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Minnesota StateUniversity, Mankato
DepartmentofSocialWork BachelorofScienceinSocial WorkProgram SOWK312 JuniorField Experience
Pre-Registration Instructions
Determining YourEligibility
Students enteringSOWK312 should have completed Social Work courses190, 210, and 214,
and most 100 and 200 level required non-social work courses. Students should bemaintaininga
2.8orhigherGPA. Students who minorin Social Welfaremaybe eligibleto takethis course. If you havequestions aboutyoureligibility, pleasediscuss this withyour advisororthe Field Experienceinstructor.
Considerations forDetermining PotentialField ExperienceAgencies
Therearemanychoicesregarding Field Experiencesites. Whileyou do not need to be
supervised byasocial worker,you will want to assuretherewill beopportunities to meet with a social worker. Considerthe followingpriorto determiningwhichagenciesto contact. Discuss potential Field Experienceagencies withyour advisororthe Field Experienceinstructor.
•Populationortypeofagency. Determineifthereis aspecificpopulation oragegroup that specificallyinterests you. Haveyou hadcontact with this population or agegroup before? Doyou want to deepenyourunderstandingofaparticulargroup ordevelop a broaderperspectiveofthesocial workfield?
•Location. Determineifyou haveapreference forcompletingyourField Experiencein
Mankato,yourhometown, in theTwin Cities metropolitan area, or anotherlocation.
•Availabletimes. Considertimes and days ofother courses, work schedule,and/or family responsibilities. You willneed to determineifthetimesyou haveavailableand thebest times to intern at the agencyarecompatiblesoyou will haveopportunities for
observation and supervised participation at staffmeetings, board meetings, client meetings, andreceiveadequatesupervision.
•Something Different. You will want to choosean agencyorapopulationthat will provideyou with anew opportunity. This will help expandyourresume and helpyou gain new experiences that could beuseful toyou in laterjob and careeropportunities.
Toclarifythetypes ofagencies and opportunities previous students haveutilized, review Agency Field ExperienceProposals availablein theSocial Work Office. The computers in the social work office have a data base of potential SOWK 312 agencies. The directions on how to use the data base are located by the computers.
Contacting PotentialField ExperienceAgency
Astudent's initial contactwith aprospectiveFieldExperienceagencyis usuallydoneby
telephone followingdiscussion with the Field ExperienceinstructororSocial Work faculty advisor.
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Contacting Agency Listedin Social WorkFileandDatabase
Please review theJunior Field Experiencedatabasewhich is located in the Social Work Office.
Youmight find theagencysupervisorlisted in thedatabasehas changed. Afterlocating an agencythatyou might beinterested in research theagencyon theInternet. Develop questions thatyou might want to ask duringyourinterviewwithyourpotential supervisor.
Contacting a PotentialAgency:
Duringthephone contact:
•Request to speak with theperson (preferablyasocial worker)who can approveinternships fortheagency.
•Tell theagencyrepresentativethatyouareinterested in exploringoptions to completeyourJunior Field Experienceat this agency.
Explain that the Field Experienceis for150 hours,and thepurposes oftheexperience areto learn about: 1)ahumanservice agency; 2)the clients served; 3)otheragencies in theagency network; and 4)thesocial work orhuman serviceroles within theagency.
Theagencywill need tocomplete an PlacementAgreement beforeyou will begiven permission to register. ThePlacement Agreement is availableon theDepartment ofSocialWork Website. Ifyou have anyquestions, contact the Field Experienceinstructor.
Takethe PlacementAgreement with toyour interview withapotential Junior Field Experience supervisor.
Remember, theredoes not need to bea social worker at theagencyhowever theBSSWProgram does suggestthat thestudent havesomecontact with a social worker that might workwith the clients or similar clients in another agency.
Agency Visit(Potential SupervisorInterview)
Students need to visit thepotential Field Experiencesite and meet with thesupervisorbefore
finalizingaplacement. Thestudent should clarifythetypeofwork theywill bedoingat the field experiencesitebeforefinalizingtheplacement to tryto assurethis is theplacement thestudent wants to complete. This allows thestudent to getthemost out ofthe experience. Clarifyingthe student’s Junior Field Experience expectations and agencyexpectations ofstudents is the first step in creatingasuccessful Field Experience. Students will want to notifythe agencythat they willcompleteaMinnesotaBureau ofCriminal ApprehensionBackground Check.
Minnesota BureauofCriminal Apprehension(BCA)BackgroundCheck.
