The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) allows under its Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) for students to use their paid employment hours to count as practicum time if the student’s current employment responsibilities meet the nine Social Work Competencies for their selected concentration.
An employment-based option is available for students who would like to have a placement at the agency where they are employed. To be eligible for this option:
- The student must have successfully completed the agency’s new hire probationary period by the start of field.
- The placement must meet the same criteria set for non-employment-based practicum sites.
- The agency must be willing to establish an affiliation agreement with SSW, if one does not already exist.
- The agency's practicum instructor must meet all appropriate program requirements and qualifications. The OPE encourages students to identify a practicum instructor who is not their employment supervisor.
For an EB proposal to be approved, the agency and the student’s supervisor must agree to allow the student to use paid employment hours as practicum time and/or agree to a schedule in which the student can complete practicum time in addition to their paid employment. The plan for practicum must be educationally focused, not centered solely on agency services and must meet the criteria applicable to all the school’s practicum education placements.
Interested students will need to complete an EB screening form when they submit their practicum application. After reviewing the screening form, a practicum coordinator from our office will notify the student if they are eligible to apply for the EB placement. The following additional forms will need to be completed for the EB request to meet final approval.