Field Education Program
Field education or "practicum" is a core component of the Master of Social Work (MSW) curriculum, bridging theory with real-world practice while also serving your local community. It functions as an intensive laboratory experience connected to classroom learning. At your field site, you will gain invaluable hands-on experience, apply your classroom knowledge to diverse community settings under qualified supervision, and foster the ability to navigate complex social dynamics and address individual and systemic challenges effectively. We aim to place students at sites that cultivate empathy, cultural competence, and ethical decision-making.
Bring learning to life.
The hallmark or "signature pedagogy" of social work, field education exposes students to real-world social work practice with diverse populations and a variety of social and environmental concerns. You will use the knowledge gained in the classroom to develop your practice skills in a professional setting under the supervision of experienced social work practitioners.
For our on-campus MSW students, we work with a full range of community agencies in and around the Greater New Orleans area.
For our learners enrolled in our online classes, the field education placement advisors work with and connect you with agencies in your area so that you can make a direct impact within your community.
Upon the completion of your MSW degree, you will have accumulated a minimum of 900 hours of social work practicum training in field education. With guidance and mentoring from your Faculty Field Liaison (Seminar Instructor) and your agency-based Field Instructor (Supervisor), you will not only #DoWorkThatMatters but also explore your commitment to working with diverse communities — all towards embodying professional social work values of ethical practice.
What Does Field Education Look Like?
Versatile Options
We work with you to find the site that makes the most sense for your personal, academic, and professional goals. Our students do their internships with local clinicians, nonprofits, schools, government organizations, hospitals, and more.
Schedule Choices
Full-time students go to internships 24 hours/week, and part-time students go 12 hours/week. Full-time students intern during a traditional workday, but part-time students may work nontraditional hours if we're able to secure appropriate supervision.
Same Site
See the full scope of an organization's work by remaining at the same field education site for the duration of your MSW. This way, students move from basic to advanced skills, gain a breadth of knowledge, and develop relationships with employers.
Constant Support
From finding your field placement to navigating challenging circumstances or patient problems during your internship, our Field Education coordinators have your back. Plus, students have multiple mentors, from agency supervisors to field class instructors.
Warm Community, Accepting Culture, Strong Character
Down here in New Orleans, community is key. That's why we do our best to ensure that you complete your field education internship in your local area. No matter what kind of social work you want to practice, we will assist you in finding something that suits your unique schedule and needs — no cold calling required.
interest areas for students to choose from
field education partners nationally (and counting!)
hours of field practicum for all students
Make Field Education Work for You
Whether you're getting your full-time MSW (16 months) or opting for part-time study (2.5 years), our field education team will work with you to find the placement site that best fits your needs. Full-time students intern 24 hours/week for three semesters, while part-time students do 12 hours/week for six semesters.
Social work students, both part-time and full-time, entering their first semester of study must submit their field education application to the field education department. Once the application has been submitted, students and their Placement Advisor will work toward obtaining a field placement. In the school's efforts to find each student a suitable field placement, field agencies will conduct interviews with students, and agencies and students submit confirmation of acceptance once they have accepted a student into their field placement.
Student Learning Goals
Beginning their first semester of field practicum, each student must submit a Learning Goals sheet for each section of their field education practicum. Full-time students do so for each subsequent semester, and part-time students do so every other semester.
Field Evaluations
As part of the field education practicum, both full-time and part-time students are evaluated on their full range of performance expectations. With each field practicum assignment, students are evaluated by their field instructors and rated using the nine social work competencies. These evaluation forms are issued to the field instructors electronically and are shared with their students before the end of each semester.
Student Course Evaluations
As with other courses, program evaluation is necessary to engage in ethical social work practice. Therefore, both full-time and part-time students provide evaluations of their Field Practicum Seminar every semester. These evaluations give students an opportunity to anonymously express feedback about their learning experience during their Field Practicum Seminar. The details within the evaluation will be considered in efforts to improve the students’ experience in our program.
Information about the orientation to field process will be sent to all On-Campus MSW Students. Online MSW Students will receive an email from their Placement Advisor. Prior to final placement, any questions about the process may be emailed to any Field Education Coordinator. Once assigned, Faculty Field Liaisons are the first point of contact.
Joshua Fegley, LCSW-BACS
Program Manager & Senior Field Education Coordinator
Jfegley1@tulane.edu
Jennifer Ostermann, LCSW-BACS
Program Manager & Senior Field Education Coordinator
Jostermann@tulane.edu
Louis Fernandez
Administrative Program Coordinator for Field Education
Lfernandez1@tulane.edu
900 hours, no matter what.
Whether you're online or on-campus, part-time or full-time, you need 900 field education hours to become a Master of Social Work. But don't be intimidated — our field education advisors work hard to place you at the site that best fits your interests and needs. During this time, you will build relationships with colleagues, discover new areas of passion, and most importantly, learn invaluable lessons about social work practice. Plus, some students walk away with jobs!
Autumn Reinbold
Co-Founder, Healthy Avenues Medical Group
"Our most recent intern, Brittany, was very professional, insightful, and a tremendous contribution to our team over the summer as we went through our CARF accreditation. She helped review our policies and procedures to provide feedback and amendments to ensure we were up to date on the most recent CARF standards, specific to our specialty populations and programs. We are excited to continue working with Tulane School of Social Work, and we look forward to welcoming new Student Interns in the coming months!"
Anamaría Villamarín-Lupin, LCSW-BACS
Deputy Director, City of New Orleans Office of Youth & Family Services
"I graduated from Tulane School of Social Work 25 years ago, and for 14 of those years, I have a been a field supervisor. My personal experience in Field was so life-changing that it led me to dedicate part of my social work life to paying it forward for generations of social workers to come."
Anne Courtney, MBA, RN, CCM
Director of Case Management, Tulane Medical Center
"The [Tulane MSW students] were always fast learners and after a short amount of time, they were working with their own censuses and case load, attending multidisciplinary rounds and participating in patient interviews by themselves. I would certainly engage Tulane School of Social Work students once again and align their studies to work with healthcare professionals in the hospital if given the opportunity in the future."
We are Social Workers
Take the Next Step!
For more details about graduate programs through Tulane School of Social Work, complete our information request form. If you're ready to take the next step, apply today!
