Practicum - Field Placement, 15 Credits

Contents

The objective of the course is to obtain knowledge and skills from social work field that are of value for the further studies and future professional role. The students will through their own reactions and attitudes as well as critically and theoretically reflect upon their own professional role as a social worker.

Expected learning outcomes

After completing the course the student should be able to:
• demonstrate knowledge and experience from social work practice
• explain the purposes and activities of social work in a specific organizational and
cultural context
• understand and clarify the consequences of social work actions on people’s lives
• reflect on social work practice in a specific context
• be responsive to personal feelings, behaviour and thoughts and understand how
these can impact professional action.
 

Required Knowledge

Participants must be exchange students studying for a degree in social work or equivalent and must have completed their first year.

Form of instruction

An individual plan for the practicum will be drawn up by the field supervisor and the student. The field supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the student has sufficient structural and personal support in place to facilitate the student’s learning. The individual plan is seen as a pedagogical tool that will support and organize the supervision. Supervisory sessions should normally take place one to two hours per week. They are seen as a complement to the continuous daily supervision concerning the work.

Examination modes

The examination contains of three written assignments:
1) Description of the practicum/field placement: The student is assigned to describe and discuss the goals of the agency as well as its organization, mode of operation, staff categories and ways of cooperation.
2) Reflections: The student is assigned to reflect upon experiences and gained knowledge from the field placement. 
3) Paper consisting of a comparison between an aspect of social work in Sweden (eg. The field placement) and corresponding social work in the student´s home country.

To obtain a pass for the whole course, all written assignments must have been graded pass (G).

Rules regarding examinations: 
A student who fails to obtain a pass result on the regular test is entitled to the opportunity of a re-take. A re-take must be offered not more than two months after the regular test, but it must not be offered earlier than ten working days after the result of the regular test has been announced and a copy of the student’s examination script is made available. Re-take time(s) should be announced not later than the day of the regular test. In addition, at least one further re-take opportunity (known as a “catching-up test”) must be offered within one year of the regular test.

A student who has passed an examination may not be re-examined

In cases where examinations or compulsory course elements cannot be repeated according to the rules of re-takes and the practical work that has to be done again, these can be replaced with a different task. The extent and content of such a task should be in a reasonable proportion to the missed compulsory course element.

If the student has a certificate of special pedagogical support, the examiner has the right to decide on an adjusted form of examination.

A student has the right to be examined in accordance with the same syllabus as during the original examination for up to two years after the first registration.

A student who has taken two tests for a course or segment of a course without passing has the right to have another examiner appointed unless there exist special circumstances (Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 6, section 11b). A request for another examiner should be sent in to the Director of Studies at the Department of Social Work, Umeå University.