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| Welcome to Columbia University School of Social Work. We are especially excited about your being a part of the Reduced Residency program, which was created to give employees of nonprofit organizations like yourself the opportunity to ground their practical work experience in a solid theoretical framework. What makes you different from most of our full-time and Extended Students is the practical work experience that you bring to CUSSW. What makes you similar to students in our other programs is your desire to receive the first rate theoretical and structured field education training that you know only CUSSW can provide. Earning your M.S. in Social Work will give you the professional credential you need to move your career forward, whether it is at your present agency or elsewhere. Student and Enrollment Services and the Field Education Department have collaborated on putting together this guide because we recognize that our Reduced Residency students have questions and needs that are different from our other students. This manual will outline both academic and field requirements specifically for Reduced Residency students. This Reduced Residency Guide is not meant to replace the Student Handbook or the Field Education Manual. Rather, we hope that you will use this guide to supplement the important information that is outlined in the Student Handbook and the Field Education Manual. Timeline
Academic Requirements for Reduced Residency Students
As you know, Reduced Residency students fulfill the same 60-credit degree requirement as all other students who are enrolled in the full time Masters program at CUSSW. The M.S. degree is earned through a combination of part-time and full-time study over a period of no fewer than five semesters and no longer than four years. Part-time study at CUSSW means a reduced course load. Reduced Residency students typically take two courses each semester of their first year of study. In the second year, Reduced Residency students enroll in two to three courses, depending on whether or not they choose to begin taking their electives. All Reduced Residency students are required to complete 3 consecutive semesters of the Reduced Residency Integrating Seminar (T6011) in their second year of study. To move on to the final year of the program, Reduced Residency students must have a minimum of 25.5 credits, but no more than 34.5 credits. During the "residency year," the final year of the Reduced Residency program, students enroll in a full load of courses while completing their field work requirements. Outlined on the subsequent pages are recommended plans of study for the different method concentration areas. Recommended Plans of Study NOTE: Requirements
in this section are in effect for students who entered
in Fall 2005 or after. Students entering before Fall 2005
should contact Student Services for requirements. Field Education
On behalf of the Field Education Department, we welcome you to CUSSW. Although your field placement will not begin until your third year, planning for this experience should begin during your first year here. The field component of your MSW education is vital in linking theory and practice and developing best practices as a social worker. Even in this first year, as you take background courses, there will be material that will be applicable to the practice that you are involved with at your agency. During your second year you will have opportunities to begin the process of applying theory to practice as well as beginning to develop a professional self that truly examines one's own work. There are always many questions related to the field experience. For Reduced Residency students , the most common concern is whether or not your present agency will provide an approved field experience. Thinking about this starts now. In the back of this manual you will find a set of forms. The first form is to be filled out immediately and returned to Janet Abbott, the Reduced Residency Coordinator in the Field Education Department. We want to identify your agency's ability to fulfill the important task of providing an experience that is student - oriented during your residency year. The other forms are included so that you know the exact expectations for an approved Reduced Residency placement. During your second year, we will meet with you to spell out exactly what the process is to insure a strong and rich educational experience for your residency year. We will need specific information from you about who to talk to regarding negotiating a placement. You will be expected to lay down the ground work for that discussion by identifying the person with whom we should speak, finding and researching potential programs that you are interested in , and having an idea about where you can work out your placement. Meetings are held in October and November to go over the information that is required and to once again look at what the Department's requirements are for each student's placement experience. At the time of these meetings, you will be expected to submit the forms that are included in this manual. Each student will be assigned to work with an Associate Director of Field Education in the second year. If you look in the back of this manual, the list of Associate and Assistant Directors is posted by Field of Practice for those students in New York City or Nassau/Suffolk counties and by region for those students in New Jersey or north of the Bronx . The Field Staff will assist you with negotiations at your agency to ensure that the expectations of CUSSW are met. There are two rules that every Reduced Residency student needs to follow in looking at their own agency for a potential placement. You must have a significant change in the responsibilities at your job and you must have a qualified and different supervisor for the residency year. This is your one time to be a student and it is our job to ensure that you have the richest educational experience possible. Dean Conroy has written a memorandum to that effect that is included in the Addendum to this manual. Also there is a description of the Educational Plan