Students will be assigned to their Theory and Practice I and II agency by the Practicum Education Department who will take your needs and thoughts into consideration after completion of a Practicum Application.  After students complete the necessary tasks as instructed by the practicum education department, the student will be eligible to schedule a practicum placement interview. These tasks include the completion of a Practicum Placement Application. Students registered for SWRK 425 will be enrolled in an online placement monitoring platform. Students will be charged the fee for the platform directly on their bill with the college. This enrollment process will be facilitated by the practicum education department. Students may be asked to initiate the placement process prior to be being enrolled in the online platform to avoid delays.

In making the placement assignment during the practicum placement interview, we consider several points:

• Types of clients that interest you? i.e. children, elderly, young adult
• Problem areas that interest you? i.e. domestic violence, substance abuse, developmental disabilities
• Location (we try for the same county, but we cannot commit to for your specific town)
• The presence of appropriate assignments at a given agency
• The presence of adequate supervision – and a good match between student and practicum instructor

The Theory and Practice I placement begins in September (Fall semester) in accordance with the date decided on with your practicum instructor. Students are expected to discuss time off for school related breaks early in the placement process, as the placement will continue throughout the Spring semester while in Theory and Practice II.

Each semester is 200 hours, totaling 400 hours for the year. This is approximately two 8 hour days, for 16 hours per week.

You will be assigned to a social work agency or host setting where social work is practiced. An experienced social worker, who holds a MSW (Masters in Social Work) Degree, will supervise you. That person is called a practicum instructor, as they will play an important role in your education. Some of you may have a second supervisor, a task supervisor, who is usually an experienced staff member who does not necessarily have a MSW. This person will mentor you and provide assignments, but will not be responsible for the educational component of your supervision.

The practicum instructor will meet with you for at least one hour a week. They will review your work, read your process recording, discuss your clients, and help you develop new skills. You are expected to go to supervisory sessions prepared to discuss your work. We suggest students prepare an agenda before they go into a supervisory session.

Students may also review BSW Frequently Asked Questions for BSW students already in their placement.

What will I do there?

Students are assigned a variety of tasks, depending upon the role of the social worker at the agency, and the level of skill of the student. In this placement, you are expected to conduct beginning social work activities. You are not there to be a clerical aide. At the beginning of the placement, you might be asked to shadow a worker, or you may be assigned to a specific individual client or group. The expectations of your abilities will rise as the year continues. You will experience:

• Engaging with client systems
• Identifying client problems
• Gathering data – understanding the client situation
• Making an assessment
• Considering alternate interventions
• Developing an action or intervention plan
• Contracting with the client system
• Intervening – playing an array of social work roles
• Evaluating the intervention
• Ending with the client system

How will I know that I am doing the right things at the agency?

During the school year, the professor of your section of the practice course will follow your experiences in practicum In class, all students are expected to discuss their practicum experiences in relation to the course topics. Your practicum liaison will maintain contact with the agency to monitor performance and progress.

An individual Learning Contract will also serve as a guide to ensure that you are completing tasks that align with the learning competencies outlined by the program’s accrediting body, the Council on Social Work Education.

When will I know my placement?

After the interview, you will be notified if any further requirements are necessary prior to moving forward. Once all requirements are met, placement letters will be sent to both students and agencies via the online platform. In the student placement letter, students will be provided contact information for the agency discussed during the placement interview. Students will be instructed to reach out to the agency to schedule an interview to secure the placement. Review the BSW Interview Preparation document prior to contacting the agency. Please attend that interview as soon as possible to confirm the placement. Unless you or the practicum instructor find a major reason why that placement is not appropriate, it is considered confirmed. Agencies also receive a letter notifying them of the potential match. Students should know that this involves receiving the student’s resume. Students should make every effort to have an adequate and updated resume using the Social Work Resume Writing Guide.

Please be aware that an increasing number of social agencies now require criminal background checks and/or fingerprints. These might be at either the agency or student expense.

Students may be sent to agencies that also accept students from other schools. Students are not placed in competition with other Ramapo students for a placement, but may compete with other schools. Students are sent to one agency at a time for an interview. Please do not ask to interview at several agencies and then expect to pick one. Student are encouraged to complete all requirements in a timely manner as placements are coordinated on a first come first serve basis. 

Can I be employed by my agency?

Some students may be eligible for an Employment Based Placement. There are specific criteria that must be met in order for this type of placement to be successful. Students who may be interested in an Employment Based Placement will be required to fill out a proposal to be reviewed during an individual practicum placement interview.

• Update your resume using the Social Work Resume Writing Guide and complete the Pracitcum Application as instructed in a direct email from the program.
• Check your email for notifications from the Practicum Education Department to book a practicum placement interview.
• Review the list of practicum sites.
  • The list of social agencies is an inventory of most of the agencies that have been practicum placement sites in the past, though we do not presently use all of the agencies. Use it as a general guide. Students can also be placed in agencies not on this list. If you have an agency in mind that you would like us to consider, please complete an Agency Information Form and submit it to the Practicum Education Department prior to your interview. 
• Read the NASW Code of Ethics and the BSW Practicum Manual.
• Review the BSW Interview Preparation document after a potential agency has been identified. Students should reach out to their proposed agencies as soon as possible after receiving a placement letter.
• Complete all tasks as assigned on the online platform.
• Attend Practicum Readiness Training prior to starting class.

Ramapo BSW students have access to a central location for resources and an electronic calendar that is made accessible via email and the program’s online platform. While practicum education documents for this course are available for download below as resources for planning and preparing drafts, students are expected to meet all submission requirements on the program’s online platform. The documents below are for informational purposes.

Documents Submitted Online

Further details provided to students during Practicum Readiness Training.

• BSW Learning Contract
• Blank Process Recording

Practicum Resources

• Social Work Program Mission and Competencies
• Council on Social Work Education
• Social Media and the Profession of Social Work
• Examples of Student Tasks in the Learning Contract
• Student Orientation to Practicum Placement
• Needs and Anxieties of Practicum Instructors and Students
• Practicum Responsibilities
• Ten Tips
• Safety
• Learning and Teaching Styles
• Sexual Harassment