MSW Student Guide
Section 3.04.01: Field Credit Requirements
Field Credit requirements are determined by the curriculum schedule a student is enrolled in. (e.g. Advanced Standing, 16 months, 20 months, Masters International Volunteer Program, MasterTrack, etc.)
60 Credit Curriculum Schedule*
Field education constitutes 14 of the 60 credits, with 2 credits earned at the foundation level (SW 515) and 12 credits earned at the advanced level (SW 691) unless the student has been granted an exemption such as credit transfers from other accredited social work programs. Each credit of foundation field education equals 114 clock hours. Each advanced field education credit equals 56 clock hours. Students must complete a total of 900 hours of field education with progressive demonstration of competency development over at least three semesters.
Total Field Hours Required: 900 hours
Foundation Field Credit requirements (SW 515): 2 Credits (228 hours)
Advanced Field Credit requirements (SW 691): 12 Credits (672 hours)
*MasterTrack students are required to complete 14 credits of field similar to the above 60 credit curriculum schedule
45 Credit Curriculum Schedules (Advanced Standing students)
Field education constitutes 12 of the 60 credits with all 12 credits earned at the advanced level (SW 691) unless the student has been granted an exemption such as credit transfers from other accredited social work programs. Each advanced field education credit equals 56 clock hours. Students must complete a total of 672 hours of field education with progressive demonstration of competency development over at least three consecutive semesters.
Total Field Hours Required: 672 hours
Foundation Field Credit requirements (SW 515): 0
Advanced Field Credit requirements (SW 691): 12 Credits (672 hours)
The number of days per week that a student spends in the field placement setting is based on the number of credits registered for and is figured based on a 14 week term. Students need to enroll in a minimum of 16 clock hours of field per week for each term the student is enrolled in a field course (SW 515 and SW 691). The maximum number of field hours per week cannot exceed 24 clock hours, with the exception of block placements as specified by scholarship programs and with the approval of a field faculty member. Field placements may involve a combination of both in-person, remote, and hybrid learning activities.
One field day is defined by the field setting, typically 7-8 hours, although some may complete field in half day increments. Students placed in settings such as public schools, where a typical work day might be less than 7-8 hours, should be especially careful in developing a field schedule to ensure that the required number of field hours is completed per term. Students are responsible for tracking their hours and both students and field instructors/task supervisors will be required to attest to the total number of hours completed each term via the Online Educational Agreement.
U.S. citizenship or legal permanent resident status is required for all students in the online MSW program. Students who are living abroad must complete their field placement in the U.S. or U.S. Territory
Students must concurrently be enrolled in field credits and at least one course to ensure an opportunity to apply concepts and theories learned in the classroom. Students wishing to request an exception to this requirement will need to submit an out-of-sequence petition found in the MySSW portion of the School of Social Work website. This will be reviewed by a Field Faculty member and the Director of Field Education.
*Students participating in a UM SSW Scholars or Special Program such as GASP, NCS, JCLP, and exchange students will not be required to request exceptions via the Out of Sequence Petition process as the field requirements are already known. Questions can be directed to your program/scholarship leads and/or academic or technical advisors.
The field placement is an integral part of the MSW program and has strict standards from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) that must be adhered to. This applied, experiential learning requirement provides students the opportunity to engage in MSW scope of practice activities under the direct supervision of a qualified masters social work field instructor. The School of Social Work does not grant field education credit for current or past work experience or life experience (unless an employment based field placement has been approved, see volume 3, section 6.01 Employment-Based Field Placements Policy).
It is important to emphasize that field education involves multiple assignments, progressive learning and demonstration of social work competency development in addition to the completion of the required field education hours. Required assignments are determined by your assigned Field Faculty member and include but are not limited to: Completion of the Placement Verification Form, Attendance and Engagement in at least one Field Connections meeting, completion of a Key Learning Experience assignment, and completion of an Online Educational Agreement. Satisfactory competency development is the ultimate determinant as to whether students have met the field education requirement of the MSW program and is determined by assessing all required elements of each field course.
