Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Beginning Field Practicum (Face-to-Face)

SW 4891-01

Course: SW 4891-01
Credits: 6
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: FLHD
CRN: 31221

Course Description

This course provides social work students with practical experience within a social services agency. The focus of beginning practicum is for students to apply content, theory, and skills in professional practice under direct supervision of a field instructor. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Pass/Fail)] Prerequisite(s): Instructor permission Registration Restriction(s): Senior standing required and Social work majors only

Required Texts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Review the function that the NASW Code of Ethics has within the practice.
2. Navigate the practicum placement agency’s/organization’s role within the context of helping individuals improve the ability to function within the environment.
3. Describe the purpose and process of supervision.
4. Evaluate the importance of self-care in this field and demonstrate the ability to practice it.
5. Begin to apply and practice your role as a professional within the field of social work.
6. Navigate and apply generalist social work concepts to the population you are working with at your field education site.
Learning outcomes will be provided by the instructor.

Course Requirements

  1. Please pay attention to Canvas Announcements as I use Canvas Announcements to communicate about important information and updates.
  2. Emotional Safety - Due to the emotionally and psychologically vulnerable content that will be discussed throughout this course, it is essential that all participants contribute to an environment of emotional safety. In the event of a student participating in emotionally unsafe comments/behavior, the instructor will provide feedback which will serve as a warning. At that time, the student will be invited to converse with the instructor about what made their comments/behavior emotionally unsafe. If the behavior is repeated, students will be referred to campus services. If you find you are emotionally overwhelmed by content in this or any other course, the Counseling and Psychological Services Center (CAPS) is a resource available to you. The phone number for CAPS is: (435) 865-8621.
  3. As a student in this course, you are responsible for the content presented in this course and for your own learning. If you need help, PLEASE ASK. If you have questions about the material that you are interested in or curious about that is not addressed in the course, PLEASE ASK. If you do not understand a concept being taught/discussed, PLEASE ASK. I am a resource to you; however, if you do not communicate that you need help, I cannot help you.
  4. Grammar and following instructions matters! Your grade will be affected by these things. Please pay attention to page requirements - both minimums and limitations. You will lose points if the page minimum is not reached (headings don’t count). While your grade will be impacted according to assignment rubrics for incorrect grammar and poor writing mechanics, because of the amount of time it takes to do so, I will not be editing your papers as I grade them.
    1. Papers are graded on creative thought and personal insights, integration of course concepts and principles, and clarity of writing and thought. Please feel free to show me your paper or talk to me about it at any time.
  5. Since writing, self-reflection, and critical thinking skills are part of the learning outcomes of this course, I expect that all work students submit for this course will be their own. Additionally, students are not allowed to use any generative artificial intelligence tools (e.g. ChatGPT or Dall-E 2) at any stages of the work process, including preliminary ones. AI-generated submissions are not permitted and will be considered as plagiarism. If it is discovered that you are using AI to generate work that you turn in as your own, SUU Policy 6.33 for Academic Integrity will be followed.

APA 7 Writing: 
All papers should use APA 7th edition format. This format should include 1" margins, double spacing, headers, appropriate citations, and references. Please cite all reference work where specifically used. Even if you rewrite a sentence into your own words, it must be cited. Papers are graded on creative thought and personal insights, integration of course concepts and principles, and clarity of writing and thought. The SUU Writing Center and OWL at Purdue are excellent resources for using APA.

Course Outline

Seminar Attendance (200 Points Total)
A critical component of the field education/practicum experience is attending and participating in the scheduled practicum seminar which is intended to support students in the integration of classroom theory, experience and other knowledge into their field education while supporting development of the CSWE Core Competencies and will be held 10 times throughout the semester (see schedule below). We will occasionally have readings that will be discussed in seminar, as well. Students are expected to prepare any assigned readings and contribute to discussion. Students will earn 20 points each time they attend and engage in practicum seminar. Missing one or two seminar sessions will not negatively impact the practicum grade. Attendance with no participation will result in partial credit.

HIPAA Training and Quiz (20 points)
You will be expected to complete the HIPAA Privacy module, followed by the quiz to confirm your learning and comprehension of the material.

Self-Care Plan (50 points)
For this assignment, students will create a plan for self-care as a professional. Students are encouraged to utilize information and assignments they may have gained and/or completed during previous courses for this assignment. Additionally, please cite three outside sources, one of which must be a scholarly source, about the importance of self-care in this field. You will also consult with at least three professionals about what they do for self-care (they do not have to be social workers). Students are NOT required to adopt what others do; this requirement is simply for the process of brainstorming and gathering information. Students should refer to this process within the narrative of their plan. This assignment can be formatted in whatever way makes sense to the student. It could be a table, bulleted list, essay style narrative, a flow chart, or infographic.

Self-Care Plan Reflection (50 points)
Students will complete and submit a 2-3 page paper in which they reflect on how they did or did not follow their self-care plan. Important components of this reflection include addressing the consequences of following or not following their plan as well as lessons learned about what they do and/or don’t need in order to avoid compassion fatigue and burnout as a professional within this field. This may be formatted in whatever way makes sense to the student as long as it is done so with professionalism (proper grammar, readability, etc…).

