Internship
Internship is designed to provide BSW and MSW students with an opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge and skills developed through coursework to practice settings. These combine with the unique abilities, style, and goals of each student and learning opportunities available in each agency to produce a highly individualized internship experience.
Internships are available in community partner agencies providing services to a variety of client systems (individual, family, group, organizational, and community). The internship team begins work with students approximately 6-9 months prior to the start of the internship. Students complete an application and discussion with their internship coordinator to assess their individual goals, learning needs, and learning styles. We facilitate each step of the process with the student and agency to best match the individual goals, needs, and learning styles of the student with the opportunities offered by the agency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Internship education at the University of Maine School of Social Work provides students with an opportunity to apply and connect their classroom knowledge to real-world situations by working with a wide range of client systems in various community settings. The goal of internship education is to provide opportunities for students to learn and demonstrate the social work competencies and behaviors in social work agencies under the supervision of an experienced social worker. Students tell us that internship education is one of the most important learning experiences in their BSW and MSW programs.
In social work education, the terms “field placement,” “practicum,” and “internship” are used interchangeably. Recognizing the word “field” can have negative connotations for people with historical or present connections to slavery, trafficking, and/or migrant labor, and be confusing to client systems, our students chose the term “internship” to represent the experience using language consistent with anti-oppressive practice.
The internship experience is considered the signature pedagogy of social work. According to the Council on Social Work Education, “Signature pedagogies are elements of instruction and socialization that teach future practitioners the fundamental dimensions of professional work in their discipline: to think, to perform, and to act intentionally, ethically, and with integrity” (2022 EPAS, p. 20).
Internships vary widely given the diversity of social work practice and practice settings. All internships are arranged in agencies that support social work values and meet accepted practice standards. Each internship site provides students with a range of learning opportunities appropriate to the student’s level of social work practice. As part of the internship process, each student is assigned an internship instructor who will supervise their work at the internship site. They must meet the criteria outlined by the School of Social Work, which include providing the student with direct instruction, supervision, and ongoing feedback on the student’s progress.
Concurrently with their internship, students participate in a required internship seminar course, overseen by a faculty liaison. The internship seminar is a two semester-long, credit bearing course and included in the student’s program of study.
The number of internships and hours required depend on degree and program of study.
BSW program
BSW students complete volunteer service learning during their junior year as part of SWK 395 – Junior Internship Experience. In their senior year, BSW students take SWK 495 – BSW Generalist Internship, which requires a minimum of 400 hours over two semesters or about 14-16 hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters.
MSW program
All On-Campus Two-Year, On-Campus Four-Year, and Online-Blended MSW students complete two internships for a minimum of 900 hours total. The first internship, SWK 595 – MSW Generalist Internship, requires a minimum of 400 hours over two semesters or about 14-16 hours per week. The timing of the first internship depends on a student’s plan of study (e.g, On-Campus Two-Year, On-Campus Four-Year, or Online-Blended).
The second internship, SWK 695 – Specialization Year Internship, requires a minimum of 500 hours or about 18-20 hours per week over two semesters. MSW students may choose to complete their Specialization Year internship in Fall and Spring semester of their final year or as an intensive, full-time experience over the summer semester at the end of their final year. Students who choose this option (a “Summer Block Internship”) should plan to spend 38-40 hours on their internship between May and late August.
Advanced Standing MSW Program
Students with a BSW degree who successfully completed an internship of at least 400 hours may enroll as Advanced Standing Students. For Advanced Standing MSW students, the BSW internship counts as the Generalist Internship. As part of their program of study, Advanced Standing MSW students complete SWK 695 – Specialization Year Internship, requires a minimum of 500 hours or about 18-20 hours per week over two semesters. MSW students may choose to complete their Specialization Year internship in Fall and Spring semester of their final year or as an intensive, full-time experience over the summer semester at the end of their final year. Students who choose this option (a “Summer Block Internship”) should plan to spend 38-40 hours on their internship between May and late August.
To obtain an internship, students are asked to complete an application. Next, students meet individually with the School of Social Work internship coordinator for their program of study to determine their individual learning needs. In collaboration with the Internship coordinator, the student will identify top preferences for type of internship experiences and the internship coordinator will refer the student to relevant organizations. Before an internship is confirmed, students are typically asked to complete an interview with site personnel and any screening processes required by the site. When identifying potential placements, travel distance from the student’s home community is considered. The primary consideration, however, is the fit between student learning goals and available educational opportunities. The Internship Team makes final decisions about all student placements.
Most internships are available during traditional business hours from Monday through Friday. While some internship sites may allow students to complete some of their hours in the evenings or on weekends, the School of Social Work cannot guarantee availability of internships outside traditional business hours.
The Internship experience has traditionally been in-person only. However, some agencies have begun to offer hybrid and/or fully remote options for the internship experience. While we work hard to meet your unique needs, remote and hybrid internship opportunities are limited and may not be available for every student.
The Council on Social Work Education does not allow schools of social work to waive internships or give credit for current or previous employment or life experiences.
A student may complete their internship experience in at an agency where they are employed under one of three circumstances:
Same Employer/Different Role
When a student requests a worksite-based internship (paid or unpaid) with their existing employer in a role that is different from their current position; or
New Employment as Internship
When a student requests to use a new, paid position that is different from their current or previous employment as the social work internship; or
Hired Along the Way
When a student in an existing unfunded internship is offered the opportunity by the agency to complete the rest of the internship experience as worksite-based internship.
Obtaining a worksite internship is the responsibility of a student and must be approved by the School of Social Work internship team prior to beginning a worksite based internship.. Students complete an additional application with the worksite and the School of Social Work to demonstrate the worksite internship provides opportunities for the student to engage as a learner, fulfill CSWE core competencies appropriate to the level of their internship, offers appropriate supervision, and meets other criteria for internship sites.
Students must be in their internship for the entirety of the academic semesters they are enrolled in the associated internship seminar. While students may complete more than the minimum required hours, they may not end their internship prior to the end of the semester. Internships must be taken during the semesters indicated in the appropriate program of study.
Most internship sites do not offer stipends and the availability of stipends can vary widely from year to year. When available, stipends are funded by the agency and/or a specific grant opportunity. They are not payment for service delivery by the intern and are not associated with employment expectations or requirements. While the internship team works hard to meet student needs, funded internship opportunities are extremely limited. In recognition of the financial difficulties that students may encounter, the School of Social Work will consider funded internships when possible and available.
Please contact the University of Maine Internship Director, Leah Maxwell, at 207-581-2389 or leah.maxwell@maine.edu.
Questions?
Email leah.maxwell@maine.edu.