Undergraduate students are required to complete 2 semesters (SW 421 and SW 422) of field education at the same placement. Each field course includes a faculty taught Field Seminar that is part of the course registration. Students are required to complete 215 hours of field education each semester (approx. 14-17 hours per week).
How to Get Started
Students must submit their field applications by the field deadlines (can either list or link the field deadlines). Students should review Applying for Field Education. This recorded power point provides information about field requirements, the field application process, FAQ, and our field software, Sonia. See Applying to Field for more information.
Applications are assigned to a faculty Field Liaison on a rolling basis around the 15th of each month. Your Field Liaison will work with you to secure a field placement. The next semester application will not open in Sonia until the prior semester application has closed.
Field Course Objectives
Policies and Procedures
Due to the unique nature of the field education course, students may not be able to complete the required field course requirements by the end of the semester, which may result in an Incomplete. An Incomplete can be assigned to a student only with the approval of the field liaison and the field instructor.
Incompletes are not automatic. University policy states that a student must have completed two-thirds of the course material in order to be granted an incomplete for substantiated reasons. An incomplete is given only when the student is unable to complete the work for just cause.
The following procedures should be used when an incomplete is entered for a field education course.
- The student should discuss the need for an incomplete with their assigned field instructor and field liaison prior to the end of the semester. An Incomplete is not automatic.
- If the liaison and field instructor agree to the assignment of an incomplete there should be a discussion with the student and a mutually agreed upon plan for the completion of the field course requirements. The student should complete the Request for Course Incomplete Form (Word), and have the form signed by the field instructor. Once the student and field instructor sign the form, the student needs to submit the completed form to their assigned field liaison. The plan should specify an anticipated date of completion.
- If the student fails to comply with the written plan to complete the field course requirements, the field liaison will provide the student with a final written deadline for the completion of the remaining requirements. If the student does not complete the course requirements by the final written deadline the field liaison has the discretion to assign a final grade for the course. This final deadline will not exceed the UWM deadline for the completion of coursework following an Incomplete, and cannot exceed a period of one academic year for graduate students. All undergraduate grades of Incomplete automatically lapse to an “F” if not changed by the end of the following semester per university policy.
- In cases where the student has received an incomplete as a result of an emergency medical or family problem, the field liaison may allow an exception to this policy. A completion deadline will still be established in writing, but may exceed the UWM policy. In this event, the field liaison can change the automatic “F” grade to another grade upon the student’s completion of the field course requirements.
Deadlines for Submitting Field Applications
Fall Semester: May 15th
Outside of Milwaukee County, Veteran’s Administration, and School Social Work: February 15th
Spring Semester: September 15th
Summer Semester: February 15th