Mid-Term Site Visit (200 Points Total)
You will schedule an appointment for your professor to visit with you and your field instructor and/or task manager at your placement site during weeks 6-8. Please plan on about 30 minutes for this visit. For full credit, this meeting needs to be scheduled (not completed) at the end of week 6. After the site visit, please submit a 1 - 2 page summary about feedback received and how you will apply it.

Developmental Stages of Internship Reflection (50 points)
Students will complete a brief and concise reflection about their developmental stages as a practicum student following the model presented in practicum seminar. Students will list each developmental stage and add a brief narrative about how they have progressed and/or where they are at within each stage within the context of their field education. This may be formatted in whatever way makes sense to the student as long as it is done so with professionalism (proper grammar, readability, etc…).

Generalist Practice Case Study (150 Points Total)
For this assignment, students will choose a case they have worked with during their practicum experience and create a presentation about how generalist social work practice and the NASW Code of Ethics are applicable to it. Students are expected to practice autonomy in how they complete this assignment in preparation for workplace assignments. The things that must be included in this assignment are a brief summary of the case and how all levels of social work practice are applicable and/or may be helpful in this case in planning interventions for the individual/family/group. All identifying information about the client(s) must be protected. This may be formatted in whatever way makes sense to the student as long as it is done so with professionalism (proper grammar, readability, etc…). Students will present for 5-10 minutes each in the final two weeks of classes.

Field Instructor Evaluation (150 Points Total)
Your Field Instructor is expected to complete your Evaluation form found on IPT. It should be signed by both you and your field instructor by the last day of the semester. You are encouraged to go over the completed evaluation with your field instructor in one of your final supervision meetings for the term, as well.

If you have a separate task manager, please print/download the Practicum Field Instructor Evaluation form found in the Canvas assignment and provide it to your task manager no later than Week 12 in the semester. You can also download a pdf version of the form from the Appendix of the Practicum Manual. Your task manager should return the form directly via email to your Director of Field Education no later than the final day of the semester.

Breakdown of grading is as follows:
·    A score of 2 or higher for 7-9 competencies - 150 points
·    A score of 2 or higher for 6 competencies - 125 points
·    A score of 2 or higher for 5 competencies - 100 points
·    A score of 2 or higher for 4 competencies - 75 points
·    A score of 2 or higher for 3 competencies - 50 points
·    A score of 2 or higher for 2 competencies - 25 points
·    A score of 2 or higher for 1 competencies - 0 points

Practicum Hours and Supervision Log (200 points)
Please submit the Practicum Hours and Supervision Log forms that can be found on IPT no later than the last day of the semester. You can also find PDF versions of these forms in the Appendix of the Practicum Manual. In order to receive credit for this assignment:
·    15 hours weekly on site (210 hours total)
·    1 Hour minimum of Supervision weekly must be documented (14 hours total)
Due: Wednesday of Finals Week

Fall Practicum Fair
Your attendance is expected at the Fall Practicum Fair to assist in informing next year’s students about your site experience and expectations.

SCHEDULE
Week 1 | Seminar - Expectations, Professionalism Overview
Week 2 | Seminar - NASW Code of Ethics, Review HIPAA Privacy Basics module | Review all of the NASW Code of Ethics prior to class
Assignments due: Complete HIPAA Privacy Quiz
Week 3 | Seminar  - Self-Care | Learning Plan submission due on IPT
Week 4 | Seminar - Developmental Stages of Internship
Week 5 | Seminar - Generalist Practice
Assignments due: Self-Care Plan
Week 6 | Mid-term site visits - NO SEMINAR
Assignments due: All mid-term visits should be scheduled by end of Friday (5pm)
Week 7 | Mid-term site visits - NO SEMINAR
Week 8 | Mid-term site visits - NO SEMINAR
Week 9  | Seminar - CSWE Core Competencies
Assignments due: Mid-term site visit reflection
Week 10 | Seminar - Processing Practicum Experience
Week 11 | Attend Family Life Matters Conference and Fall Practicum Fair Friday 4pm at the end of conference
Week 12 | Work on case study presentations - NO SEMINAR
Assignments due: Balance Discussion Board
Week 13 | Generalist Case Study Presentations
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Week 14 | Generalist Case Study presentations
Assignments due: Generalist Practice Case Study slides/materials, Developmental Stages of Internship, Self-care Plan Reflection
Finals Week
Assignments due: Field Instructor Evaluation due on IPT, Task manager evaluation due via Google form (if applicable), Supervision and On-site time logs due on IPT

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

  1. Late assignments will be accepted at a 10% penalty per day after the due date, including weekends. You do not need to ask permission to turn in something late, just turn it in and anticipate the late policy to apply.  
  2. Late submission of practicum hours and presentations will not be accepted without DRC Accommodations.
  3. All late work is due on the last day of instruction as indicated by the University Academic Calendar. 
  4. If you’re experiencing a physical and/or emotional health challenge and feel an exception not covered above should be provided to you, please follow these steps: a) Reach out to the DRC first and ask for accommodations as this is the best way to ensure an equitable treatment for all, b) please then contact me via email so I can best support you c) If you are not in crisis, but want to discuss late work or any other issues, please reach out.
  5. All assignments are due by 11:59 pm on the due date unless otherwise noted, and should be submitted via Canvas. Please always check the time that assignment is due. In some cases, there will be an assignment due at 5pm for a specific reason. I will not accept "I thought it was due at midnight" as an excuse.

Attendance Policy

See attendance and participation assignment included in course outline.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.