Practicum Learning Requirements

Each semester, students work at a placement site three days a week (21 hours)—one day more than the minimum specified by the Council on Social Work Education—usually 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Typical practicum settings include schools, hospitals, courts, substance abuse clinics, prison, international governmental organizations, and community health clinics. Learning opportunities include case management, crisis intervention, program development, and policy intervention and administration. On-campus students have access to a Practicum Learning network of more than 800 agencies and nonprofits throughout New York City (including all boroughs), New Jersey and Connecticut. We also have more than 300 placements in cities nationwide for students attending the online campus. The Office of Practicum Learning matches each student individually with agencies and practicum instructors and then works to ensure that the student’s learning objectives are met through a detailed educational plan. During a student’s first (generalist) year, the focus is on generalist social work practice. In the second (specialized practice) year, the focus is on the student’s chosen method area of concentration and field of practice. At that time, students will work closely with an associate director in The Office of Practicum Learning to find a placement that helps them to develop a specialized skill set. Please note:

• Two-Year and Part-Time to Full-Time (Extended) Program students complete 1,200 hours at two different placement sites.
• Advanced Standing and Transfer students complete one year, or 600 hours, of Practicum Learning.
• One-Year Residency for Working Professionals (Reduced Residency) students complete 900 hours of Practicum Learning.
• To learn more, go to
  • Practicum Learning Manual (PDF: 123 pages)
  • Online Master of Science in Social Work Practicum Learning

Support for Students in practicum

The Office of Practicum Learning works with each student on their practicum placements, as described above. At practicum internship itself, you have a supervisor who assumes primary responsibility for your field instruction, meeting with you face to face once a week. In addition, you have an advisor, who supports both you and your practicum instructor throughout the academic year. The advisor monitors your work at the agency and is responsible for assigning a pass/fail grade to that work at the end of each semester. For more details on the advisement component, please visit our Office of Advising page.