Students must undertake two field-education placements during their degree. These provide a practice context for campus learning.
The placements provide students with experience in different types of:
Field-education placements are designed to allow students to become familiar with the practice of critical reflection and, because they are undertaken in conjunction with ongoing classwork, they encourage students to appreciate the mutual dependence of theory and practice.
Classes prior to the commencement of Field Education prepare the students to apply theory to practice, to employ a range of Social Work interventions and to demonstrate professional values and ethics. In preparation for each Field Education placement, each agency field educator determines the scope and parameters of learning opportunities within their setting. In negotiation with the field educator, using the specific Field Education course learning expectations as a framework, students produce a set of learning goals. These goals set out what they hope to learn and how this learning will occur. Student learning is monitored and assessed by the field educator and the class teacher during the course of the field placement.
In their fourth and fifth year, students will undertake a minimum total of 1000 hours in at least two field placements. Students will complete 60 days in year three and 80 days in year four.
Sydney School of Education and Social Work
Students may visit the Office of Professional Engagement and Program Support:
Level 3, Education Building A35. The office is open Monday to Thursday 10 am – 4 pm and Friday 10 am - 1 pm
Email: Submit a question online
Each facet of the Social Work Field Education program is expected to contribute to the learning experience of students to: