The major criteria used by the faculty in selecting agencies for placing interns are twofold: the agency must be able to provide experienced social workers (or professionals in related fields) who will be able to supervise the interns; and the agency must be able to provide students with actual "doing" or service types of experiences. This means that the agency must be willing to assume some risk-taking since interns may make mistakes.

At the present time, there are three phases to the educational program for all agency instructors who supervise students. At the beginning of the semester, the faculty supervisor orients each of the agency instructors regarding expectations and individual student needs. (Much of this orientation is accomplished by the orientation meetings for agency supervisors that are held twice a year at the campus.) There is periodic faculty visitation during the semester in which intern strengths and deficiencies are discussed. At the end of the semester, the intern and the agency supervisor meet with the faculty supervisor to discuss positive learning experiences, shortcomings (as seen by either intern or supervisor), avenues for further growth of skills and to explore suggestions for improving field placements.

The process of preparing students for placement is as follows:

Advisement for field placement begins early. Students are urged by faculty advisors, when they select social work as a major, to focus and shape their curriculum to provide both a broad generic base in the liberal arts, and to select courses that will enable them to understand the issues and processes of intervention.

During the semester prior to their field placement, students are called together to attend a field orientation meeting. At this time, students are informed of the expectations of field placement and their role as interns. It is expected that the field placement will provide a simulated work experience under the close supervision of an agency practitioner. Students are reminded of professional ethics, client confidentiality, work responsibility, and attitudes and expected dress appropriate to the particular type of placement. Grades and the evaluation of student performance are also discussed. In addition, other aspects of placement are reviewed.

Students are briefed about the role and activities of social workers at the various agencies. After completing a form indicating their agency and geographical preferences, students are assigned to a faculty field supervisor.

The faculty supervisor then contacts the prospective agency field instructor to determine if the agency is interested in interviewing one or more students for the coming semester. If the agency is interested, the student is asked to call the field instructor to arrange for an interview. (Prior to this interview agency supervisors may ask the students to send, or bring along, a resume illustrating course preparation, work and volunteer experiences, and career interests). If, after the interview, both the agency and student view the prospective placement positively, the student's placement at that agency is arranged. If either the agency or the student have serious reservations, then the student interviews at a different agency.

When a placement is arranged, the student is then assigned to a specific agency practitioner (this may or may not be the same person with whom the student interviewed) who provides direct supervision. In the cases of a new agency placement or a new agency supervisor, a prior meeting will usually have been held for orientation purposes and to review the role responsibilities of the agency supervisor, of the faculty supervisor, and of the student. The majority of agency supervisors are social workers with at least two years experience. Occasionally, a supervisor does not have a social work degree. In such instances, specific attention is given to assure that the student's activities will be in accordance with social work functions.

At mid-semester a meeting is set with the student, the field instructor, and the faculty supervisor to review the student's progress and to establish objectives of the student's performance for the remainder of the placement time. These learning objectives and the student's performance are reviewed at the end of placement for final evaluation and grading. Suggestions for improvement, advanced courses, and career choices may also be covered as appropriate.