Weekly outline

  • MSW Field Program Overview

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    Welcome to Field!


  • ONLINE MSW FIELD COORDINATOR

    Online MSW Students should contact our Online MSW Field Coordinator, Joanna VanLear, with any questions they may have regarding their field placements. Joanna's contact information can be found below:

    Joanna Van Lear MSW, LCSW

    MSW Online Field Coordinator, School of Education and Social Work

    Aurora University Main Campus 

    Institute for Collaboration Building, room 325

    (630) 844-5262

    jvanlear@aurora.edu

    Pronouns: she/her

    To schedule an appointment with Joanna, click HERE. 

  • Tevera

    As an Aurora University Social Work student, you will automatically be eligible for a Tevera account. Tevera is a field management and assessment platform that will be utilized throughout your time with Aurora University, so an active account is a requirement for all students.

    To activate your account, you will go to the MSW News and Resources Moodle page and click on the Tevera Registration link. You will then be redirected straight to Tevera, and can follow the prompts to complete the registration of your account.


  • Online Field Orientation

    Before you register for field courses, you are required to attend a field orientation session to get familiar with the process and structure of field education. Field orientations are conducted about once every month and are held via Zoom. Please register for the field orientation session you plan to attend.

    Upcoming Field Orientation Sessions

    • July 12, 2023 (Wednesday) at 6:00 PM CT
    • August 19, 2023 (Saturday) at 10:00 AM CT

  • Finding and Securing an Internship

    Finding and Securing an Internship

    Field Applications for Fall 2023 are due to Tevera by July 1, 2023.  Start your search today!!

    Step 1: Click on the Tevera Link

    Step 2: Once logged into Tevera, go to Site Placements> My Sites> Browse*

                   *Enter your zip code and distance preferences for a list of sites near you

    Step 3: Click "+" to expand the site of sites and view their contact information

    Step 4: On Moodle, view Current Field Placement Openings

    Step 5: If you do not see any sites listed in your state, check out https://www.211.org/about-us/your-local-211, to reach out and inquire about internships with potential new sites for AU to affiliate with.

    Step 6: Send a professional email * (from your AU email account) to the site with a cover letter and resume attached (in PDF form). See example on Moodle.

                     *If you do not receive a reply, follow up 1 week later

    Step 7: If you receive a reply, set up a time to interview

    Step 8: Continue the above process until you are offered an internship

    Step 9: Once you have accepted an offer, log into Tevera and complete your field application

                    Site Placements> Internship> Follow the guided steps


    Ready to get started?
    3) Utilize the "My Sites" tab in your Tevera account to view already affiliated agencies 
    4) Utilize the Field Search Log (below)
    5) Review the Field Checklist (below), for a helpful timeline of events

  • Interview, Resume, and Cover Letter Tips


  • Outreach Email Example

    Use the example email (below) for outreach to sites. Be sure to customize the words written in blue.

    You will send a professional email (from your AU email account) to the site with a cover letter and resume attached (in PDF form).

    Example email:

    Good afternoon,

    I am a current BSW student at Aurora University. I am in the process of searching for an internship for the 2023/2024 school year. If you are currently accepting interns for a Fall 2023 start date, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to interview with your site.

    Please find my cover letter and resume attached to this email. I look forward to hearing back from you.

    Kindly, 

    (Name)


  • Submit Field Application


     

    Guide to the Field Application Process  

    Once you’ve accepted an offer from an agency, you will complete the Site Selection process in Tevera to begin the field application process. Please begin this process as soon as you accept an offer from an agency to ensure that your start date is not delayed. 

    Please note: You will submit one field application in Tevera per internship. Your field application covers both semesters since your placement is required to be done over the course of two 16-week semesters. You do not need to complete a field application for each individual semester. 

     

    Applying for an AU affiliated site:

     

    Step 1: Register your Tevera account with the Field Program. You will do this by clicking on the Tevera Registration link on your Program News & Resources Moodle page.

