Foundation (first-year) and Advanced (second-year) students often have questions about their practicum placements. The Office of Practicum Education (OPE) wants to ensure every student is well-informed about the process. While the practicum education manual is the best resource, we have provided these FAQs to address common questions.
For additional information, please review the manual or contact OPE at fieldeducation@ssw.umaryland.edu or call (410) 706-7187.
Q. What is the placement process?
The placement process involves the student, the OPE practicum coordinator, and the agency. First, you will receive an email from OPE asking you to complete either a Foundation (first year) or an Advanced (second year) practicum application. The application requires two essays and a current resume.
Once submitted, a practicum coordinator will review your materials to match you with a suitable agency. You will then schedule an interview to learn more about the placement.
Foundation students are referred to agencies offering a "generalist" practice, while Advanced students are placed based on their concentration and preferences identified in the application.
Note: Applications must be submitted by the deadline; late applications will not be accepted.
Q: I've submitted my application. What happens next?
You will receive confirmation once your application is submitted. Your application will then be assigned to an OPE coordinator, who may request revisions. Once the application is finalized:
· Foundation students: You will receive an email from your assigned practicum coordinator, plus a referral letter with agency details for scheduling an interview with the agency.
· Advanced students: Your coordinator will work to place you with one of your top three agency choices. The coordinator may contact you to discuss alternative options or questions. You’ll also receive an official referral email with interview instructions and placement details.
Q: How does my choice of concentration impact my practicum placement?
Advanced students must choose a concentration: Clinical or Leadership, Policy, and Social Change (LPSC). You can select a single primary concentration or a combined one (Clinical/LPSC or LPSC/Clinical). Your practicum will align with your primary concentration. LPSC/Clinical students will be placed in an LPSC setting without guaranteed clinical experiences, and Clinical/LPSC students will be placed in a clinical agency without guaranteed macro experiences. Mezzo placements that offer a guaranteed combined experience are not available.
Foundation students will be placed in generalist settings, which include both direct client and macro experiences.
Q: Are interview referrals made on a first-come, first-served basis?
No, practicum applications are considered on time if they are received before the posted deadline. Students should thoughtfully and thoroughly complete the application and submit it by the deadline. No preference is given to early applications.
Q: How far will I have to drive to get to my placement? What if I don't have a car?
We try to match you with the best possible placement based on your interests, location, and the availability of placements. We can guarantee you will not have to travel more than 50 miles to your placement and we do our best to make your commute as manageable as possible. If you do not have a car, we will do our best to place you in an area that is close to a mass-transit system. Students who do not have personal transportation should note that in the practicum application.
Q: I live in the DC area; will I be placed in Baltimore?
No*. If you live in the DC area, you will work with coordinators for the DC Metro area. You will be placed in an agency within a fifty-mile radius from your home; this may include DC, Prince Georges County, Montgomery County or Anne Arundel County.
*If you are an Advanced student, you may choose a placement in Baltimore (or another outlying region) with the understanding that you have also chosen a more intensive commute.
Q: I am an online student. Does that mean my practicum will be or can be solely online/ virtual/remote too?
While all classes will be held online (asynchronously and synchronously), our program requires in-person practicum experience during years two and three of the online program. Although we have some fully remote practicum opportunities, we are not able to guarantee that an opportunity will be available or appropriate for all students.
Q: Am I able to get a practicum placement in the evenings or on the weekends?
Practicum hours range between 8am-6pm, Monday - Friday. However, typically Foundation students are in practicum T & Th and Advanced students T, Wed, and Th. Some agencies will have evening activities that may extend to 8pm. Agencies that offer evening or weekend hours usually require you to complete at least one full day during regular business hours to have the full agency experience and participate in staff meetings and required trainings. Please be sure to clarify required practicum hours when you interview with your potential agency and note preferences on your practicum application*.
Please plan on most, if not all, of your placement being accomplished during regular business hours. You will not be able to complete your entire practicum during evenings and/or weekends. Given the educational and time requirements of the social work degree program, it is not realistic to assume you can carry a course load, complete a practicum, and work a full-time job.
*Identifying a need or preference for evening and weekend hours on the practicum application does not guarantee availability of evening or weekend hours.
Q: How will I know if I have been accepted at the agency?
After your agency interview, they’ll notify your coordinator of the decision. You’ll then receive a confirmation email from OPE. Some agencies decide on the spot, but if not, allow up to two weeks. If you haven’t heard back by then, contact your coordinator.
Q: Do I need to bring anything to the interview?
Bring a notebook and pen for taking notes. Your practicum application, resume, and narratives are sent to the agency, but you may bring an extra copy of your resume. Treat the interview like a job interview, dress and act professionally. Ask about the agency, its culture, practicum responsibilities, and your potential instructor to ensure a good fit.
Q: Is a referral to an agency a guaranteed placement?
No, all students must participate in a professional interview with the organization prior to being accepted to the practicum site. Agencies may choose to decline a student for practicum based on their assessment of the interview.
Q: What if I am not accepted after the interview?
