BSW Field Experience

The BSW Field Experience is a Foundation-Generalist placement that provides students with opportunities and experiences that demonstrate the multiple and varied roles that social workers perform, as well as day-to-day operations within social, human, and health care agencies, programs and organizations. A major assignment within the BSW Field experience is a multi-part Competency Thesis, which serves to help the student articulate and demonstrate how they have successfully integrated and applied the social work skills, theories, values and beliefs in a real world, social work practice setting. 

The BSW Field Experience requires completion of 400 placement hours and utilizes a “block placement” model that occurs during the student’s final semester of the undergraduate program. During the Spring semester of their senior year, students are in field placement 4 days a week, for approximately 28-30 hours per week throughout the semester, while attending a concurrent 3-hour Capstone Seminar spring semester. All students will receive detailed information regarding field placement requirements during Field Education Briefings scheduled during their junior year.

Please review the BSW Field Placement FAQ  for more information. 

For additional information regarding the BSW Field Experience, please contact Lindsey Rinehart, Field Education Director at lindsey.rinehart@mail.wvu.edu. 

Important:  Impact of Criminal Background, Failure to pass drug screen or substantiated CPS or APS Complaint on Field Placement and/or Degree Program Completion.