Greetings from the BSW field director
Prof. Crystal Cleggett is the Coordinator of Field Education. The Coordinator of Field Education is responsible for developing potential field placements and to ensure their eligibility as outlined in the criteria for selection of agency and supervisor. The Coordinator of Field Education meets with each potential field supervisor to evaluate the agency and the field supervisor and inform them of the requirements, objectives and assignments of the field practicum. This meeting takes place preferably in person but may be developed over the phone and through on-going correspondence and discussions.
The Coordinator of Field Education arranges the required annual field supervisor meeting in late summer or early fall to address concerns, discuss the initial progress of the students and to plan for any changes in the forthcoming academic year. The Coordinator of Field Education maintains working contact with all field supervisors and students throughout the placement experience to ensure on-going compatibility and adherence to NEIU Social Work Program and CSWE practicum standards. This includes responsibility for placing all students in the field and conducting a Spring Student Orientation.
In addition to providing field practicum placements and administering the field practicum, the Coordinator of Field Education is responsible for ensuring integration of the field practicum through classroom teaching
BSW Program: Field Practicum and Field Seminar Requirements
The faculty believes that the Field Practicum is a key component of the educational experience of the undergraduate social work student. At NEIU, the field practicum runs concurrent with the student’s academic course of study. The field practicum and seminar courses are the final stage of the professional curriculum and it is this experience that meets the primary goal of the undergraduate social work curriculum of preparing the student to become competent generalist social work professionals at the entry level.
During the field practicum and field seminar, students are given an opportunity to test out and apply theory and knowledge gained from previous social work courses. It is the faculty’s belief that in order to become an effective social worker, a student must be prepared to select and apply relevant knowledge, values and skills to real situations that they face in the field experience. The students in the field practicum are placed within the city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs serving as the context of practice.
Students complete a 512-hour practicum in the final year of study. Students will spend three days a week in an agency placement and will be on campus for a field seminar as well as a research seminar and other required classes two days a week.
All students who are in the field practicum must be members of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). You can find the member application online. On this site you will also find information about the NASW TRUST, where you will find information on purchasing social work student liability insurance/assurance. All students must be an NASW member in order to purchase the liability insurance. This membership will provide the insurance benefits you will need while a student in your field placement.
