Syllabus
Master of Social Work
SSWO 580 – Integrating Seminar Practicum III (Spring 2023)
Credits - 4
Description
Specialization Practicum III provides students with a supervised advanced practice experience in a social service agency/organization. The practicum includes experiential learning in advanced social work practice skills in a specialized setting. A weekly seminar provides students with an opportunity to discuss and reflect on professional social work issues from their practicum experience regarding assessment, specific interventions with client systems, and the application of practice theories.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
School of Social Work Program Outcomes:
Graduates of the UNE SSWO will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and leadership in the following:
- Demonstrates ethical and professional behavior.
- Advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
- Engage in anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) in practice.
- Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
- Engage in policy practice.
- Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Course Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrates professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and oral, written, and electronic communication.
- Student applies understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in all levels of social work practice and engages clients, organizations and/or communities as experts in their own experience.
- Student applies their understanding of social inclusion (social, economic, and environmental justice) to advocate for and engage in practices that advance social inclusion (social, economic, and environmental justice) through the identification and assessment of social policies that impact well-being service delivery and access to services.
- Applies self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies.
- Uses empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients, organizations, and/or communities.
- Collects, organizes, and applies critical thinking to interpret ongoing assessment information from clients, organizations, and/or communities.
- Applies knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of ongoing assessment information, developing mutually agreed upon intervention goals with clients, organizations, and/or communities and can utilize client feedback or other evaluation methods to improve practice, policy and/or service delivery.
- Uses inter-professional collaboration in the process of assessment, developing interventions and evaluating practice to achieve beneficial outcomes for clients, organizations and/or communities.
- Makes ethical decisions by applying the standards of the Social Work Codes of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research and use of technology, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context.
Accreditation Standards Addressed:
- CSWE EPAS 2015 Competencies
- Competency 1–Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
- Competency 2 –Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
- Competency 3 –Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
- Competency 5 –Engage in Policy Practice
- Competency 6 –Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Competency 7 –Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Competency 8 –Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Competency 9 –Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Assignments
A variety of learning activities are designed to support the course objectives, facilitate different learning styles, and build a community of learners. Learning activities for each module include the following:
Readings and Multimedia
There are required readings and recommended texts in this course. While there are not prescribed readings from these texts, you are required to read and utilize the readings throughout the course. Your instructor may integrate and suggest additional readings throughout the modules. We recommend that you utilize the Bibliography extended readings. Additional readings in the modules will be introduced as the forms and supporting documents needed for completion. There are a few videos presented as learning material, but the majority of video in this course is student-created each week.
Discussions
Each week you will engage in weekly video assignments and discussions with your peers. You will also post one self-care tip that you are employing and discuss amongst your classmates. There are several optional discussion boards in this course that you may utilize to ask questions about a specific assignment. We recommend that you utilize the Bibliography extended readings to integrate into your discussions and assignments.
Writing Assignments, Projects, and Assessments
There are several assignments in this course, which are all tailored around strengthening your field internship and experiences. These assignments will be collaborative with your field instructor and seminar facilitator and there will be plenty of time for review, comment, and submission. These will be highlighted throughout the course along with several reminders and prompts to get started. All of your assignments (including all of your forms) must be submitted via the assignment link and not via email. Any assignments (including all of your forms) submitted through Mail or email will not be accepted. They must be through the assignment link.
We recommend that you utilize the Bibliography extended readings to integrate into your discussions and assignments.
Grading and Feedback Method
Feedback will be provided within the assignment submission tool.
Due Dates: Due dates for all learning activities are provided in the course. Each assignment or discussion submitted late will earn half credit. If you do not complete the entire assignment you will only receive half the point value for that assignment. If you post to a discussion after the week has ended you will not earn any credit. All assignments must be submitted to pass the course. You must earn 80 of 100 points to pass the seminar/placement course.
Please note that the late policy is different for field seminars/practica and the academic course late policy does not apply.
Grading Policy
The School of Social Work uses the following grading system for all courses with the exception of field education courses. Students are expected to maintain a “B” (3.0) average over the course of their study. Students with less than a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 in order to receive their Master’s Degree.
