Field Education

Field practicum is the signature pedagogy of graduate social work education. Theory, information and concepts are applied and internalized in "field." The heart of an excellent social work program is the field practice experience. As with all things, practice improves ability. Without field education there would be no means of providing the guided practice needed to prepare BSW & MSW students to become advanced social work professionals. Our commitment is to provide excellent practicum opportunities that support fulfillment of both the program and the student's personal mission and goals.

The Social Work Department has prepared a Field Manual to assist students, agencies, and field instructors in understanding the objectives, policies and procedures governing field practicum instruction for both the Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work Program at Andrews University.

School of Social Work Field Manual

Social Work Field Office:

Nethery Hall - 022
Andrews University
Berrien Springs, MI 49104-0038
(269) 471-6676

Signature Pedagogy: Field Education

     What one hears, one forgets.
     What one sees, one remembers.
     What one does, one understands.
          -Chinese proverb

 “Signature pedagogy represents the central form of instruction and learning in which a profession socializes its students to perform the role of practitioner. Professionals have pedagogical norms with which they connect and integrate theory and practice. In social work, the signature pedagogy is field education. The intent of field education is to connect the theoretical and conceptual contribution of the classroom with the practical world of the practice setting. It is a basic precept of social work education that the two interrelated components of curriculum—classroom and field—are of equal importance within the curriculum, and each contributes to the development of the requisite competencies of professional practice. Field education is systematically designed, supervised, coordinated, and evaluated based on criteria by which students demonstrate the achievement of program competencies.” (Council on Social Work Education - Educational Policy 2.3 & 2.4)