For those seeking the Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work, field placement is designed to help students who are seeking to integrate their academic learning so as to understand and develop good generalist skills for entering the profession of social work. An internship placement provides opportunities for the student to apply concepts and skills learned in the classroom in a real-world work setting and to build a work history of relevant experience that will assist students in beginning their social work careers.

At the University of Memphis, the BA field practicum in Social Work consists of two (2) separate courses: Field Instruction in Social Work I (SWRK 4830), and Field Instruction in Social Work II (SWRK 4831). Each course has its own set of objectives, with the second semester building on the first. Each course is evaluated by a letter grade. Commensurate with these courses in the field, the student also is enrolled in two separate Integrative Field Seminars (SWRK 4840 and SWRK 4841), for which they receive letter grades separate from the ones they receive for the placements themselves.

BASW Field Manual