The 2020 MSW graduate students at University of Southern California (USC) are requesting your support in advocating for elimination of remaining field education hours during this COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic.

In light of the growing global pandemic (World Health Organization) and the CDC’s recommendation to avoid areas with 10 or more people in attendance, our program has moved our classes online for the rest of the semester and has suspended in person field education until March 30th. Social work students are obligated to fulfill the remaining hours for field placement to graduate or receive credit for the semester. 

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), has a field education requirement of 900 hours for a graduate program. The Suzanne Dworak Peck School of Social Work at USC requires 1000 hours total.

On March 16, the CSWE released a statement to address fulfilling field hours during this pandemic.

The CSWE states "Programs should decide how best to meet field education requirements in a manner that is appropriate for their students, their community, and their unique challenges. Accreditation standards require a minimum number of required hours for field education 400 hours for baccalaureate programs and 900 hours for master’s programs (AS 2.2.5). If the program requires additional hours above and beyond the minimum per AS 2.2.5, the program may choose to reduce or eliminate the additional hours."

We strongly encourage the deans and field director to consider the decision to waive the remaining 100 field placement hours in the time of this pandemic.