    Step 2: You will log into your Tevera account and go to the “Site Placements” tile on your home page, and then go to “my site placements”.  Note: Please click on the tab that corresponds with the term you are starting your internship. (Spring, Summer, or Fall).

    Step 3: Pre-Application Task: Read, sign, and submit the Field Consent form.

    Step 4: Site details & Supervisor details: You will select the site and supervisor from the already approved lists available in Tevera. You will then complete the Projected Start/End Dates form, keeping in mind that internships cover cover two 16-week semesters (32 weeks in total) and this should be reflected in your start and end dates.  

    Step 5: Once you have confirmed/submitted 

         1. the Site, 

         2. the Site Supervisor,

         3. the Projected Start/End Dates form, 

    the field team will begin to review your site placement application. If these steps are complete, the field team will grant permission for you to register for your field instruction course. 

    Step 6: Final approval will include verifying site affiliation and liability insurance status, collecting the required pre-requisites, if applicable, and confirming student registration in the field courses. You will receive a notification in Tevera once your application has received final approval. 


    Applying for a site not affiliated with AU:
     
    Step 1: Register your Tevera account with the Field Program.  You will do this by clicking on the Tevera Registration link on your Program News & Resources Moodle page.

    Step 2: You will log into your Tevera account and go to the “Site Placements” tile on your home page, and then go to “my site placements”.  Note: Please click on tab that corresponds with the term you are starting your internship. (Spring, Summer or Fall).

    Step 3: Pre-Application Task: Read, sign and submit the Field Consent form. 

    Step 4: Site details: After completing your pre-application task, you will go to “select site” and scroll to the bottom of the page. You will select “Suggest a Site” and enter in the contact email for the agency contact who has offered you the internship position. This will initiate a New Site Information form the site will need to complete and submit.  

    Step 5: Supervisor details:  Open Supervisor details and scroll down to "Suggest a Supervisor". Enter your site supervisor's email address and submit the form. This will generate a New Field Instructor Information form that will be sent to your site supervisor for them to complete and submit. You will then complete the Projected Start/End Dates form, keeping in mind that internships cover two 16-week semesters (32 weeks in total) and this should be reflected in your start and end dates.  

    Step 6: Once you have submitted 
         1. the New Site Information form, 
         2. the New Field Instructor Information form and 
         3. the Projected Start/End Dates form, 
    the field team will begin to review your site placement application. If these steps are complete, the field team will grant permission for you to register for your field instruction course. 

    Step 7: Final approval will include verifying site affiliation and liability insurance status, collecting the required pre-requisites, if applicable, and confirming student registration in the field courses. You will receive a notification from Tevera once your application has received final approval. 
     

    See link for more support around the application process in Tevera: Tevera application tutorial




  • Pre-screening Affiliation Requirements

    After you submit your field application, you may begin completing pre-screening requirements if your agency has specifically outlined which tests they want you to complete.  You must complete all agency requirements before a confirmation letter can be sent allowing you to begin your internship.  
    If the agency has not informed you of pre-screening requirements, please wait for an email from the Field Affiliation Coordinator before starting any pre-screening affiliation requirements.  We do not want you to pay for any tests if it is not necessary.



  • Learning Agreement

  • MSW Professional Field Documents

    Professional social work education requires high standards of academic, personal, and professional conduct.  The education program at the MSW level requires the development of ethics and values as well as knowledge and skills.

  • Field Liaison

    Once the semester starts you will be assigned to a Field Liaison. In addition to being the instructor of your field course, their role will be to aid you in problem-solving with your site/supervisor, answer any questions you may have regarding your field placement, hours, requirements, etc.

    ***Liaison Plus***

    As applicable, students whose supervisor does not have an MSW with 2 yrs experience in the field as outlined by CSWE will be required to participate in the Liaison Plus program, which consists of regular Moodle forum posts. Students can confirm if they are in Liaison Plus with their field liaison.