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Assignment | Point Value | Percentage of Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledgement of Academic Engagement | 1 point | 1% |
| Introduce Yourself | 1 point | 1% |
| Video Assignments (No credit after sunday for video postings) | 24 points (3 points x 8 weeks) | 21% |
| Weekly Self-Care (Weeks 1-16) - no credit after Sunday | 16 points (1 pt x 16 weeks) | 16% |
| Video Responses (Weeks 2-16) | 30 points (2 pts x 15 weeks) | 30% |
| Statement of Understanding (Week 1) | 1 point | 1% |
| Post Field Proposal (Week 1) | 1 point | 1% |
| Safety Contract (Week 3) | 1 point | 1% |
| Safety Video Assignment | 1 point | 1% |
| Field visit scheduled (Week 5) | 1 point | 1% |
| Field visit complete (Weeks 6-12) | 2 points | 2% |
| Process Recording 1 (Week 9) | 3 points | 3% |
| Licensing Assignment (Week 4) | 2 points | 2% |
| Process Recording 2 (Week 13) | 3 points | 3% |
| Draft Learning Contract (Week 5) | 3 points | 3% |
| Final Learning Contract (Week 7) | 4 points | 4% |
| IPE Reflection Paper | 2 points | 2% |
| Final Evaluation Submission (Week 15) | 4 points | 4% |
| Total | 100 points | 100% |
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Schedule
Course Dates:
Week 1: Jan 2 – Jan 8
Week 2: Jan 9 – Jan 15
Week 3: Jan 16 – Jan 22
Week 4: Jan 23 – Jan 29
Week 5: Jan 30 – Feb 5
Week 6: Feb 6 – Feb 12
Week 7: Feb 13 – Feb 19
Week 8: Feb 20 – Feb 26
Week 9: Feb 27 – Mar 5
Week 10: Mar 6 – Mar 12
Week 11: Mar 13 – Mar 19
Week 12: Mar 20 – Mar 26
Week 13: Mar 27 – Apr 2
Week 14: Apr 3 – Apr 9
Week 15: Apr 10 – Apr 16
Week 16: Apr 17 – Apr 23
All assignments are to be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on the dates listed in the course. Unless otherwise specified, all discussions and assignments are due the last day of the module or unit.
Week 1: Welcome to Integrating Seminar
Documents:
- Field Instruction Description
- Online Field Education Manual: Policies & Procedures
- Statement of Understanding
- Self Care Assessment
- Learning Objectives – Advanced/Specialization Year
- Learning Methods
- Ethical Dilemmas in Caring
- Process Recordings Handout
- Self-Disclosure Handout
- Tasks for Endings Handout
- Field Visit Agenda- Advanced/Specialization Year – First Semester
- Video and Video Response Guidelines
Websites:
- NASW Code of Ethics
- International Federation of Social Workers: Statement of Ethical Principles
- World Health Organization
- United Nations Declaration of Human Rights
Discussions:
- Introduce yourself and respond to other students’ introductions
- Self-Care Corner
- Optional: Learning Contract discussion board for questions
Assignments:
- Statement of Understanding signed and submitted
- Field Video Confidentiality Statement
- Field Placement Proposal submitted
- Review Learning Contract
- Review Field Visit Introduction and Field Visit Agenda
- Review Licensing Assignment
Week 2: Safety Assignment Introduction, Video Assignment, Self-Care, IPE Assignment Introduced, Process Recordings
Documents:
- Video Assignment and Video Response Guidelines
- Process Recording Handout
- Process Recording Format – Individual
- Process Recording Format – Group
- Process Recording Format – Community
- Field Education Manual: Policies & Procedures
- Safety Agreement
- Safety Handout
- Safety Checklist
- Safety, Risk Assessment, and Violent Clients
Articles: Developing Student Knowledge in Home-Based Social Work Practice
Web Sites: NASW: Urgency of Social Worker Safety
Multimedia: Required for Advanced Standing Students, optional for students who reviewed these in SSWO 522
- Watch: Workplace Violence Statistics
- Watch: New Law Requires Safety Training for Social Workers
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
- Optional: Learning Contract Safety Video Assignment (Due between Weeks 2 and 14)
Assignment:
- IPE Assignment introduced
Week 3: Safety Contract Due, Video Assignment, and Self-Care
Documents:
- Ethical Dilemma Handout
- Ethical Communication
- Ethical Decision-Making Step by Step
- Ethical Dilemmas in Caring
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
- Optional: Learning Contract
Assignments:
- Safety Contract
Week 4: Licensing Assignment Due, Video Assignment, Select IPE Assignment Option, and Self-Care
Documents:
- Helpful Hints for Licensing
- Licensing Assignment
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Response
- Self-Care Corner
- Optional: Learning Contract
Assignments:
- Licensing Assignment
- Submit your choice for IPE Assignment
Week 5: Draft Learning Contract, Video Assignment, Self-Care, and Field Visit Scheduled
Documents:
- Advanced/Specialization Year Learning Contract
- Learning Contract – Advanced/Specialization Year – Sample
- Field Visit Agenda – Advanced/Specialization Year – First Semester
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Assignments:
- First Draft of Learning Contract
- Field Visit Scheduled
Week 6: Video Assignment, Self-Care, Process Recording
Documents:
- Process Recording Handout
- Process Recording Format – Individual
- Process Recording Format – Group
- Process Recording Format – Community
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Week 7: Final Learning Contract, Video Assignment, Self-Care
Documents:
- Learning Contract
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Assignments: Final Learning Contract
Week 8: Video Assignment and Self-Care
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Week 9: Process Recording #1 Due, Video Assignment, and Self-Care
