BSW Program Field Education

Field Education

Welcome! My name is Professor Forehand, and it’s my honor to serve as the Field Director for the UT Tyler Social Work Program. As the Field Director, it’s my job to help students prepare for Field, find their placement site, and make the most of their Field experience.

For students:

On this page, you will find FAQs about Field, the timeline for Field education, our Field Manual, and my contact information. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions—I am here to help!

For agencies:

If you are an agency interested in becoming affiliated with us as a placement site, please reach out to me via my email, listed below, or fill out our Prospective Site Form online. We are excited to explore partnership with you as a placement site for our BSW students!

Field FAQS:

When do I take Field?
You take Field during your senior year.

How do I know when I am ready for Field?
You should be meeting regularly with Professor Kenney for advising appointments. It's best to meet with Professor Kenney as early as possible during your Junior Year to determine your readiness for Field. If you fail to schedule your advising appointments or to keep up with your course schedule, the BSW Program is not responsible for delays to your Field education.

How many hours do I have to do for Field?
Field is 420 hours total. You can opt to do a split placement (210 hours over Spring and Fall Semesters of your senior year) or a block placement (420 hours during your last semester of your senior year). Please note: For split placements, you must start in the Fall Semester. You cannot start a split placement in the Spring Semester.

Do you offer summer placements?
Currently, we don't offer Field placements during the summer.

What is Tevera?
Tevera is our online placement and time-tracking software. After attending the Pre-Field Workshop, you will be sent a set-up invite for Tevera. Then, you can begin exploring sites and completing the Pre-Field paperwork. You'll also use Tevera during Field to log your hours and supervision.

What if I need help with Tevera?
Tevera has an excellent customer support team. If you have any issues, you can click the "Help" button in Tevera or contact Professor Forehand for assistance.

How do I find my Field placement site?After signing up for Tevera, complete the Pre-Field Questionnaire. Professor Forehand will use the information you provide in the Pre-Field Questionnaire to match you with your Field site.

Are there paid sites?

For the most part, the sites we partner with don't offer compensation to students. Occasionally, we will have a site that offers students a stipend, but this is not the norm. If you already work at a social services agency, it may be possible for you to do your Field placement at your place of employment. However, all sites have to meet certain requirements and must be vetted by the Field Director. If you are interested in doing your Field placement at your place of employment, reach out to Professor Forehand for more information.

Can I work during Field?
We understand that many of our students work and want to keep working throughout their time in our program. We encourage you to choose a Field placement option (split or block) that will be the most sustainable for you and to make arrangements ahead of time, as needed. Block placements students are expected to be at their sites for an average of 30 hours per week and split placement students are expected to be at their sites for an average of 15 hours per week.

Timeline for Field Education:

As Early as Possible During First Semester of Junior Year:

Meet with program advisor to determine readiness for Field.
Ensure all prerequisite courses, including UT System core curriculum requirements and all required BSW courses have been completed.

Semester Prior to Entering Field (last semester of junior year or first semester of senior year, depending on placement type):

Attend Pre-Field Workshop at the beginning of the semester.
Sign up for Tevera, create list of preferred sites, and complete required paperwork.
Once required paperwork has been completed, the Field Director will pair the student with an appropriate site. The student will be notified of their site via Tevera.
Schedule and complete placement interviews no later than April (for Spring semester) or November (for Fall semester).
Enroll in appropriate courses:
- BLOCK Students: SOCW 4601 Practicum I, SOCW 4602 Practicum II, SOCW 4141 Integrative Seminar I, and SOCW 4142 Integrative Seminar II all concurrent during Field placement
- SPLIT Students: SOCW 4601 Practicum I and SOCW 4141 Integrative Seminar I in the fall semester and SOCW 4602 Practicum II and SOCW 4142 Integrative Seminar II in the spring semester.

Field Manual:

Updated Field Manual coming soon!

Tevera:

Access Tevera

Access Tevera Support

Please note: You cannot access Tevera until you have completed the Pre-Field Workshop. After completing the Pre-Field Workshop, Professor Forehand will send you a sign-up link for Tevera.