Read theBSSW Program policyon background checks located on the application to Junior Field Experiencewebpage. Sign and submit MinnesotaCriminal Background CheckSignaturePage with SW312 applicationmaterials to acknowledgeyou understand thepolicyandwill submit a MN BCA background check beforebeginningthe SW312 Field Experience.
Student will send to MinnesotaBCA:
1)Background CheckInformed Consent Form (located on theJunior FieldExperience webpage),
2)$15 check to MinnesotaBCA, and
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3)Return stamped envelope addressed to theJunior Field instructor, Department ofSocial
Work, 358 Trafton Science Center, Mankato, MN 56001.
Iftheagencywill be completingtheBCA background check, thestudent willrequesta copybe submitted to the Field Experienceinstructor. Dueto dataprivacyrights laws, thestudents may not hand deliveracopyofthebackground check to theagencyorto the Field Experience instructor. Copies will need to besubmitted viaUSmail and addressed toeithertheagency supervisorortheField Experienceinstructor or via fax. Pleaseindicateon theSignaturePagethat acopy ofyourbackground check will besubmitted from theagency. It is necessaryforthebackground check to becompleted beforeyou can work directlywith anyclient. Iftheagencywants a copy ofthebackground check,thestudent must request that the Field Experienceinstructormail a copyto the agencysupervisor.
Preparing for theInterviewat theAgency:
Iftheagencyrepresentativeindicates interest in providingaJunior Field Experience, arrangean
appointment for an agencyvisit and interview. Bringacopyofyourapplication materials, and the“PlacementAgreement” to theinterview.
Priorto theinterview it can beuseful to sendaletter confirmingthedate, time, and location of theinterview, and thankingthestaffperson foragreeingto meet. Youcanencloseacopyof yourapplication form ora resume. Inaddition, it is helpful to includethefollowinginformation (Ifthereis not adequatetimeto send aletter, bring a copyofyourapplication and beprepared to discuss the followinginformation at theinterview.):
•youracademicprogram,yearin theprogram, andspecial interests orpreparationyou have fortheparticularplacement.
•information on thetime frame and time commitment involved inyourproposed placement with theagency(when wouldyou start,what timeblocks would you be available, how longwouldyou beinvolvedwith theagency)
•personal characteristics pertinent to theplacement, includingpast experiences and interests, or anypertinent personal facts which would benecessaryfortheagencyto know in arrangingyourplacement.
Professional letters
Below is the format foraprofessional letter. Thecontent reflects an introductoryletterto besent ifyou will not bemeetingwith thepotential supervisor foraweek ortwo. Followingthe interview, it is important to send abriefthankyouletterorcard acknowledgingthetimespent
and followingup onanyissues of concern from theinterview. The formatwould besimilarto theletterbelow, but thecontent would reflect somethingabout theinterview with theagency. PleaseNote:Once you havedecided whereyou will complete your field experiencebesureto inform anyother agencies you contacted byphone, e-mail, orletter. Someagencies will wait to hearfrom the first student who calls beforetheywill interview anotherstudent.
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Professional LetterExample:
(Date)
NameofProspectiveSupervisor TitleofSupervisor (ifknown) NameofAgency
AgencyAddress
City, StateZip Code
DearMr. orMs.Last Name
Student’s First andLastName
Street Address City, State,Zip TelephoneNumber Email Address
Thankyou foragreeingto meet with me about thepossibilityofcompletingaJunior Field Experience at (nameofagency). Iam currentlya(yearin school) and plan to majorin Social Work. My special interests andabilities include( ). I am particularlyinterested in completingmyField Experienceinyouragencybecause...
Ifaplacement is agreedupon,Iwould be availablebeginningon(date) forapproximately
(numberofhours)perweek. Someblocks of time thatIanticipatehaving availableinclude...
Enclosed,you will find acopyofmyApplicationfortheJunior Field Experience. Ilook forward to meeting with you on (dayand date) at(time) at (location)to discuss this possible placement further.
Sincerely
Name
Address
PhoneNumber
StudentsareSTRONGLY encouragedtomaintainafileofallmaterialsregarding SOWK312.
ThankYou Step:Aftertheinterview with thepotential agencypleasehaveaThank You Card inyourcarwith the agency’s address on the envelope and astamp. WriteaThankyou note addressed to thepotentialsupervisor and mail thesamedayasyourinterview.
ReminderStep:Sincethis Junior Field Placement was secured asemesterbeforetheplacement, mailyour field supervisora remindernote. Tell them thatyouarelookingforward toyourJunior Field Placement and indicatethedateand timeyou will beginyourplacement. Finally, thank the field supervisor forthis opportunity.
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