SOWK-350 Junior Practicum in Social Work

Please note that this syllabus is intended as an example only. It may not exactly match each session of the class offered.

Download Field Manual for full requirements and descriptions

Practicum Objectives

The general goals for both the Junior and the Senior Practica involve the application and integration of course material and previous learning to actual settings in the field. Educational objectives address the areas of professional identity, knowledge, and skills, and are demonstrated via various cognitive, affective, and behavioral criteria.

Upon successful completion of the Junior Practicum experience, the student will:

Professional Identity

1. Demonstrate beginning self-awareness regarding own abilities, limitations, issues, interests, and goals.
2. Identify own values, biases, and perceptions of culturally diverse individuals and groups.
3. Analyze and comprehend the interpersonal dynamics and functioning occurring in the field site.
4. Interact with colleagues and supervisor in the field agency.
5. Communicate questions, needs, and concerns to field supervisor.
6. Process own reactions to experiences and professional conduct in journals, seminar, and field supervision.
7. Develop beginning identification with the social work profession.

Skills

1. Recognize and process issues involving social work ethics within practice situations.
2. Apply the following course content areas at a beginning level: assessment, goal-setting, intervention and evaluation.
3. Practice basic interviewing skills, demonstrating competence in active listening, conveying empathy, and clarification.
4. Be exposed to networking and be able to utilize it in order to obtain needed information and/or resources.
5. Demonstrate written skills adequate for documentation consistent with agency policies and expectations.
6. Understand the use of self within the role of social worker in this agency.

Knowledge

1. Demonstrate comprehension of the functioning and components of the specific practicum site.
2. Understand the role of the specific agency within the human services system.
3. Be familiar with community resources which serve the agency’s client population. Information and referral knowledge will also be increased through exposure to other students’ agencies during seminar.
4. Analyze issues from a systems perspective with emphasis upon both interpersonal and societal influences.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of social issues which impact this client population.
6. Exposure to various system levels of micro, mezzo and/or macro practice.