Documents:
- Process Recording Handout
- Process Recording Format – Individual
- Process Recording Format – Group
- Process Recording Format – Community
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Assignments:
- Process Recording #1
Week 10: Video Assignment and Self-Care
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Week 11: Video Assignment and Self-Care
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Week 12: Video Assignment, Self-Care, Introduction of Field Evaluation
Documents:
- Student Field Evaluation
- Field Evaluation Assignment Introduction
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Week 13: Process Recording #2 Due, Video Assignment, and Self-Care
Documents:
- Process Recording Handout
- Process Recording Format – Individual
- Process Recording Format – Group
- Process Recording Format – Community
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Assignments:
- Process Recording #2
Week 14: Field Evaluation Review, Video Assignment, IPE Reflection Paper, and Self-Care
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Assignment:
- IPE Reflection Paper
Week 15: Field Evaluation & Time Sheet Due, Video Assignment, and Self-Care
Documents:
- Final Field Evaluation
- Field Timesheet
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Assignments:
- Field Evaluation and Time Sheet
Week 16: Review of the Semester, Video Assignment and Self-Care
Discussions:
- Video Assignment
- Video Assignment Responses
- Self-Care Corner
Everyone does a Video Assignment the final week of the course.
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Social Work page
UNE Libraries:
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
- Social Work Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/social-work/
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Online Peer Support
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.
ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.
Career Ready Program
The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!
The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.
Policies
MSW Field Education Manual:
Students are expected to know the policies and procedures outlined in the Online Field Education Manual: Policies and Procedures and Online Field Education Manual: Forms, provided to students online by their Field Advisor.
Field Practicum Attendance:
Students are expected to be in attendance in the agency on days designated for the field in the Learning Contract and to observe agency hours and schedules. Absences must be promptly reported to the Field Instructor and must be made up to meet the required number of hours in field practicum. Students are required to notify their Field Advisor weekly if they have not completed their regularly scheduled internship hours.
Field Hours Requirement:
The field placement requires a total of 500 hours completed in the practice setting for the Block Placement semester Students.
Students may consider the following additional opportunities to augment their field hours with the approval of their Field Instructor and Field Advisor:
Field Instructors have the option of assigning a minimal amount of reading to Students (no more than 10 hours per semester).
Students may attend workshops that are relevant to their placement focus with the permission of their Field Instructor.
Students are required to notify their Field Advisor weekly if they have not completed their regularly scheduled internship hours.
Students are expected to intern 35-40 hours per week. Students are required to keep a weekly log of all field hours and attach their field hour’s sheet to the end of the semester Field Evaluation.
There are a total of 16 weeks of field work in the Field Placement semester.
Field Instructor Requirement:
The Field Instructor is an MSW level social worker in the agency (or off-site) who provides individual field instruction to the Student, weekly for 1 hour per week.
Students who have the opportunity to receive group instruction facilitated by an MSW may limit their individual field instruction to 1-hour individual and 1-hour group per week. The School recommends, if possible, keeping the 1 hour of individual field instruction and adding the 1-hour group instruction.
Students are required to develop a backup plan for field instruction in the event of the Field Instructor’s absence. The backup plan must include an MSW to provide field instruction. This plan must be detailed in the Learning Contract.
Late Policy
Each assignment or discussion submitted late will earn half credit. If you do not complete the entire assignment you will only receive half the point value for that assignment.
Essential Academic and Technical Standards
Please review the essential academic and technical standards of the University of New England School Social Work (SSW): https://online.une.edu/social-work/academic-and-technical-standards-une-online-ssw/
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Confidentiality Statement
Student and faculty participation in this course will be governed by standards in the NASW Code of Ethics relating to confidentiality in sharing information from their placement sites and practice experiences. Students should be aware that personal information they choose to share in class, class assignments or conversations with faculty does not have the status of privileged information.
Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Attendance Policy
8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.