If you are not accepted by an agency, the agency will notify your coordinator that you have been declined, and your coordinator will refer you to another agency.
Q: Can I interview at multiple sites before deciding on a placement?
No. The coordinator refers students to one agency at a time. If, after meeting together and discussing the practicum, you or the instructor believe the match is unsuitable, you may be considered for another agency after debriefing with the coordinator.
Q: Do I have a say in where I am placed?
The placement process is a collaboration between the OPE coordinator, student, and agency. Foundation students are placed in agencies offering generalist practice experience, which includes working directly with individual clients and groups and engaging with community and agency systems. Coordinators review your application, resume and narratives to get an understanding of your interests. We will use this information combined with our knowledge and understanding of available placements to select an agency for you.
Advanced students choose a concentration and may list up to three preferred agencies. Your application materials guide placement decisions, and you’re welcome to meet with us early to discuss your ideas and concerns.
Q: I really enjoyed my foundation placement; can I be placed there again for my advanced year?
Your coordinator can work with you to identify a different placement that offers new opportunities with a similar population or in a similar setting. *
*Students in a faculty practicum placement may continue in those programs at different placement sites.
Q: I already know where I would like to complete my practicum. Can I develop my own placement?
We welcome your placement ideas! Share them early with your coordinator, who will assess the agency and formalize it if suitable. Only the OPE coordinator can make referrals and confirm placements. Please do not contact agencies independently, as this ensures quality placements, fairness, and strong relationships between the school and agencies.
Q: I only want to work with a specific population or do a specific kind of social work intervention. Can my placement accommodate such requests?
Foundation students are educated in a generalist model of social work; practicum placements for these students give a broad overview of social work practice and opportunities to work with individuals, families, groups, and communities. Consequently, you should anticipate being placed in agencies that offer new or different experiences from what you may previously have had.
If you are an Advanced student, you will have input into the focus of your placement. You will be placed according to your chosen concentration, and you may select three agency preferences on your practicum application.
Q: Can I complete my practicum at my current place of employment?
Yes. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) has allowed some flexibility with employment-based (EB) practicum placements. If you are interested in pursuing this option, please indicate your interest when completing your application. There will be additional forms for you to complete. For more information go to Employment Based Placements.
Q: How many days a week will I be at my agency?
All Foundation year placements are two days per week, usually Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Students in their Advanced year spend three full days a week at the placement site, usually Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Some students may choose an extended schedule, which would require them to be in a placement two days a week from the beginning of the semester to the end of July.
Q: Are there courses that I need to take when I am in a practicum?
Foundation students must take two consecutive semesters of the Foundation Practicum (SOWK 635 in the Fall and SOWK 636 in Spring) for 5 credits. Foundation students are also required to take Foundation Field Education Seminar SOWK 637 (Fall) and SOWK 638 (Spring) for 1 credit. Foundation students participate in monthly, online, facilitated, small-group seminars intentionally designed to discuss their practicum education experiences, knowledge and skill development, critical self-reflection, developing professional social work identities in the context of anti-racism, oppression and privilege, and the necessity of cultural humility.
In conjunction with Foundation practicum, you are required to take the following 3 practice courses which provide the theoretical and conceptual framework for foundation practice:
Advanced students must take 2 consecutive semesters of Advanced Practicum for 12 credits. In conjunction with your practicum, you are required to take a Methods Option course each semester. The Methods option requirements are specific to the concentrations. Go to the Office of Registration web site for more information on registering for classes.
Q: What is the difference between the Office of Practicum Coordinator, a Faculty Practicum Liaison, and a Practicum Instructor?
OPE Coordinator (Coordinator): A faculty member who works in the Office of Practicum Education. Once you apply for a practicum placement, the coordinator works with you to find an appropriate agency.
Faculty Practicum Liaison: The liaison's role is to maintain the educational integrity of the practicum once it has begun. The liaison reviews and assesses all learning contracts, process recordings, and performance evaluations, and assigns the grades. The liaison also serves as a mediator and resource person for both you and your practicum instructor.
Practicum Instructor: The MSW staff person at the practicum placement agency who oversees the on-site educational experience and provides supervision for all students.
Q: How am I graded for practicum courses?
Practicum is a course. All students are graded on a PASS/FAIL basis, using the evaluation format consistent with the course objectives for each practicum education level. At the end of each semester the agency instructor reviews your performance and recommends a grade of PASS or FAIL, which is then reviewed by the liaison. Your liaison will issue a grade of PASS or FAIL.
Q: What if I need to miss a day of practicum?
Students should engage professionally in the practicum which includes notifying the site as soon as is reasonable and in advance, if possible, if you are going to miss practicum. Students are responsible for keeping track of total practicum hours/days required and should plan with the field instructor to make up missed time, as needed. If an unusual amount of time is missed it may be determined that you cannot meet the learning objectives, and you may be terminated from the agency and fail the Practicum course.
Q: What if I am experiencing problems with my placement?
Once you have begun your practicum placement, you should discuss any concerns you have about it directly with your practicum instructor first. If the concerns remain unresolved, you should involve your liaison as soon as possible.
