| |
PROGRAM OVERVIEW An integral part of the School's curriculum, the field
practicum gives students the opportunity to develop,
apply, and integrate necessary knowledge, skills, and
attitudes while in practice in social welfare settings.
With the exception of those who qualify for advanced
standing or the summer block option, students must complete
two practica concurrent with classroom courses. For each practicum students work 500 hours in an agency,
equal to two days a week for two semesters. Each practicum
is in a different agency. Students must apply for each
practicum; they are evaluated for preparedness and assigned
to an agency by the Coordinator of Field Instruction
in consultation with a committee of faculty. In each
field experience, students engage in social work practice
under the supervision of an experienced practitioner
who is qualified and trained to serve as a field instructor.
The first practicum is a generalist practicum that
provides learning opportunities in a broad range of
social work activities. The second specialized practicum
focuses on opportunities appropriate to each student's
concentration of either Direct Practice or MACRO practice.
Sites used for the field practicum are varied and include
public and voluntary agencies, usually within a 100-mile
radius from Albany. Most students are placed within
a reasonable distance of their residences; however,
students need an automobile for travel to and from the
placement as well as for placement-related activities.
Students are responsible for expenses and transportation
associated with field placement. Academic credit is given for the field practicum through
the field instruction courses. The field instruction
courses are graded Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory(S/U).
Students must earn a Satisfactory grade to continue
in the program. Field Practicum Options Students with experience in human service may apply
for two options for completing the field placement requirements:
the Work-Study Option and the Summer Block Option. The Work-Study Option allows experienced students to
use social work agencies where they are employed as
the site for one of their field practica. A faculty
committee must approve each work-study proposal. Educational
criteria include:
- a minimum of three years of paid, full-time employment
in a human service capacity during three of the last
five years post baccalaureate,
- the field instructor must be different from the
applicant's regular line supervisor and must meet
the School's criteria for field instructor,
- a plan for learning experiences clearly differentiates
learning from employment responsibilities, and
- the student is in good academic standing.
The Summer Block Option enables experienced, part-time
students to complete the second field practicum in one
summer by spending a minimum of 60 days in a field agency.
The Summer Block Option placement may not be a work-study
placement. Proposals must be approved by the Coordinator
of Field Instruction and the Associate Dean. Criteria
include:
- a minimum of three years paid, full-time employment
in a human service capacity during the previous five
years, post baccalaureate,
- completion of 37 credits including Field Instruction
I and II before beginning the practicum, and
- good academic standing.
Field Practicum Sites Approximately 700 agencies and organizations in the
Capital District and surrounding counties provide field
practica to social work students each year. Settings
include public and voluntary agencies in children and
family services, health care, aging, mental health,
substance abuse, state and community service planning
and coordination organizations, and other organizations
which provide social work services. See below for a
sample of the variety of field sites. You may also view
a complete, current list (4 megabyte file requires Acrobat
Reader). Aging
- County Public Health
- Capital Region Geriatric Center
- Ideal Senior Living Center
- Daughters of Sarah Nursing Home
- Eddy Memorial Geriatric Center
- Mohawk Valley Nursing Home
- New York State Office for Aging
- Van Rensselear Manor
- Visiting Nurse Association
- Wesley Health Center
See also: Internships
in Aging Project
Children and Family Services
- Schools of Albany, Ballston Spa, Chatham, East Greenbush,
Granville, Hudson, Schenectady, Troy, Wallkill, and
Waterford-Halfmoon
Berkshire Center for Families and Children
- B.O.C.E.S.
- Catholic Charities of Albany, Amsterdam, Fulton Schenectady,
Saratoga, Utica Columbia, Greene
- Council of Community Services
- Counseling Service of the Episcopal Diocese
- County Department of Social Services
- Child Protection Services: Albany, and Schoharie
- Family Counseling Center
- Jewish Family Services
- LaSalle School
- Living Resources, Inc.
- Northeast Parent and Child Center
- Parsons Child and Family Center
- Schenectady Child Guidance
- Wildwood School
Health Care
- Albany Medical Center Hospital
- Benedictine Hospital, Kingston, New York
- Berkshire Medical Center, Pittsfield, Massachusetts
- Center for the Disabled
- Hospices: Dutchess County, Albany, Schenectady
- Mid-Hudson Family Health
- Residential Opportunities, Inc.
- Sunnyview Hospital
- Veterans Administration Medical Center
- Whitney M. Young Health Center
Mental Health
- Psychiatric Centers of Binghamton, Capital District,
Central New York Psychiatric-Forensic Unit, and Mohawk
Valley
- County Mental Health Services of: Albany, Clinton,
Columbia, Otsego, Saratoga, Schoharie, Thompkins, and
Ulster
- Occupations, Inc.
- New York State Mental Health Association
- Unified Services of Rensselaer County
- United Counseling Services of Bennington, Vermont
- Substance Abuse
- Alcoholism Council of Schenectady County
- Conifer Park
- Ellis Hospital
- Marcy Alcoholism Treatment Center
- McPike Alcoholism Treatment Center
- New York State Council on Alcoholism
- PAHL House
- Project Equinox
- St. Peter's Alcohol Rehabilitation (SPARC)Center
Other
- Albany Rape Crisis Center
- Russel Sage College Counseling Center
- Carver Community Center
- Center for Law and Justice
- New York State Assembly
- New York State Department of Corrections
- Regional Food Bank of Northeast New York
- New York State Crime Victims Bureau
|
|
