Overview
Berkeley Social Welfare facilitates competency-based practicum education by selecting, arranging, and monitoring practicum placements; facilitating practicum integration activities on campus; and working collaboratively with students, practice professionals, and the faculty to develop and advance multilevel social work practice knowledge and skills grounded in the values of the profession.
First-Year (Foundation) Practicum
The first year practicum placement is designed to provide students with a range of foundation practice learning opportunities across the intervention cycle (engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation) and across the levels of social ecology (individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities).
Social Welfare MSW students are required to complete no less than 400 hours of foundation practicum in the first year before progressing to the advanced placement in the second year. After admission into the program, submitting the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), and creating a UC Berkeley CalNet and email account, the Practicum Team sends pre-placement orientation activities to begin the foundation placement matching process.
Foundation practicum days are Wednesdays and Thursdays, beginning in the third week of September and continuing until the end of the spring semester. During the year, students participate in on-campus activities designed to prepare, support, and challenge students as practicum learners as they engage in multi-level social work practice. These activities are essential for building a learning community where students can reflect on their practica, receive constructive feedback, and link the generalist curriculum to real-world applications. As they engage in agency-centered learning, students will be encouraged to address common professional challenges and develop complex problem-solving skills.
Second-Year (Advanced) Practicum
After successfully completing the foundation practicum, students progress to the advanced practicum. The advanced practicum placement is designed to introduce students to advanced practice settings that focus on specific methods, populations, and types of social work practice.
In the advanced practicum, students face more complex practice opportunities and dilemmas related to multi-level practice. They are encouraged to integrate anti-racist and anti-oppressive approaches, social work values, specialized knowledge, professional skills, and critical thinking. Tasks may include advanced clinical interviewing, specialized case management, documentation, program planning, advocacy, policy analysis, and other executive functions.
The advanced practicum placement process begins early in the spring semester in the first year, when students are oriented to the placement database that includes descriptions of requirements and activities, contact information, and some past student reviews. Students are provided support to prepare their resumes and cover letters, apply, and interview.
Students generally begin second-year placement the first week of September and are in internship Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for a total of over 90 days or 720 hours. Many placements offer onsite seminars and group supervision in addition to individual practicum instruction. Practicum Instructors collaborate with their students to develop and implement a plan for competency-based learning that can include tasks, activities, and projects.
Concurrently, students take elective courses that often complement their placement and prepare for the transition to MSW professional roles.
Questions?
Contact: swpracticum@berkeley.edu.