A Critical Conversation: Examining Non-Traditional and Underserved Student Barriers During Field Education

Overview: Individuals, regardless of their societal position, have fundamental rights to an adequate standard of living and education according to Core Competency 3. However, current field practicum standards impede such rights to social work students. This panel presentation will provide multi-level perspectives on the graduate social work student field practicum experience.Proposal text: Social workers understand that individuals, regardless of their societal position, have fundamental rights to an adequate standard of living and education according to Core Competency 3 (Council on Social Work Education, 2015). However, social work’s signature pedagogy—field education, impedes upon such fundamental rights to social work students (Boitel, & Fromm, 2014; Petra, Tripepi, & Guardiola, 2020; Raskin, Bogo, & Wayne, 2008; Smith, Goins, & Savani, 2021). According to the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards, graduate-level students must earn a minimum of 900 hours to meet the field education requirements of a Master of Social Work (MSW) (Council on Social Work Education, 2015). MSW students typically accrue their required practicum hours through unpaid field placements; however, not all MSW students can absorb the financial impacts of unpaid semester-long field placement (Raskin, Bogo, & Wayne, 2008; Smith, Goins, & Savani, 2021). More specifically, non-traditional and underserved students experience the most significant adverse effects from unpaid field placements (Smith, Goins, & Savani, 2021). According to the literature, non-traditional students are described as individuals who are— 25-years of age or older, delayed collegiate enrollment, are part-time students and working full-time, or single parents (Smith, Goins, & Savani, 2021). Students who are identified as underserved are typically first-generation, women, and persons of color (Smith, Goins, & Savani, 2021).

Over the last decade, accredited social work programs across the United States have experienced an influx in the enrollment of non-traditional and underserved students (Smith, Goins, & Savani, 2021). In addition, the United States Department of Labor asserts there is a growing demand for social work-trained professionals in the current workforce (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). Coupled with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities of color, the need for a diversified social work workforce is not only necessary but required for those served by social work professionals. While non-traditional and underserved students are answering the social work professional calling and diversifying MSW programs across the United States, the literature suggests that programs are not well-adjusted to accommodate the needs of such students (Buck & Sowbel, 2016; Smith, Goins, & Savani, 2021). In addition, current field practicum requirements are creating additional barriers that can lead to burnout before the student graduates or becomes a social work professional (Buck & Sowbel, 2016; Davis, 2014; Smith, Goins, & Savani, 2021).

Acknowledging the needs and barriers that non-traditional and underserved students encounter, this collaborative student and faculty panel presentation will provide attendees with multi-level perspectives from current MSW students, a field instructor/liaison, and an Assistant Dean of Field Education on the field practicum experience. Student panelists will provide attendees with personal experiences during the completion of their field practicum and will explore literature surrounding barriers for non-traditional and underserved MSW students. Additionally, faculty panelists will provide their perspectives on advocating for non-traditional and underserved student success during field education. Lastly, in a joint effort, the panelists will emphasize the importance and the need to advocate for adjusting field education structures that impinge upon non-traditional and underserved student success.