Field Education Practicum Hours
Trent Social Work placements are always concurrent placements (i.e. students complete placement three days a week and attend classes two days a week). Trent does not offer block (full time) placements or summer placements. Students typically complete 21 learning hours per week, including supervision. Lunch hours, statutory holidays, snow days, sick days, or other absences from the field setting are not included.
Social service agencies do not necessarily provide services form 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday. Students will generally attend field practicum on the designated days (during day or evening hours) however some field agencies have expressed interest in students engaging in field learning hours in the evenings or on weekends. Students will typically be at the assigned field practicum agency 7 hours each day. When students are asked to remain at an agency, beyond the 7-hour requirement, students are responsible for arranging with their field instructors how to balance their hours within the weekly expectations (21 hours).
Students are not scheduled to be in their field practicum over the Residential Reading weeks. However, students may individually arrange with field instructors to attend placement during reading week. Students may not attend practicum when Trent University is closed (i.e. Statutory Holidays or during the Trent University Winter Closure).
Third Year Practicum Schedule
SWRK 3000Y is scheduled in the winter term (January to April) of 3rd year. Typically, students attend their assigned field practicum agency three days a week (normally Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) for a minimum of 240 learning hours.
Fourth Year Practicum Schedule
SWKR 4000D is scheduled across both the fall and winter terms (September to April) of 4th year. Students typically attend their assigned field practicum agency three days a week (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday) for a minimum of 460 learning hours.