Field Work
We know experience is often the best teacher - you will know what it takes to be a professional in the field of social work.
Students at Fordham have their practice experience in one of the multitude of field instruction agencies throughout the tri-state area. The Foundation experience introduces students to generalist social work practice and to the clients social workers traditionally serve. Placements are made according to a student's geographical location, schedule of available hours and skills/interests. Advanced placements reflect the chosen concentration and specialization if applicable. Students at the Advanced Level participate more actively in selecting their placements and interview at the placement site. The Field Work Office works diligently to insure that students with limited hours, family responsibilities, geographical distance or financial concerns secure placements that are educationally sound, challenging, and responsive to their needs. Fordham places almost 1,000 students in field work every September. Field work agencies are in the five boroughs of New York City, the Long Island counties, Westchester, Rockland and other Upstate counties, Connecticut and New Jersey. Agencies are located in large cities, the suburbs and rural areas. Services and populations include the broad mix that characterizes the field of social work. Students may work in schools or hospitals, in tiny storefront operations or large multi-service community agencies. They may serve infants or grandparents and all ages in between, the homeless or the emotionally troubled, ethnic and racial minorities or diverse oppressed sectors of the population, offenders or the victims of offenders. Every student in placement is supervised by an experienced agency employee who has an MSW degree and who has completed a seminar in Field Instruction.
Structuring Field Work:
Students may choose a twenty-one hour a week placement which usually involves three 9AM to 5PM weekday working days, or a fourteen hour a week placement that can be tailored to an individual student's schedule. While students must be able to offer four hour blocks of time for field work, and need to set aside time during the traditional work week for their field work agency, placements can include evening and weekend hours and can be built around the individual's work schedule or family obligations. Work-study arrangements may be made with the student's employer in an agency providing social work services. A placement may be near the student's home or employment. Reasonable travel time is an important consideration. Some placements have moderate stipends attached so that if limited finances are a concern, assistance may be provided within the placement itself.
Students in the EESSP program complete a single twenty-eight hour a week placement at their place of employment at the Advanced level of study. To be admitted to this plan of study, the applicant's employer must commit to providing the placement with an assignment different from the student's daily work and with a new supervisor who must have an MSW degree and training in student supervision.
Integrative Seminar:
Students in field work are assigned to groups for Integrative Seminars which are an integral part of the internship and meet at the school ten times during the school year. The Seminar, conducted by the Faculty Advisor, is a forum for group discussion of common problems related to field work and a system for integrating the practice and theoretical or academic aspects of the program. The Faculty Advisor meets with students individually as well as in the group and makes at least one visit to the field work site to meet with the student and field instructor together to review the progress of the placement.
