Field Education

Field education is an agency-based course where you will apply your classroom knowledge of theoretical concepts, principles, values, and ethics in a supervised practice. In addition to supervised learning of clinical skills (with individuals, families, and groups), you will also become familiar with the many roles social workers play in agencies and in the community.

You will complete two to three field placements during the course of your program, and your field placement schedule will vary depending on your program length. You can expect to start your field placement within the first five weeks of your placement term.

Field Placement Process

The field placement process for SocialWork@Simmons students:

  1. Your placement specialist will contact you before your first placement term regarding your placement experience.
  2. You will complete the mandatory Statement of Acknowledgement and Placement Form that will be sent to you by your Student Support Advisor.
  3. Your placement specialist will begin looking for an appropriate site for your field experience on your behalf once your completed Placement Form has been received.
  4. Your placement specialist will ensure that the Simmons director of field education approves the field placement site.
  5. You will receive notice of your field placement site and start date.

Note: The search for your placement site cannot begin until all of your mandatory forms are completed. The search for your placement site will be delayed if you do not complete these mandatory forms on time.

Forms and Resources

Each year you must complete and submit forms that will help the placement team ensure you are in the best possible field placement site. The placement process cannot begin until these forms are returned:

  • Statement of Acknowledgement
  • Placement Form
  • Referral form (optional)

Your Commitment

Students should expect to maintain the following schedule during each clinical placement:

  • Placement 1: Two 8-hour days each week for 28 weeks
  • Placement 2: Three 8-hour days each week for 28 weeks

Keep in mind that most social service agencies do not offer evening or weekend placements. Per the policy in the Field Education Manual, you are required to adjust your schedule in accordance with the field instructor’s schedule in order to complete your placement hours. Additionally, you must be available during regular business hours (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.) to align with agency activities and to maximize quality training opportunities at the agency.

While we do our best to find sites that are convenient and accessible, please keep in mind that you may be required to commute up to 60 miles to your placement site.

Who’s Who

  • Field Placement Team: Before you begin your placement, you will work one-on-one with a member of our dedicated field placement team to identify clinical sites in or near your community. Your placement specialist will continue to be a point-of-contact for you throughout your program, ensuring that your placement is successful and that you are supported by your site’s field instructor and your faculty field liaison.
  • Field Liaison: Your field liaison monitors your field education experience. This Simmons staff member will act as a mentor on issues of practice and professional development while working with your agency to ensure they are providing you with a quality practice experience.
  • Field Instructor: The field instructor will be a professional working at your field placement site. You will work one-on-one with your field instructor to develop your clinical practice.

Every field placement is vetted and approved by Simmons School of Social Work faculty.

If you have questions about field placement, please contact an admissions counselor at 1-855-523-7779 or admissions@socialwork.simmons.edu.

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