Course Description
Generalist practicum. A minimum of twenty hours of supervised social work practice in a social agency is required.
Athena Title
Practicum in Social Work I
Non-Traditional Format
Practicum. Twenty hours per week under supervision in an approved social agency.
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Pre or Corequisite
SOWK 5534
Corequisite
SOWK 5836
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
During the fall semester students will complete at least 275 hours practicum at their field placement agency in a direct application process of generalist social work skills. Students will work with their faculty liaison and field instructor to achieve the following course objectives: * to establish an effective supervisory relationship with the field instructor and to explore, with initiative, additional agency resources and orientations necessary to function as a social work intern * to demonstrate an accurate understanding and application of agency policies in work with clients and organizational structure and articulate the community context of practice * to understand and demonstrate the role of the professional social worker in the agency * to demonstrate professional behavior, adherence to the NASW Code of Ethics, positive regard, and maturity in the beginning phases of the practicum experience * to conduct social work interviews with clients by applying principles of social work interviewing and thus engaging the client in the problem definition and solving process * to write a thorough assessment of client needs and presenting problems and to develop effective case service plans according to agency methods of practice and intervention, all of which is evaluated by the field instructor and faculty liaison * to assume case management responsibilities in consultation with the field instructor, and to demonstrate beginning social work competencies commensurate with actual responsibilities
Topical Outline
A weekly, sequentially formatted presentation of topics is not the best fit for this course and syllabus as the student is involved in a supervised, direct application of generalist social work skills in a community social service agency. In addition, each of the multiple social service agencies which serve, under a memorandum of understanding with the University of Georgia, have varying cadences, unique to their agency, in which the student may accomplish the learning objectives. However, each student will progress from an initial, strong orientation to the agency, its policies and practice methods into a progressive increase in case management and client responsibilities. The faculty liaison, in conjunction with the agency field instructor, monitors closely how well the student is achieving the learning objectives. Such evaluation is formalized through a field service learning plan, mid term field evaluation, and final evaluation at the end of the semester.
Syllabus