Bachelor of Social Work Field Education
SOCW 304 (6) Social Work Field Practice
SOCW 304 is the field education course which provides students with professional social work practice experience in an agency or organizational setting appropriate to the third-year of a generalist BSW program. The course is based on a partnership model in which the student, the agency and the school work collaboratively in the interests of the student’s field learning. Participatory and cooperative learning with fellow students is encouraged in order to broaden exposure to the range of placement experiences and practice issues.
Learning Outcomes
To identify the professional role and responsibilities of social work in that practicum setting and use appropriate opportunities to practice foundational social work skills.
- To describe the organizational context and philosophy of the practicum setting and begin to work collaboratively within the organization.
- To describe the community context in which the practicum setting currently provides its services to clients, and be familiar with key community resources.
- To understand the concept of planned change at the micro and macro levels, and apply a model of planned change appropriate to clients of that practicum setting.
- To demonstrate a basic understanding of the concept of a practice frame of reference as it reflects the integration of professional theory, practice and values.
- To become familiar with the CASW/BCASW Codes of Ethics and explore their implications on some key ethical and legal issues that have arisen in that practicum setting.
- To initiate a process of self-awareness and reflection and actively assess one’s learning needs, while seeking out opportunities to meet those learning needs.
- To set and meet individualized learning goals related to substantive and/or technical aspects of the practicum.
Prior Learning Assessments (PLA's)
The School acknowledges that some students enter BSW programs with extensive, previously acquired knowledge and skills that could be recognized as equivalent to a component of their program’s practicum requirements. In these exceptional situations, accreditation standards allow BSW programs to grant up to 350 hours of practicum credit by special assessment. At UBC Okanagan the maximum number of practicum hours a student can receive credit for through the PLA process is 315 hours. Prior learning assessment (PLA) provides credits on the basis of learning acquired from previous work and volunteer experience. The School of Social Work offers BSW students the opportunity of obtaining six (6) credits for SOCW 304 Field Education course through the portfolio assessment method. See the PLA Guidelines for more details.
SOCW 402 (9) Social Work Field Practice
SOCW 402 will develop, refine, and apply generalist practice knowledge, skills, values, and ethics. Generalist practice can include individual, family, group, and community work; organizational development; and policy change. Upon completion of this practicum, students are expected to be prepared for initial professional practice with various client constituencies. Practicum time commitment consists of a total of 420 hours, accumulated through four days or 28 hours per week. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all SOCW courses, except for SOCW 403 which may be taken as a co-requisite. There is not a PLA process for SOCW 402 and it is required for all students.
BSW Field Education Documents
BSW Field Practicum Selection Form
Ending Well in Practicum Checklist
BSW Distance Supplemental Field Manual
Distance Letter of Intent and Student Agreement Form
PLA Supervisory Performance Evaluation
Last reviewed 
3/28/2012 2:01:08 PM
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BSW Important Dates
Last Friday in September PLA Letter of Intents Due
September BSW Practicum Information Session
September 30 MCFD Applications Due
First Friday in October BSW Field Selection Forms Due
First Week in December Distance Practicum Orientation
First Week of January 4 BSW Practicum Orientation
Second Monday in January First day of practicum
Last Friday in June Distance Field Application Deadline
Mid July Notification Regarding Distance Field Placement Application
