The Definitive Guide to Social Work Internships

Written Originally for the publisher Wiley’s client: socialworkdegrees.org

People who think social work careers are right for them might need internships in social work to gain the experience necessary for such careers.

Internships in social work can come at all levels throughout one’s academic and professional social work career, and social work internships are not of one type. 

Some social work internships are paid, involving a stipend, and some are unpaid. Some internships in social work are obtained through or during a bachelor’s degree in social work, and others are found in a master’s degree in social work.

If you are one of those people that think a career in social work is for them, this is the article for you. Here is the definitive guide to social work internships: 

Social Work Internships: The Full Breakdown of Field Internships 

Not all social work internships are precisely alike. Still, there is a fact about internships in social work all prospective students need to know: a field internship is a requirement for social work careers, and it is one of the essential social worker education requirements as well.

Field Internships During Social Worker Education 

These internships occur either at the bachelor’s or master’s levels. Still, in essence, it involves taking the skills learned in classrooms by social work students and applying them to real-world situations to gain real-world (non-academic) social worker skills.

In both cases, the social work program must be accredited by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE). Without this accreditation, social workers will not be able to receive licensure, so attending accredited institutions is essential for success in social work as a career.

Bachelor’s programs differ from master’s in having one 400-hour field internship during senior year. In contrast, master’s students have to complete an additional 500-hour field internship –especially if they are attending a longer master’s program.  

In all cases, these social work internships must be supervised by a professional at least two years post-graduating or a professional of equivalent professional stature, like a clinical psychologist.

Finally, master’s internships typically allow specialization in particular fields of social work, which will reflect on the next job prospects for future social workers. 

Paid or Unpaid? 

Social work internships that are paid are ideal and desirable for obvious reasons –especially when compared to unpaid internships in social work! 

Ultimately, however, whether a social work internship will involve a stipend is highly context-dependent –it depends on the school, the student, and the social work program. 

If a school offers a paid internship, it is the student's job to seek that information out, so they are first in line to know. 

No one will pay a student waiting until their program director chooses their internship for them –they will only pay the highly self-driven and initiative interns, barring otherwise extraordinary luck. 

Nevertheless, there are some specific paid internships to keep an eye out for. 

For instance, travel stipends can be available for students who need to travel far distances to obtain their field internship requirements; likewise, some agencies that take on master’s students for field work have stipends to pay them to do so

Finally, sometimes students can use their full-time work to fulfill field internship requirements –that is, insofar as students can make a compelling case to one’s social work department that their job is related enough to social work to justify doing so. 

Internship Settings 

Social workers work in a wide variety of contexts. 

This is one of the major benefits of doing a social work internship during social work schooling –it can give you the opportunity to expose yourself to many of them. 

Here are some of the contexts that social work internships take place in: 

• Hospitals

• Doctor’s Offices 

• Schools and Universities

• Community Centers 

• Child Protective Services 

• Rehabilitation Facilities 

• Mental Health Facilities

• Crisis Hotlines

• Government Offices 

• Nursing Homes 

• Homeless or Domestic Violence Shelters 

Finding Your Own Internship Versus a School List 

Field placement selection for internships varies from college to college as paid internship opportunities. In some cases, 
However, like paid internship opportunities, there are some similarities across the board regarding field placement selection that prospective social work interns should know about. 

And these similarities across the board, if understood correctly, can increase the odds of finding a paid internship.

For one, sometimes –and especially with online social work programs– social work programs require students to seek out agencies themselves to acquire internships. This is a golden opportunity to look for agencies willing to pay for such labor. 

Likewise, most schools will provide students with a list of internships to choose from. Looking at this list with great care is critical if you are trying to obtain a stipend for your social work internship. 

Suppose students are looking to participate in internships outside of these field options. In that case, it is worth knowing that you might already be in school for social work to obtain consideration for admission into an internship program, as non-students are generally viewed as a greater liability. 

Next Steps on the Path to Becoming a Social Worker 

Internships are necessary for a career in social work. They allow you to take what you’ve learned in social work school and use it to benefit others.

Furthermore, doing an internship in social work can expose students to a wide-variety of environments social workers typically work in, on a first-hand basis, which is indispensable for gaining the skills for succeeding at social work as a career. 

And that you can positively impact others early in your career is one reason why social work is essential. Even through the very learning process of social work, social working students are given ample opportunity to help out others in meaningful ways. 

Now that you know the ins and outs of social work internships, it is time to learn the ins and outs of social work careers. Click here to learn more about social work careers.