Course: SOW 4510

Course Descriptions

This course is required for undergraduate students and is taken concurrently with a field seminar. Students receive a supervised generalist social work practice experience in various settings. The purpose of field education is to provide students with opportunities for development and reinforcement of competence through performance in actual service situations. As students undertake learning tasks within the reality of agency life, they utilize theory acquired through coursework, attitudes, values, and skills developed and refined through practice.

Students enroll in this undergraduate field course in the final semester of the BSW program. The student spends approximately 32 hours per week in an agency placement for a minimum of 512 clock hours, earning 10 credit hours. The student directly serves various client systems (individuals, families, groups, and communities). The generalist practice model, currently being taught in the classroom, is reinforced and supported in a wide range of agencies available for placement.

NOTE: This course has been approved to meet FSU’s Liberal Studies Formative Experience requirement and develops your ability to develop and use knowledge by engaging in a hands-on experience outside of the classroom.

1. To fulfill this requirement, the student must earn a “C–” or higher or an “S” in the course if taken on an “S/U” basis.

Course Objectives

Undergraduate field education identifies the range of minimal competencies that students are expected to achieve within professional foundation areas, social work values, and ethics, as well as agency/client services. The learning experiences focus on knowledge and skills emphasized in the foundation curriculum, e.g., individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Field placements are selected based on their potential for providing the range and depth of learning experiences necessary to achieve the educational objectives. It is understood that the reality of agency purpose and structure may not permit a concentrated experience at all levels of intervention. However, it is expected that students will receive opportunities to be exposed to a range of social work roles and learning tasks.

Competencies

Council on Social Work Education (EPAS 2015) Social Work Competencies assessed in this course include the following competencies. Upon completing the course, the student will identify as a professional social worker and conduct themselves according to

• Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
• Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
• Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
• Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
• Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice
• Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
• Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
• Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
• Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, the student will:

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly.

• Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context. 
  • As demonstrated by:
    • Complying with professional expectations of the agency, College of Social Work, and Code of Ethics.
    • Addressing and resolve professional ethical dilemmas.
    • Protecting the client’s right to confidentiality. • Protecting the client’s right to self-determination. 
• Use reflection and self-regulation to manage personal values and maintain professionalism in practice situations.
  • As demonstrated by:
    • Preventing personal values and biases from interfering with practice decisions in the best interest of the client. 
• Demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and oral, written, and electronic communication. 
  • As demonstrated by:
    • Adhering to professional behavior through appropriate work attire, language, attendance, punctuality and presentation of self.
    • Performing all written and/or electronic documentation in a professional and timely manner. 
• Use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes. 
  • As demonstrated by:
    • Utilizing social media and electronic communication appropriately.
    • Demonstrating familiarity with the agency's technology policies and procedures. 
•  Use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior. 
  • Utilizing supervision to analyze and apply learning from practice experience and supervisory feedback.
  • Identifying and discussing strengths and limitations in knowledge, skills and learning needs.
  • Demonstrating openness to learning and feedback for professional development and growth.

Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice

•  Apply and communicate an understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in practice at the micro and macro levels.
  • As demonstrated by:
    •  Articulating concepts of oppression and discrimination faced by clients.
    • Articulating how discrimination influences service delivery. 
• Present themselves as learners and engage clients and constituencies as experts of their own experiences. 
  • As demonstrated by:
    • Demonstrating the value of clients’ experiences and perspectives. 
• Apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies. 
  • As demonstrated by:
    • Preventing personal values and biases from interfering with practice decisions in the best interest of the client.

Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice

• Apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels.  
  • As demonstrated by:
    • Articulating the strategies and skills for change related to social, economic, and ecological justice.
    • Identifying the resources available in the community.  

 SOW4510 Course Description and Objectives [PDF]

Course Number: SOW 5532

Course Description

Students receive a supervised generalist social work practice experience in various settings. The purpose of field education is to provide students with opportunities for development and reinforcement of competence through performance in actual service situations. As students undertake learning tasks within the reality of agency life, they utilize theory acquired through coursework, attitudes, values, and skills developed and refined through practice. Students enroll in this field course after completing the generalist curriculum for the Traditional MSW program. The student spends approximately 27 hours per week in an agency placement for a minimum of 432 hours, earning ten (10) credit hours. The student directly serves various client systems (individuals, families, groups, and communities). The generalist practice model, currently being taught in the classroom, is reinforced and supported by a wide range of agencies available for placement.

Course Objectives

MSW Generalist Field Education identifies the range of minimal competencies that students are expected to achieve within professional foundation areas, social work values, and ethics, as well as agency/client services. The learning experiences focus on knowledge and skills emphasized in the foundation curriculum, e.g., individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Field placements are selected based on their potential for providing the range and depth of learning experiences necessary to achieve the educational objectives. It is understood that the reality of agency purpose and structure may not permit a concentrated experience at all levels of intervention. However, it is expected that students receive opportunities for exposure to a range of social work roles and learning tasks.

Course Competencies

Council on Social Work Education (EPAS 2015) Social Work Competencies assessed in this course include:

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

SOW 5532 Course Description and Objectives [PDF]

Course: SOW 5535 (12 Credit Hours)

Course Description

This course is taken in the final semester(s) of the student's program. Before enrolling in SOW 5535, the student must have satisfactorily completed all prerequisites for this concentration, which includes all of the academic requirements for the degree with the exception of SOW 5535 (Field Education II) and SOW 5369 (Integrative Seminar) that must be taken concurrently. The student generally spends approximately 32 hours per week in an agency placement for a total minimum requirement of 512 hours and earns 12 credit hours. The following objectives describe the expectations for advanced clinical knowledge, values, and skills that students are expected to demonstrate at the completion of their field education experience. These competencies are built upon academic preparation and field education during the foundation year for two-year students and during the bachelor's degree program for advanced-standing graduate students.

Course Competencies:

Council on Social Work Education (EPAS 2015) Social Work Competencies assessed in this course include:

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Competency 2: Engage Difference in Practice
Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice
Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

SOW 5535 (Clinical) Course Description and Objectives [PDF]

Course: SOW 5535

Course Descriptions

This course is taken in the final semester(s) of the student's program. Prior to enrolling in SOW 5535, the student must have satisfactorily completed all prerequisites for this concentration, which includes all of the academic requirements for the degree with the exception of SOW 5535 (Field Education II) and SOW 5369 (Integrative Seminar) that must be taken concurrently.

The following objectives describe the expectations for advanced social policy and administration knowledge, values, and skills that students are expected to demonstrate at the completion of their field education experience. These students will gain an understanding of the roles of these professional social workers, which include, but are not limited to, the following: policy analysis and promotion, social planning, agency administrator, and supervisor. Student competencies are built upon academic preparation and field education during the foundation year for two-year students and during the bachelor's degree program for advanced-standing graduate students. Council on Social Work Education (EPAS 2015) Social Work Competencies assessed in this course include:

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice

Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice

Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice

Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

SOW 5535 (Social Leadership) Course Description and Objectives [PDF]