Field Education Practicum Hours
Trent Social Work placements are concurrent placements, meaning students attend their field placements three days per week while completing course work two days per week. Trent does not offer block (full-time) placements or standalone summer placements.
Students typically complete 21 learning hours per week, including supervision. Lunch breaks, statutory holidays, snow days, sick days, and other absences from the field setting do not count toward practicum hours.
Students generally attend field practicum on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, for seven hours per day (21 hours per week). Schedule adjustments may be approved if they do not conflict with classes, and are supported by the placement agency. While placements are not normally scheduled during evenings, weekends, or reading weeks, students may attend placement during these times if required.
Students may not attend practicum when Trent University is closed, including statutory holidays and the Trent University Winter Closure.
Placement Schedule
Third-Year
Students complete their third-year field placements from January through April, for a minimum of 240 hours.
Third-year students are required to attend a Placement Preparation Week, hosted by the Social Work Department, scheduled over 3 days in early January. This week includes orientation sessions, workshops, and training designed to prepare students for field education. These 21 hours count toward placement hours. If a student must attend placement during these dates due to time-sensitive agency activities, they should notify the Field Education Coordinator so arrangements can be made to ensure access to the preparation materials.
See the Third-Year Placement Schedule for detailed dates.
Fourth-Year
Students complete their fourth-year placement from September through April, for a minimum of 460 hours.
Full details are outlined in the Fourth-Year Placement Schedule.