MSW Program
Off-Campus Weekend Programs
Advising and Field Education
Options
Standard Concurrent Placement
- Standard concurrent placement runs from mid-September through the first week in May.
- Students enrolled in the foundation year are in the field 16 hours/week, and students in the advanced year are in the field 24 hours/week.
- Under certain circumstances, students may arrange schedules that might include limited evening hours.
- Any alternative scheduling must meet School and agency approval and cannot conflict with the student's class schedule.
- Modified arrangement must allow for the student to participate in the "life of the agency," e.g., staff meetings, case conferences, in-service training.
- The standard concurrent placement arrangement is used by the majority of students.
- In some situations, advanced year, students may opt to do a concurrent placement that begins in January or May and runs through August or December respectively.
- Students interested in this variation of the concurrent placement should talk with their Faculty Advisor and have an amended program plan approved by the OCP administration.
Modified Block Placement
- Students entering the advanced year may do their placement in a block format of 28, 32, or 36 hours/week for 26, 22.5, or 20 weeks respectively.
- The concurrency requirement of method courses must be met.
Twelve-Month Extended Placement (January to January; May to May; or September to September)
- Students in the advanced year have the option of completing fieldwork over a 12-month period rather than nine months.
- There is a minimum requirement of 16 hours/week in placement.
- Students choosing the 12-month placement need to arrange their academic course schedule so that they enroll in methods courses concurrent with field placement.
- Off-campus students often choose the option of a May to May or September to September placement although this may restrict choice of agency availability.
Employer Agency Placement
- This option permits students to do one placement at their place of employment, provided that the placement meets specific criteria.
- These criteria are outlined in the Guidelines for Employer Agency Placements, which is available from the Field Education Department.
- Students must discuss plans for this option with their Faculty Advisor.
- A written proposal must be submitted to the OCP administration for review.
- Advanced Standing Students are not eligible to enroll in an employer agency placement.
