BSW students need to complete a total of 400 hours in the field over the course of one academic year (two  semesters), which breaks down to approximately 16 hours per week. We ask that our field instructors dedicate  approximately 45 minutes – one hour a week for student supervision sessions. The students are expected to  function as professionals, therefore, with guidance; they should be assigned a small caseload of clients as well  as co-lead/facilitate groups (as well as assist in all other duties social workers carry out at the agency).  

For a social worker to meet the qualifications of “field instructor”, they must have their MSW, be in the field for  at least two years, with at least one year at your agency. 

Social Work Practicum Instructor Responsibilities for BSW Theory and Practice (Direct Practice)

• Assist the student in understanding the population served, community needs, and mission of the agency.  While discovering how the agency meets the needs of the community as well as understanding the  limitations both internal and external to delivery of service process. 
• Provide the student with opportunities to learn about and/or contribute to meetings and groups.  Meetings such as faculty/ team / comprehensive care/ treatment plan meetings. 
• Expose student to agency and program goals, outcomes, evaluation, and accreditation, etc. Exposure  students to the process of ethical decision making, while using reflection and self-regulation to manage  personal values. 
• Assist the student in understanding the levels of professionalism: behavior, appearance oral, written,  and electronic communication.  
• Offer opportunities for direct client contact where students apply and communicate an understanding  of the importance of building rapport and engagement skills.  
• Present opportunities unique to your agency, such as: shadowing different staff, maintaining a caseload,  facilitating, co- facilitating groups, and case management.  
• Timely feedback to students is crucial to the optimal development. Monitor student’s communication  (verbal and non-verbal) processes with agency consumers, agency staff, community collaterals and  assigned Field Instructor. 
• Ensure that the student complies with confidentiality requirements and other organizational policies and procedures. Ensure that students understand the role and function of the agency services. 
• Monitors student’s demonstration of cultural sensitivity and their ability to communicate effectively with  a diverse group of professionals and consumers. Sensitize students to understand how ethnicity, age,  gender, religion or spiritual orientation, sexual orientation, socio-economic status guides the  development of professional self and practice. 
• Engage in weekly supervision where discussions of professional judgment and critical thinking, the  person in environment perspective, human rights and justice is discussed as well as the student’s  understanding of human rights.

For a social worker to meet the qualifications of “practicum instructor” for a MSW student, they must have their LSW, be in the field for at least two years (at least one year at your agency) and be Seminar in Field Instructor (SIFI) certified. Ramapo offers the SIFI course online every Fall semester.

Field instructors often take the SIFI as they are simultaneously supervising a student; it is a 14-week course, at no cost to participants and 26+ CEU’s are awarded at the completion of the course.

The MSW students need to complete a total of 600 hours in the field over the course of one academic year (two semesters), which breaks down to 21 hours per week. We ask that our field instructors dedicate approximately 45 minutes to one hour per week for student supervision sessions. The students are expected to function as professionals, therefore, with guidance, they should be assigned a small caseload of clients as well as co-lead/facilitate groups (as well as assist in all other duties social workers carry out at your agency).

Social Work Practicum Instructor Responsibilities for MSW Theory and Practice

• Assist the student in understanding the population served, community needs, and mission of the agency.  While discovering how the agency meets the needs of the community as well as understanding the  limitations both internal and external to delivery of service process. 
• Provide the student with opportunities to learn about and/or contribute to meetings and groups.  Meetings such as faculty/ team / comprehensive care/ treatment plan meetings. 
• Expose student to agency and program goals, outcomes, evaluation, and accreditation, etc. Exposure  students to the process of ethical decision making, while using reflection and self-regulation to manage  personal values. 
• Assist the student in understanding the levels of professionalism: behavior, appearance oral, written, and electronic communication.  
• Offer opportunities for direct client contact where students apply and communicate an understanding  of the importance of building rapport and engagement skills.  
• Present opportunities unique to your agency, such as: shadowing different staff, maintaining a caseload,  facilitating, co- facilitating groups, and case management.  
• Timely feedback to students is crucial to the optimal development. Monitor student’s communication  (verbal and non-verbal) processes with agency consumers, agency staff, community collaterals and assigned Field Instructor. 
• Ensure that the student complies with confidentiality requirements and other organizational policies and procedures. Ensure that students understand the role and function of the agency services. 
• Monitors student’s demonstration of cultural sensitivity and their ability to communicate effectively with  a diverse group of professionals and consumers. Sensitize students to understand how ethnicity, age,  gender, religion or spiritual orientation, sexual orientation, socio-economic status guides the  development of professional self and practice. 
• Engage in weekly supervision where discussions of professional judgment and critical thinking, the person in environment perspective, human rights and justice is discussed as well as the student’s  understanding of human rights.