At the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, we know that offering students the chance to gain hands-on experience in a range of settings is the foundation of an effective social work education. Online MSW students spend a large portion of their time in the program completing practicum education, virtually and in person.

Students are required to complete a minimum of 1,100 practicum training hours plus a minimum of 100 practicum hours through attendance and participation with their practicum class, orientation and evidence-based intervention training (if applicable).

Agencies and students are expected to create a schedule of 16 hours per week in SOWK-591 and SOWK-593 and 24 hours per week in SOWK-691 and SOWK-693.

Per the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE), if students exceed the minimum number of practicum hours through full attendance they are still expected to maintain a consistent schedule for practicum and are not allowed to end their practicum placements prior to the last day of practicum education.

Two Phases of Clinical Training

You will begin your practicum education with the Virtual Practicum (VP), an online experience that allows you to hone your practice and gain confidence in a controlled, secure environment.

Once you complete the Virtual Practicum (VP-SOWK 591), you will be assigned a three-semester community-based placements to develop your clinical skills and prepare you to work in a range of settings.

Part 1: Virtual Practicum

250 Hours

Location: Online group sessions in virtual classroom

Guidance: Experienced practicum faculty/professor during sessions

Training: Clinical simulations with an actor portraying a client

Required for: Students in the MSW program

Part 2: Community-Based Practicum Placement

A minimum of 890 hours

Location: Real-world agency setting

Guidance: Practicum Instructor/Clinical Supervisor (MSW/LCSW) practitioners during internships

Training: Hands-on experiential training with real clients

Required for: Students in both the traditional and advanced standing MSW programs

How the VP Works

The Virtual Practicum (VP) takes place in the MSW’s intimate virtual classroom. In small group sessions, supervised by a USC professor, you will work in real time with an actor who plays the role of a client in crisis. You will consider strategies of practice in a safe, supervised setting and receive in-the-moment support from faculty and classmates.

You will spend 250 hours in the VP setting before beginning your internship in a community-based setting. The VP is not required for students who qualify for the advanced standing program.

Skills and Strategies

Through virtual practicum education, you will gain evidence-based training to master the following:

  • Clinical case-management skills
  • Client risk assessment
  • DSM-5 diagnosis
  • Ethical decision-making skills
  • Professional code of ethics
  • Interventions, including motivational interviewing, problem-solving therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy

Through the VP, you will build the confidence you need to begin your community-based practicum placement and make an immediate impact in the lives of others.

Community-Based Placement

Throughout the MSW, you will complete a practicum internship in or near your own community. Under the guidance of an experienced social work practitioner, you hone your knowledge and demonstrate your skills in a real-world setting. Placement is crucial to your success as a social worker — it is when your class learning and clinical skills come together.

Understanding Your Commitment

Your placement requirement is a significant commitment; you will spend 50 percent (50%) of your time in the program completing your internship.

Each week, you will spend 16 to 24 hours working in a supervised environment providing social services to clients and communities. You must complete your placement hours during regular weekday business hours: Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Most students visit their placement sites two or three days per week.

Because the practicum component requires a substantial amount of time each week, we recommend that you do not work full time during the semesters in which you are completing practicum hours.

How the MSW Placement Works

When you enroll in the online MSW program, you begin working with a placement coordinator. The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work is affiliated with practicum sites across the United States, which allows us to help you find a successful placement no matter where you live.

  1. Your dedicated placement coordinator will first get to know you and your goals.
  2. Based on your location and area of study, your placement coordinator will explore placement sites that may be right for you.
  3. Your placement coordinator will set up interviews with sites near you.
  4. You will interview with each site as you would for a full-time position.

 

At your placement site, a practicum instructor will oversee your progress and offer guidance as well as provide feedback on your performance. USC practicum faculty will ensure you are meeting program and professional milestones throughout your internship.

You can access the MSW Practicum Education Manual & Forms here.

Skills and Strategies

A community-based placement allows you to gain professional experience and grow your clinical skills. During your placement, you will master the following:

  • Commitment to the values and ethics of social work
  • Direct services to clients
  • Self-awareness and sensitivity to issues of human diversity
  • Methods and modalities of intervention
  • Assessment, development and evaluation of services

You will also have the chance to build invaluable, long-standing relationships in your own social work community.

“The USC MSW is constantly looking for ways to enhance students’ experiences. The practicum placement team works extremely hard to place students in internships that will foster our growth.”

DESTINY ROBBINS | Alumnus of the USC Master of Social Work