To make a real difference, gain real-life experience.
Female counselor talking to female client
Female counselor talking to female client
To make a real difference, gain real-life experience.

Fieldwork is Essential for Your Success

To become a well-rounded, fully qualified social worker, you need firsthand experience in addition to coursework. Social work is rooted in relationship development and personal service, so success in the field demands practical understanding and supervised interaction with real clients. For most students, including those at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, this initial exposure comes through fieldwork.

You’ll complete fieldwork throughout your first and second years in the online Master of Social Work (MSW) program. It will bring your studies to life. Through dialogue with diverse clients, you’ll be empowered to practice social work with true cultural sensitivity and responsiveness, fully understanding all facets of the client relationship, including:

  • Engagement
  • Assessment
  • Intervention
  • Evaluation
  • Termination

Video Transcript

Stacey Bendet:
I am the mother of ten children and I have a masters in education and wanted to further my education by getting a masters in social work. My field placement was actually in a all girls high school. As an educator, I was able to really relate to the administration and the teachers of the school, but I was also able to take all the classes and skills that I'm learning in a master's in social work and apply them into a classroom.

The way they issue the university set it up that they provide you with a field instructor if you need one. Really just opened the doors and was able to help guide me through weaving the educational and social work piece to better enhance the lives of students.

Discover a New Focus in Social Work

As you progress through the online MSW program, you will have an opportunity to focus on specific service areas, including:

  • Advanced clinical practice with individuals and families
  • Group work
  • Community practice

These areas of emphasis will carry over into your fieldwork opportunities as you begin to integrate your classroom knowledge into client exchanges at hospitals, welfare agencies, mental health facilities, schools and more.

Fieldwork is especially crucial for students pursuing the Gerontology and Palliative Care Embedded Certification or the Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) credentialing. You’ll complete second-year advanced fieldwork in an agency related to or partially serving the population in which you specialize.

Contact the Field Instruction Office
212-960-0803
wsswfield@yu.edu

Download the MSW Fieldwork FAQ Sheet

For more information about MSW fieldwork, including planning, placement and scheduling, consult our Fieldwork Planning FAQ document.

Partner With the Best

As a Wurzweiler online MSW student, your fieldwork will be supervised by the experts at one of our many well-established partner organizations. Past partners include:

American Red Cross
North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center
The Jewish Board
New York City Department of Education
Volunteers of America Utah
Johns Hopkins Medicine
North Mississippi Health Services
Children’s Aid
Discover Your Next Step
This will only take a moment.

By clicking "Get Program Brochure" and submitting this form, I agree to receive text messages, emails and other communication regarding educational programs and opportunities, and to be contacted by Yeshiva University and Everspring, its authorized representative. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. Reply HELP for help and STOP to cancel. View our privacy policy and disclosures.
PDS-thumbnail.jpg

Make an impact as part of the Wurzweiler community.

Expand your career in social work and make a difference in the world. Earn your master’s degree online with Yeshiva University and the Wurzweiler School of Social Work. The online MSW program combines the best of our on-campus program with unparalleled flexibility.

For further information on the specifics of the program, fieldwork, application requirements and much more, complete the form and download the program guide.

young lady with glasses and floral top working on laptop

Prepare to Journey Ahead


The Wurzweiler Admissions Outreach Team is on standby to answer your questions about our online curriculum, application process and student support resources. Invest in social equity. It’s time to earn an MSW from a leading university for social work.1

Visit Admissions

headshot of smiling woman in white t-shirt

More Than a Career—
It’s a Calling

At Wurzweiler, we understand that your choice to pursue social work is more than a simple career decision: it’s based on a deep commitment to serving others. Let us help you explore that inspiration and guide you toward meaningful employment opportunities.

View Career Resources