Field - Inner City Social Work Program

Field instruction provides students with an opportunity to engage, as beginning practitioners, in the processes of social work assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation and integration of theory from classroom course work to placement setting. Students complete their field placement requirements in a variety of service agencies and organizations. 

The Faculty of Social Work has undergone an update of its curriculum. With the new curriculum rollout, there is a transition period where students who were admitted prior to the new curriculum beginning in 2023 will need to complete the requirements of the old curriculum. It will be important for those admitted prior to 2023 as well as those admitted into the new curriculum to become familiar with the transition, how courses will be rolled out as well as, for returning students, to know how the new curriculum rollout may impact the courses they need to register for to complete their BSW degree.

Legacy students:

Referring to both students admitted and the curriculum that were or in use prior to 2023. Policies that apply to this student type or curriculum will be highlighted in orange to make it easier to identify.

Contemporary students:

Referring to both students admitted and the curriculum that is being introduced in 2023. Policies that apply to this student type or curriculum will be highlighted in blue to make it easier to identify.

Preparing for Field

Prior to applying for field placement, students are expected to participate in the “Everything You Wanted to Know About Field” workshop. The dates of the workshop are circulated in advance. 

Students are also encouraged to access the information and supports available on campus to assist them with resumé and/or interview preparation.

Field Placement Agency Required Checks

Students seeking field placement in a health-related setting are expected to comply with the immunization policies of the designated Health Authority in their region or community area.

All students must meet all agency specific requirements prior to commencing field placement, such as Child Abuse Registry Checks, Vulnerable Sector Record Checks and Criminal Record Checks, or others as determined and specified by the respective field agency.

These checks are to be provided to the Agency and/or the Field Instructor, prior to placement starting. Please note that students will be responsible for any fees associated with the above requirements.

Matching and placement process

The Field Education Coordinator is responsible for securing a reasonable Field Placement. Please note, a student placement in a field setting is not guaranteed based on completion of pre-requisite courses and/or submission of a Field Placement Request form.

While efforts will be made to consider a student’s area of interest for a placement, there is no guarantee of a student being placed in one of their identified agency preferences. Final authority for field placement referral and confirmation rests with the Field Education Coordinator. Decisions may be based on availability of agency openings as well as the educational needs of the student.

STEP 1: 
Students requesting a Field Placement during the regular academic session (fall/winter) or summer session (May to August) must submit a Field Placement Application Form before February 1 by clicking on the appropriate link below.

BSW Field Application Summer 2026 form

BSW Field Application Fall/Winter 2026-2027 form

STEP 2: 
On or before February 4th, all students will receive an email with login details for Sonia, our online field placement software platform. Students will also receive instructions to:

  • access their Sonia profile

    upload their resume

    select field placement preferences.

STEP 3:
Students will identify up to eight preferences for their field placement on Sonia before February 15th.

STEP 4:
Students will upload their current resume to their Sonia account before February 15. Students must include only their UM email address on their resume. If personal emails are used, the placement matching process will be delayed.

Students who do not submit their placement preferences and upload their resume before the deadline will not progress to Step 5 until these requirements are fulfilled. A delay could limit their field placement options.

STEP 5: 
The Field Education Office refers eligible students to the Field Placement identified as the student’s first preference for consideration of an interview. The student’s resume will only be sent to one placement at a time.

After reviewing the resume, the Field Placement will decide whether to interview the student. If the decision is to proceed, the student will be contacted directly to arrange a meeting time.

Please allow at least 2 weeks for the Field Placement to review the resumes they have received. Field Placement response times vary.

STEP 6: 
Following the interview, the Field Placement and/or the assigned Field Instructor will notify the student and the Field Education Office whether the student will be accepted for placement.

If a student is not selected for an interview or is not chosen for a placement, their resume is forwarded to their second placement preference. This process will continue until a placement is secured for the student.

Please note that it is not uncommon for all 8 of the student’s original field preferences to be exhausted before a placement is found. When this occurs, the Field Education Office will contact the student to discuss alternatives. A placement will be found!

STEP 7: 
Once a student is offered a field placement, they will receive a confirmation email from the Field Education Office, along with relevant field placement information.

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