60 Credit Curriculum Schedule*
Field education constitutes 14 of the 60 credits, with 2 credits earned at the foundation level (SW 515) and 12 credits earned at the advanced level (SW 691) unless the student has been granted an exemption such as credit transfers from other accredited social work programs. Each credit of foundation field education equals 114 clock hours. Each advanced field education credit equals 56 clock hours. Students must complete a total of 900 hours of field education with progressive demonstration of competency development over at least three semesters.
Total Field Hours Required: 900 hours
Foundation Field Credit requirements (SW 515): 2 Credits (228 hours)
Advanced Field Credit requirements (SW 691): 12 Credits (672 hours)
*MasterTrack students are required to complete 14 credits of field similar to the above 60 credit curriculum schedule
45 Credit Curriculum Schedules (Advanced Standing students)
Field education constitutes 12 of the 60 credits with all 12 credits earned at the advanced level (SW 691) unless the student has been granted an exemption such as credit transfers from other accredited social work programs. Each advanced field education credit equals 56 clock hours. Students must complete a total of 672 hours of field education with progressive demonstration of competency development over at least three consecutive semesters.
Total Field Hours Required: 672 hours
Foundation Field Credit requirements (SW 515): 0
Advanced Field Credit requirements (SW 691): 12 Credits (672 hours)
The number of days per week that a student spends in the field placement setting is based on the number of credits registered for and is figured based on a 14 week term. Students need to enroll in a minimum of 16 clock hours of field per week for each term the student is enrolled in a field course (SW 515 and SW 691). The maximum number of field hours per week cannot exceed 24 clock hours, with the exception of block placements as specified by scholarship programs and with the approval of a field faculty member. Field placements may involve a combination of both in-person, remote, and hybrid learning activities.
One field day is defined by the field setting, typically 7-8 hours, although some may complete field in half day increments. Students placed in settings such as public schools, where a typical work day might be less than 7-8 hours, should be especially careful in developing a field schedule to ensure that the required number of field hours is completed per term. Students are responsible for tracking their hours and both students and field instructors/task supervisors will be required to attest to the total number of hours completed each term via the Online Educational Agreement.
U.S. citizenship or legal permanent resident status is required for all students in the online MSW program. Students who are living abroad must complete their field placement in the U.S. or U.S. Territory
Students must concurrently be enrolled in field credits and at least one course to ensure an opportunity to apply concepts and theories learned in the classroom. Students wishing to request an exception to this requirement will need to submit an out-of-sequence petition found in the MySSW portion of the School of Social Work website. This will be reviewed by a Field Faculty member and the Director of Field Education.
*Students participating in a UM SSW Scholars or Special Program such as GASP, NCS, JCLP, and exchange students will not be required to request exceptions via the Out of Sequence Petition process as the field requirements are already known. Questions can be directed to your program/scholarship leads and/or academic or technical advisors.
The field placement is an integral part of the MSW program and has strict standards from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) that must be adhered to. This applied, experiential learning requirement provides students the opportunity to engage in MSW scope of practice activities under the direct supervision of a qualified masters social work field instructor. The School of Social Work does not grant field education credit for current or past work experience or life experience (unless an employment based field placement has been approved, see volume 3, section 6.01 Employment-Based Field Placements Policy).
It is important to emphasize that field education involves multiple assignments, progressive learning and demonstration of social work competency development in addition to the completion of the required field education hours. Required assignments are determined by your assigned Field Faculty member and include but are not limited to: Completion of the Placement Verification Form, Attendance and Engagement in at least one Field Connections meeting, completion of a Key Learning Experience assignment, and completion of an Online Educational Agreement. Satisfactory competency development is the ultimate determinant as to whether students have met the field education requirement of the MSW program and is determined by assessing all required elements of each field course.