Online MSS Employment-Based Practicum Guidelines

Overview of Employment-Based Placements

The below are general guidelines for Employment-Based Placements (EBP). All EBP's must be reviewed and approved by the Practicum Office.

Student Eligibility and Requirements

To qualify for an EBP, students must meet strict timeline and performance criteria:

• Employment Duration:
  • Students must be employed at the organization for at least six weeks before the practicum begins.
  • Students must not have accepted another practicum opportunity.
  • Students must commit to remaining at their place of employment for the duration of the practicum experience.
• Placement Hours:
  • First-year (Generalist): 224 hours/semester (Equivalent of two 8-hour days per week).
  • Second-year (Advanced): 336 hours/semester (Equivalent of three 8-hour days per week).
• Educational Focus:
  • Past work experience cannot be used for practicum credit.
  • Employment assignments that are counted towards practicum hours must meet the curricular level learning objectives for the students level in the program.
  • Eight hours/week of new learning must be built into the student’s practicum experience. 

Employment Based Site and Practicum Instructor Criteria

The organization must function as a professional learning environment rather than just a workplace.

Site Responsibilities

• Provide employment responsibilities that meets the student's educational needs.
• Ensure the student has a MSW/MSS practicum instructor who has a least two years of post-graduate experience. Provide the identified practicum instructor time to meet with the student for at least one hour of integrative supervision.
• Sign a formal Employment-Based Placement Proposal agreeing to the educational plan.

Practicum Instructor Qualifications

The Practicum Instructor (who preferably is not the student’s direct work supervisor) must:

1. Hold an MSS/MSW degree from a CSWE-accredited school.
2. Have at least two years of post-master’s experience in the relevant practice area.
3. Provide one hour of weekly, education-focused supervision (separate from administrative/workload supervision).
4. Encouraged to attend the school’s Seminars in Practicum Instruction (SIPI) trainings.
5. Evaluate the student as a learner, not just an employee.