students

Contemporary students completing their first practicum complete SWRK 3240 Field Instruction 1 and the corequisite SWRK 3220 Integrative Practice Seminar for Field Instruction 1. Students are required to complete 390 direct social work practice hours in Field Instruction 1 (15 hours per week for a total of 26 weeks from September - April) and 21 hours in the Integrative Practice Seminar for Field Instruction 1.  Students approved as eligible for Field Instruction and Integrative Practice Seminar must have successfully completed all prerequisite courses and have a minimum Degree Grade Point Average (DGPA) of 2.5. 

Students completing their second practicum complete Field Instruction 2: 

Legacy students

Legacy students registered for SWRK 4120 Field Instruction 2 are required to complete 420 hours in field placement (28 hours per week for 15 weeks from January – April) and 36 hours in a Social Work Skills Application Seminar.  Students approved as eligible for Field Instruction must have successfully completed all prerequisite courses and have a minimum Degree Grade Point Average (DGPA) of 2.5. 

Contemporary students

Contemporary students completing their second practicum complete SWRK 4350 Field Instruction 2 and the corequisite SWRK 4240 Integrative Practice Seminar for Field Instruction 2: Students are required to complete 390 direct social work practice hours in Field Instruction 2 (30 hours per week for 13 weeks from January - April) and 21 hours in the Integrative Practice Seminar for Field Instruction 2.  Students approved as eligible for Field Instruction and Integrative Practice Seminar must have successfully completed all prerequisite courses and have a minimum Degree Grade Point Average (DGPA) of 2.5. 

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