that will be required of each student who remains at his or her agency. This is the contract between the school and the agency and lays out what your education will look like for the residency year. The Field Advisor assigned to work with you and your agency will monitor this plan. Those students in very small programs who will be unable to make the required changes, must consider following CUSSW's procedures for placing MSW students entering their second year in the program. This involves attending the Placement Fair held on the first Monday of March, working with your assigned Associate/Assistant Director to identify placements of interest, submitting the paperwork on the first Wednesday of April , and completing the confirmational interview. The CUSSW placements are generally unpaid. For students who are Administration of Children's Services employees, a separate process is followed. Students are seen by Janet Abbott and the Director/Assistant Director of the PDP in late April or early May to define potential placements. ACS staff are responsible for placing ACS employees. No Educational Plan is required of these students at the outset. However, as with all students in placement, one will be developed in the Fall and submitted to your Field Advisor and your Practice Teacher. In the beginning of the manual there is a time line that provides an outline for all Reduced Residency students. The following spells out that time line: First Year When you first enter the Reduced Residency program, there is little contact with the Field Education Department. We are meeting with you today to have you complete the initial survey for field. This will give us an idea about your current agency, the potential for direct practice during your second year , and the opportunity to ask questions. Janet Abbott is available to answer any questions you may have during the course of the year. It is your responsibility to be proactive regarding your educational experience and needs. In the spring, you will identify potential field instructors at your agency. It is appropriate to do informational interviews and see what opportunities are available. Second Year As part of your curriculum you will be in an Integrating Seminar where you will be asked to examine your present practice as a beginning professional. This class will give you the opportunity to examine professional issues in a detailed way. You will begin to learn best practices by completing process recordings that will be reviewed by the professor. You will work with the same teacher for all three semesters of the second year. Regular attendance at this class is mandatory This year requires that all students have a direct practice experience. This experience is a necessity for both 6011 and the Foundation Class sequence. If someone does not have the opportunity to use direct practice skills at your work site, then you must find a volunteer position a minimum of five (5) hours a week. If you are in an administrative position at your work site, you may be able to find direct practice work in your own agency. This time, however, will be in addition to your regular work hours. In October you will receive your Field Education packet. We will then meet with you regarding expectations in October or early November. The forms in your Field Education packet must be completed by December 1 st and returned to the Field Education Department. You will then be assigned to work with an Associate or Assistant Director of Field Education. Please contact that person in January to set up a meeting. Since that person will be helping you with agency negotiations and may be visiting your agency, beginning this process as soon as possible is essential. The memorandum regarding expectations and the Educational Plan from Dean Conroy should be shared with your agency. The Educational Plan must be developed according to the criteria presented. This plan must be submitted to Dean Conroy on the first Wednesday of April. This day is the established day that all CUSSW students submit their requests for placement and Reduced Residency students adhere to the same schedule. Not making a selection or returning an Educational Plan on this day will require an exception to policy. Third Year All Reduced Residency students are required to complete 900 hours of Field Education in their placement. This can be done in a number of ways. Please see the schedule in the Addendum of this manual to review the different options available. Your choice of options will be included in the Educational Plan. This choice will be submitted to Student Services and credits are issued depending on the number of days selected. It is your responsibility to keep us informed of how you are completing your Field hours. For those of you who select a three-day per week schedule, you will be able to participate in graduation even thought your field experience will extend into the summer. You will not receive your diploma until October. A Field Advisor will be assigned to work with your agency. The Field Advisor is the consultant for your Field Education and makes sure the initial contract is being followed, that you are learning in your Field experience and are receiving the necessary supervision to meet your educational goals. The Field Advisor will review the original contract and insure that the student assignments are in line with the approved contract. Your Field Advisor or members of the Department staff are always available to answer questions. All Reduced Residency students are held to the same standards of their fellow students. These standards are delineated in the Field Education Manual available on the Field Department website. Students in a four-day a week placement (28 hours) will have two evaluations completed by the Field Instructor. Those students in the three-day a week program will have three evaluations completed by the Field Instructor. We wish you the best on this exciting journey. Appendix (PDF) Includes a contact list, forms, a field instruction calendar, and information on exploring a student's current employment as a field site. Click here. |
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