Students may request to pause or leave field due to personal circumstances, agency-related concerns, or personal preference.
Steps for Requesting to Pause or Leave Field are dependent upon the following circumstances:
Student Requests to Pause or Leave Field Due to Personal or Family Emergency, Medical or Mental Health reason, Significant Life Event (e.g. relocation, financial reasons): • If a student anticipates a need to leave or pause their field placement, they must promptly inform their field instructor/task supervisor and field faculty. • A Field Success and/or Student Success meeting will be convened to discuss next steps. Meetings can be delayed or waived depending upon the circumstances. Field Faculty should discuss with the Field Director (or designee). • Field Faculty should document whenever a student is pausing field and notify appropriate School of Social Work representatives. When applicable, students should submit an OFE Leaving Field Form for review and approval by field faculty and the director of field education (or designee). • Students will receive an "I" (Incomplete) grade and may need to submit an Out-of-Sequence Petition.
Student Expresses Agency-Related Concerns: • Students must first address concerns with their field instructor/task supervisor if appropriate. They may consult field faculty for guidance. • If unresolved, a meeting with field faculty may be arranged to create a plan, which may include increased supervision or additional support. • A follow-up meeting is held in 3-5 weeks to assess progress and determine further action. If unresolved, the student may complete the Leaving Field Form. • A Field Success meeting will be convened to discuss next steps. Field Faculty should discuss with the Field Director (or designee).
Student Preference Requests: • Changing placements for personal preference (reasons that do not fall into either of the categories above) is discouraged due to potential program delays and financial implications. • Students must consult their field faculty and exhaust all avenues to address questions and/or resolve concerns. • If students opt to proceed with leaving the field placement, students must terminate the current placement before pursuing a new one via the Leaving Field Form. No hours will count and the field credits will need to be repeated. Students will submit a late withdrawal form. • A Field Success meeting will be arranged to discuss next steps and implications. Field Faculty should discuss with the Field Director (or designee).
Re-Placement Timelines: • On-Campus/Local Online Students: a) Termination Before the Field Application Closes: No hours transfer. Aim to restart the next term. b) Termination After the Field Application Closes: Re-apply next term, re-start field in two terms. Hours and grade determinations will be decided at the Field Success meeting. • Non-Local Online Students: a) More than 10 Weeks to End of Term: No hours transfer. Re-apply same term, replaced in 4-6 months, restart in two terms. b) Less than 10 Weeks to End of Term: Re-apply next term, re-placed in next two terms, restart in three terms. Hours and grade determinations will be decided at the Field Success meeting. • All students may restart early if all materials related to the placement are finalized early.
Additional Points: • Field faculty should inform academic advisors and program managers • Students will be informed at the Field Success meeting that terminations may delay graduation and have financial implications. • Terminations in the final term of SW691 may require an extra term for new placement and competency completion.