This course represents the culmination of preparation for entry-level generalist social work practice. The course consists of supervised practice of the social work knowledge, values and skills learned in the classroom. Grading is Pass/Fail only.
The generalist practitioner operates within the ethical guidelines prescribed by the NASW Code of Ethics and utilizes the six-step, relationship building/problem-solving process and person-in-environment framework that make up the OLC generalist model.
During a supervised field experience, the students are expected to have opportunities to further integrate all educational facets, as articulated in the objectives, for a beginning level of generalist social work practice, with an emphasis on working with the Lakota people in systems of all sizes to promote, maintain and/or restore well-being. Students are expected to develop competence in and have opportunities to integrate the social work knowledge base, values and principles, skills, theoretical perspectives, personal characteristics and critical thinking for culturally competent, value driven generalist social work practice with systems of various sizes. Practicum objectives are based on the BSW Program objectives.
This course also emphasizes the professional attributes of the individual in professional practice, i.e., self-awareness, oral and written skills, accuracy and precision, empathy and genuineness, and organization and planning.
Students also participate in six hours per semester of seminar, which helps to integrate the field practicum experience with the BSW classroom knowledge and which allows the exploration of additional knowledge. In the field seminar, students will learn the principles of the logic model and its application to the field setting. There are three papers associated with the two-semester field seminar and various homework assignments associated with specific seminars.
- Course creator: Jeremy Vu