Undergraduate Field Education

Auburn University’s Undergraduate Social Work Program includes two field opportunities for students: SOWO 3910 Field Practicum and SOWO 4920 Social Work Internship. Senior field students are also required to complete the SOWO 4950 BSW Integrative Seminar concurrently with SOWO 4920 Social Work Internship.

The undergraduate major in social work focuses on generalist versus specialist practice skills. The generalist method utilizes and follows a systematic procedure consisting of sequential stages for work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. These stages generally consist of engagement, data collection, assessment, intervention, termination and evaluation. Each stage is covered extensively in the three social work practice methods courses. Agencies selected as field placement sites should be able to provide students with the opportunity to work directly with clients and indirectly on their behalf.

Social Work Practice Methods Courses

SOWO 3910 Field Practicum: the first of two field opportunities/requirements for social work students. This course is also opened to non-social work majors working towards a minor in social work or in women’s and gender studies. SOWO 3910 involves completing a total of 90 hours in a social service agency or program, and participation in a 1-hour per week seminar. Students typically complete 6-8 hours per week in a guided learning experience developed in partnership between the student, field instructor, and field liaison.

SOWO 4920 Internship: a 480-hour block placement which occurs after the student has completed the practice methods sequence. This course is the professional field placement and is designed to satisfy CSWE accreditation requirements. Typically, this course is taken the final semester of the student's program along with a concurrent three-hour per week integrative seminar course. The student spends 32 hours per week in the agency and receives 9 credits upon successful completion of the course. This type of placement is utilized in order to provide the student with as close of an approximation as possible to full-time social work practice, and to enable the student to take full advantage of learning opportunities in the agency setting. In order to be admitted to Internship, students must have successfully completed all other foundation courses, completed all social work courses with a “C” or better, have an overall 2.5 GPA in social work coursework, have a satisfactory field readiness evaluation, and successfully completed the internship application process.

SOWO 4950 Integrative Seminar: offered concurrently with Social Work Internship, the senior field experience. The primary purpose of the seminar is to allow students to critically analyze their experiences in the field, employ problem-solving techniques, and experience self-evolution amidst peers. Students are provided a variety of opportunities (including goal setting, journal writing and conducting research) to facilitate and nurture their growth and development as generalist social workers.