Frequently Asked Questions

Students eligible for field placements will receive an email with field application instructions. Applications are completed through the School of Social Work data management system, Sonia.

Student and agency matches are determined by the student's field coordinator based on location, agency availability and the requests and learning needs identified in the student's field application.

Students are required to complete 240 hours per semester during fall and spring. Students are in the agency approximately 16 hours per week, typically during normal business hours, and create their individual schedule in collaboration with their field instructor. Evening or weekend hours may occasionally be available or required by the agency.

An employment-based field placement is available for BASW and MSW students whose employment meets the established criteria:

1. The position description and associated activities connect to the nine social work curricular competencies at the student's level of practice: BASW, MSW Generalist, Clinical or OCL.
2. The student and agency can commit to the placement for two consecutive semesters.

Yes. The team makes every effort to match students as close to the community of their choice as possible, depending on agency availability.

No. Field coordinators arrange all placements. You may request a particular agency on your field application or by contacting your field coordinator.

When an agency match has been identified, your field coordinator will send the agency contact person a match email with your resume for review. You will receive a separate match email with instructions, the agency and contact names, and a placement confirmation form.

You are responsible for contacting the agency as soon as possible to schedule a pre-placement interview. The interview helps the student and agency determine whether the placement is a good fit. The confirmation form includes topics to guide that conversation.

If both you and the agency agree to the match, sign and immediately return the confirmation form to the Field Education Office. If either party declines the match, return the signed form and contact your coordinator immediately to discuss next steps.

No. Students are matched with one agency at a time.

Visit the Field Education Courses page for complete course titles and descriptions.

All students entering their first field placement must review the online orientation modules before interviewing at an agency. They must also attend an in-person field orientation before the start of their first field semester. Dates, times and locations will be sent to students through their MSU email.

Undergraduate students receive additional field orientation through their integrative field seminar.

Field instructor: Usually an employee of the placement agency who is responsible for your learning at the site and provides one hour of supervision each week.

Field liaison: An MSU employee who monitors your agency experience and facilitates the integrative field seminar.

Field coordinator: A full-time MSU employee who develops placement sites, matches students with agencies, supports field liaisons and facilitates field review meetings when concerns arise.

All students in field education participate in an integrative field seminar facilitated by their field liaison. The seminar connects coursework with field experience and supports students in problem-solving.

Graduate students are assigned a liaison group that meets for 10 hours in each fall and spring semester and five hours during summer. With guidance from the liaison, the group helps determine meeting content, schedule and location. Undergraduate students meet with their liaison weekly as part of SW 493A and SW 493B.

The Learning Evaluation Tool, or LET, is a personalized educational tool outlining the activities a student will complete and be evaluated on each semester to demonstrate the School's competencies. The student and field instructor determine the specific activities together. Those activities are then used to assess competence and determine the course grade.

Each semester, students and field instructors complete a verbal mid-semester evaluation. At the end of the semester, the field instructor rates the student's competence in each area and writes a narrative evaluation based on the learning agreement. Students are graded using a pass or no-grade system.

For graduate students, the field instructor recommends a grade, the liaison reviews it and recommends a grade to the field coordinator, and the coordinator submits the grade to the Office of the Registrar. For undergraduate students, the field instructor recommends a grade to the SW 494 instructor, who assigns the final grade.

Begin by speaking with your field instructor. If the concern cannot be resolved, contact your field liaison for support and problem-solving. The liaison will keep the field coordinator informed.

When concerns arise, a field review meeting may be held to resolve issues while supporting both the student and agency.