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Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work > Practicum > Course Information > Practicum 1 Time Requirements

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Practicum 1 Time Requirements

Practicum 1 (SWK4701) typically takes place from January to May of a student’s first year, with interviews taking place mid-November through mid-December.

All full-time Year 1 students are automatically enrolled in the Social Work Practicum 1 course (SWK4701H) from January to May. (See below for the Spring / Summer session exception).

Students should expect to spend  67 days in practicum. Each day is 7 hours long, for a total of 469 hours.

The MSW program is designed with classes scheduled on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Practicum attendance is scheduled as follows:

  • 21 hours a week (based on a 7-hour day); Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, from January to early April; and
  • 28 hours a week (based on a 7-hour day); Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from early April to approximately the end of May.

Key dates are located on the Schedules page in the Practicum section of the FIFSW website. Check this page regularly for updated information.

Spring / Summer Session Practicum

A practicum may be available in the Spring/Summer session for students who have failed their practicum in the winter session or have been approved for a practicum deferral. Practicum I is designed to be taken with the required course, SWK4605H – Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families. Please refer to the summer timetable for scheduling. To meet the total required days in practicum, students will attend practicum either 4 or 5 days per week, negotiated with the field instructor, and finish no later than the end of August.

The Practicum Office formalizes the student’s schedule and will forward a copy of the summer session practicum schedule to the student, Field Instructor(s), Educational Coordinator (where applicable) and Faculty-Field Liaison.

Students must declare in the Fall session whether they will be participating in a January or a Summer practicum. Students must drop the January – May SWK4701H course and add it for the Spring/Summer session.

Add/Drop Course(s) Forms are available through the School of Graduate Studies and on the Course Add, Drop and Extension Forms for Practicum page. Students are advised to be aware of the implications of full-course load requirements for OSAP funding.