FAQs

While there are some placements that may offer a stipend or compensation to students, most placements are unpaid. Paid practicum placements in social work are relatively rare and many of the placements that do provide payment are highly competitive. Because the decision to provide payment to interns is determined by the agency, the Practicum Office […]

Students working in eligible social work related organizations may have the option to complete their practicum placement at their place of employment may apply for an employment-based practicum placement. If approved, this allows them to complete their practicum placement at their employer. For more information about employment-based placements, visit our page about Employment-Based Practicum Placements […]

Students do not have to attend practicum placement during school holidays, days the university is closed for inclement weather, or school breaks, however, if typical practicum hours are missed for these days, students will likely be required to make up that time. Further details on this will be communicated by the Practicum Office. One exception […]

All students are supervised either by a Practicum Instructor or Task Supervisor at their practicum placement site. A Practicum Instructor is a social worker that has an MSW and 2+ years of post-graduation experience. BSW students may also be supervised by a Practicum Instructor with a BSW and 2+ years of experience. If there is […]

Students must complete approximately 16 hours of practicum placement per week. Students must earn 225 hours each semester (450 hours per year) to meet the Practicum Education requirements. The UNC Charlotte School of Social Work is an accredited program with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and practicum hour expectations are based on the […]

Students are expected to accept practicum placements within a 45 mile radius of their listed address. The commute depends on where you live and where the best placement opportunity can be found. Students who prioritize proximity of the practicum placement may limit their practicum placement options. Students with specific placement goals, will need to consider […]

There are many agencies that require advanced practice skills more appropriate to an MSW student. These agencies have specifically indicated that they will only accept MSW students or even, only specialist-year MSW students. One factor that is often considered by both the Practicum Office and the agency is whether the student would gain knowledge, values, […]

BSW and MSW students have the opportunity to express their interests in areas of social work and populations they are interested in working with, but do not get to choose a specific placement site. Placements within specific areas of social work and/or with specific populations are not guaranteed. There may be opportunities to indicate interest […]

In order to ensure the placement is a good fit for both the student and the placement site, there are many factors that go into the matching process. These factors include, but are not limited to, student areas of interest, placement availability, placement site requirements, geographic location, etc. The Practicum Office will review student practicum […]

The Practicum Placement process is made up of 6 phases: For currently enrolled students, the Pre-Placement Phase begins in the Fall semester before placement begins. For example, if you will begin practicum in Fall 2026, you will begin the Pre-Placement phase in Fall 2025 and submit your practicum application in January 2026. For newly admitted […]