As I think forward to a field placement as an Online MSW admitted student, what are some key things to plan for early?

Just when you get into a rhythm with work and classes, you will need to roll in a field placement. Students love field, because it's where the class material really comes alive. A few practical things to think about early:

• You will need to do 16 hours/week in your field placement. Most people do this over two full days, though other configurations might be possible.
• Many agencies want field students in the daytime hours. We do our best to accommodate evening and weekend placements, but depending on where you live, this could be limited. If you work days, you might want to talk to your employer now about how much flexibility you could have. This will give you more options.
• Some students do what is called an employment based placement where they do their field placement at the same place they work. This reduces the time it takes to travel elsewhere, get oriented, etc.

With all of these things, talking to your field faculty early is advised.