600 Student Advising

Academic and field advisement is made available to all SSW students. Its purpose is to support student learning and address concerns, questions or issues as they arise. It is the aim of SSW to ensure that structural components such as factors at the School or agency in field advisement are taken into consideration within advisement as well.

600.1 Summer Academic Advising

Instructors for practice courses SOCW 500/SOCW 501 serve as the Academic Advisers for first-summer students; first summer students are required to meet with their Academic Adviser at least once over the course of the summer. 

Instructors for practice courses SOCW 600/SOCW 601 serve as Academic Advisers for second-summer students. Although meeting with advisers is not required in second-summer, it is highly recommended that students initiate at least one such meeting over the summer.

The Registrar Office will randomly assign advisors from the resident faculty to serve as advisors for third year students. Exceptions for the assignment of advisers are made when instructors hold an administrative role within the School. Advisers can be consulted as needed during the student’s third summer.

600.2 Field Advising

Field advisers are assigned each field year for the September-April term. Advisers are matched to students based on a number of considerations, with emphasis on geographical proximity, advisers’ familiarity with the site.

600.3 Community Based Anti-Racism Experience (CBARE) Advising

Students are assigned an adviser for the duration of the CBARE. 

600.4 Research Practicum Advising

A Research Practicum is a 2-credit elective course equivalent usually completed during the second field session. The Practicum may serve as the student’s third summer research elective. Students must seek and secure agreement from a Resident faculty member or from an SSW adjunct faculty member who is conducting the study. The faculty member will serve as the Research Practicum adviser. Approval from the Research Sequence Chair is also required.