Practicum Program
The practicum is an integral component of the School’s total educational program. It engages the student in supervised social work practice and provides opportunities to apply field learning to the classroom situation. The School has access to some of the most qualified Practicum Instructors in the State of Hawai’i. More than 150 experienced practitioners serve as Practicum Instructors for students and work with the Practicum Office to develop and provide students with quality professional social work education.
The primary purpose of practicum is to provide students with educational opportunities to apply foundation and concentration knowledge, skills, values, and ethics to practice. The practicum provides students with a bridge between practice realities and classroom learning. It offers students the opportunity to integrate and assimilate knowledge and theory with field experience, and build a foundation for their own professional identity. It also provides students the opportunity to acquire practice knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes in working with diverse client systems within a service setting.
The Practicum Office is responsible for the total practicum program of the School of Social Work. We strive to provide the optimal field practicum experience for each student. Using a collaborative approach, we attempt to find placements for students based on input that they provide. We hope that field practicum is a wonderful experience for all of our students and take every opportunity to ensure that each student is challenged to his/her potential.
Historical Background
In September 1936, the University of Hawai’i at Manoa began offering a social work training program to students on the undergraduate and graduate level primarily to train employees of local social work agencies who lacked professional social work preparation. A one-year program for professional graduate level students was fully accredited in January 1948 by the American Association of School of Social Work leading to the award of a Certificate of Social Work.
A two-year graduate program leading to the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree was approved by the Board of Regents in November 1948. The School was fully accredited as a two-year Graduate School of Social Work by the American Association of School of Social Work in January 1950.
In 1994, the School’s BSW and MSW programs were fully reaccredited for eight years by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education. The Council is the national accrediting body for professional schools of social work.
Click to view BSW Practicum Information OR
Go to the BSW Practicum Forms Page
Click to view MSW Practicum Information OR
Go to the MSW Practicum Forms Page
