RAMAPO COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY
SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM
STUDENT LEARNING CONTRACT
In 2008 the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) initiated a competency based education
model and developed ten Core Competencies (EP 2.1.1 - EP 2.1.10) which are a sub-set of the overarching Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Our curriculum, including our field
program, is organized around the EPAS as mandated by CSWE. This must be done in order to obtain and
maintain CSWE accreditation
We ask that during the next few weeks you sit with your student(s) and begin to select
tasks/activities that will be completed during their 400 hour fieldwork. Joint development of the
agreement will produce the richest results. Please keep in mind, the Student Learning Contract must be
provided by the student to their course instructor on the assigned due date in the Field Calendar. It is
usually around the fourth week, but your student will know this date. Of course, the field instructor and
intern can add and delete tasks/activities that will or will not be completed and that are specific to this
particular internship. Consider this a living kind of document, which is open to revision, if needed. This
agreement will be utilized by the Field Liaison when conducting the site visit.
Please remember, sometimes some of the most basic things can be easily overlooked by a field
instructor and yet, be so important to the student. The student is new to everything, such a learning a new
telephone system and how or where to get office supplies! That said, there are some particular things
being agreed on that could easily be considered too obvious, but that bear unique mention:
1. Please plan for an adequate work space with computer and phone access.
2. Consider how the student is to deal with something that requires direction when they don’t have
access to their field instructor.
3. It is important to plan for a reasonable work volume and intensity. Understandably, this is
sometimes easier said than done, but to the extent possible, the student should be busy with
quality learning assignments without being overloaded with agency overflow. Approximately 10
of the 16 hours of weekly fieldwork should be direct work with clients, groups or families. This
can include observing groups, talking on the phone to clients or shadowing other workers
interviewing clients.
4. Supervision is essential to all student and professional growth. The expectation is that the student
will receive one hour of direct supervision per week. Group supervision is a wonderful medium,
but it should not be conceived of as wholly replacing the opportunity for individual supervision.
Directions to complete the Student Learning Contract—For each Competency and Practice Behavior,
in the space provided, state the agency learning task or activity which will give the student experience to
learn a practice behavior. State how you will see the evidence that the learning has been accomplished.
Using the accompanying document “Example of Student Tasks and Activities in the Student Learning
Contract” you can select from the examples and/or provide your own but include at least 3-5 tasks or
activities per competency that students will be engaged in over the course of their 400 hours of fieldwork.
STUDENT LEARNING CONTRACT
STUDENT NAME
AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
FIELD INSTRUCTOR’S NAME
PHONE
EMAIL ADDRESS
TASK FIELD INSTRUCTOR (if applicable)
FIELD LIAISON
STUDENT DAYS AND TIMES AT AGENCY
HOW WILL STUDENT BE ORIENTED TO THE AGENCY
SUPERVISION TIME
REQUIRED SUPERVISORY RECORDING
RECORD KEEPING EXPECTATIONS
AGREEMENT FOR TIME AT HOLIDAYS
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS (provide more details below under each competency)
Competency 2.1.1 Students identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself
accordingly.
In the space below, discuss what activities will be used to demonstrate, monitor &
evaluate the following:
 Utilize effective supervision to improve professional and personal growth
 Demonstrate the effective use of consultation and supervision to guide ethical
decision making in one’s own practice
 Work satisfactorily within the structure of the agency
 Exhibit professional social work practice habits
 Understand the agency’s relationship to their community delivery system
 See necessary organizational change within the agency
 Incorporate the planned change model to specific agency tasks
 Communicates and Empathizes effectively with clients
 Communicates effectively with colleagues and supervisors
2.1.2 Students apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.
In the space below, discuss what activities will be used to demonstrate, monitor &
evaluate the following:
 Shows knowledge of social work principles, values, and ethics to guide behavior
 Demonstrates the effective use and integration of social work values and ethics to
guide behavior
 Understands how personal principles, values, and ethics influence policy
 Analyze one’s own practice in relation to social work standards
2.1.3 Students apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments.
In the space below, discuss what activities will be used to demonstrate, monitor &
evaluate the following:
 Demonstrate an understanding of planned change process
 Apply critical thinking skills within the context of practice
 Apply planned change process skills within the context of practice
 Capable of developing strategies for assessing personal and professional growth
 Develop goals and objectives for assessing personal and professional growth
 Evaluate the process and effectiveness of one’s own practice
2.1.4 Students engage diversity and difference in practice.
In the space below, discuss what activities will be used to demonstrate, monitor &
evaluate the following:
 Demonstrate knowledge and respect of differences in relation to age, class, color,
disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race,
religion, sex, and sexual orientation in social work generalist practice
 Accept human difference in social work generalist practice
 Practice without discrimination in relation to diversity in social work generalist
practice
 Develop a positive worker/client relationship with diverse populations
2.1.5 Students advance human rights and social and economic justice.
In the space below, discuss what activities will be used to demonstrate, monitor &
evaluate the following:
 Demonstrate understanding of significant social issues
 Understand the structural factors that create adversity for specific groups in
society
 Advocate for the needs concerns of diverse populations
 Advocate on behalf of clients who have been oppressed and discriminated
against
 Show an understanding of the consequences of oppression and discrimination on
attainment of social justice
2.1.6 Students engage in research-informed practice and practice- informed research.
In the space below, discuss what activities will be used to demonstrate, monitor &
evaluate the following:
 Develop research for evaluating social work generalist practice
 Critically analyze empirically based research findings and apply them to
generalist social work practice
 Utilize program evaluation techniques to assess program effectiveness
2.1.7 Students apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
In the space below, discuss what activities will be used to demonstrate, monitor &
evaluate the following:
 Understand social work theories and their application to professional social work
practice (Bio-Psycho-Social, Cultural and Spiritual development)
 Critique and apply social work theory to guide the process of assessment,
intervention, and evaluation
2.1.8 Students engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and
to deliver effective social work services.
In the space below, discuss what activities will be used to demonstrate, monitor &
evaluate the following:
 Recognize the impact of social policy on agencies, workers and populations at
risk
 Understand the ways policy impacts social work generalist practice
 Develop and implement effective advocacy strategies and tactics in social work
generalist practice
2.1.9 Students respond to contexts that shape practice.
In the space below, discuss what activities will be used to demonstrate, monitor &
evaluate the following:
 Demonstrate understanding of how context (environmental, political,
technological, etc.) continuously evolves and influences practice.
 Understand how practice can change based on societal trends to provide relevant
& quality services
2.1.10 Students engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities
In the space below, discuss what activities will be used to demonstrate, monitor &
evaluate the following:
 Show foundation knowledge of social work practice with individuals
 Exhibit practice skills enabling student to enhance her/his well-being from a
strengths based perspective
 Apply entry level social work practice with an ecological systems perspective
 Understand the socialization process as it is reflected in the dynamics of
individual and group behavior
 Demonstrate knowledge of group processes, structure, dynamics in generalist
group practice
 Demonstrate the ability to effectively facilitate groups
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Understand the stages of group development as they apply to group process
Apply the generalist practice model to culture and behavior of organizations
Demonstrate the understanding of client advocacy knowledge and skills at the
macro level
Identify the dynamics of change within organizational structures and
communities
Field Instructor’s Signature__________________________________________
Student’s Signature________________________________________________
Date____________________________________________________________