Section 7: Evaluation and Grading in Field Practicum

Our MSW field education program prepares all students with basic knowledge about the field of social work, about social work values and perspectives, and with basic skills to approach learning and related tasks. At the same time, we also recognize that in the real world of agency-based practice, chance often creates uncharted opportunities to learn and renders planned tasks unfeasible. Professional social workers need to be able to adapt quickly to changing contexts and demands while upholding the core values, knowledge, and approaches of the profession.

The Social Welfare MSW field program provides several tools designed to facilitate an organized, yet adaptable, field experience for students and to respect the organic nature of the real world classroom. These tools include a set of minimum practice competencies defining expected performance outcomes, the Competency-Based Learning Agreement process, and a set of field learning task guidelines.

Students, agency-based Field Instructors and Social Welfare MSW Field Consultant faculty share accountability for the evaluation of student learning and performance in field education. As instructors of record for field education courses, Berkeley Social Welfare Field Consultants are responsible for submitting official grades.