Department of Social Work - Fieldwork

The Department of Social Work, St. Xavier's University (SXUK), considers Fieldwork education and practice of its students as essential, needing rigour in keeping with the standards at the global level. The Department provides opportunity for 1215 hours of guided fieldwork for its students pursuing Master of Social Work programme. The Fieldwork placement of the students is done in a progressive manner across four semesters and includes - Concurrent Fieldwork I & II in the First and the Second Semesters, Rural Camp in the Second Semester, Block Fieldwork in the Third Semester and specialisation-based Internship in the Fourth Semester. In addition to the above the Department also provides Summer/Winter Internship and Social Work Organisational and Educational Tour. All fieldwork is compulsory for the award of the degree of Social Work at SXUK.

Objectives of Fieldwork are:

1. Understanding social problems and its context: Fieldwork aims at providing students understanding of social problems as and when they occur at the grassroot level.
2. Opportunity to apply and practice theory in the field: Fieldwork enables students to practice theories of Social Work in practical situations, critically reflect on it and understand its effectiveness in explaining/addressing social realities.
3. Develop professional skills and competencies: Fieldwork gives opportunities to develop professional skills and competencies in students to work at micro, meso and macro levels.
4. Imbibe professional ethics, principles and values of Social Work practice: Fieldwork helps students to learn and internalise professional ethics, principles and values. Students evolve as professionals committed to the promotion of human rights and social justice.

Thrust Areas:

• Development sector agencies, NGOs and not for profit organisations
• Mental healthcare agencies
• Agencies specializing in family and child welfare, adoptions, counseling etc.
• Corporates and industries with Personnel Management, Human Resource Management and labour welfare roles

Some of our Fieldwork and Internship partners are:

HelpAge India, Nayantara Memorial Charitable Trust, Samaritan Help Mission, Help Us Help Them, ISDG Research Foundation, Center for Development Initiatives (CDI), Maharashtra Prabodhan Seva Mandal, Kolkata Mary Ward, Utsah Foundation (Guwahati), Azad Foundation, Durbar Mahila Samannaya Committee, Green Link Recyclers Private Limited, Right to Food and Work Campaign West Bengal, Kanchanjunga Udhar Kendra, Development Action Society (DAS), Development Research Communication & Services Centre (DRCSC), Loka Kalyan Parishad, Talash Society, Indian Institute of Bio-Social Research and Development (IBRAD), Society for Peoples Awareness (SPAN), UdayanCare, Swabhiman, SUCHANA the Uttarchandipur Community Development Society, DITO Social Welfare Association, Habitat & Livelihood Welfare Association (HALWA), Shopper's Stop (HR Department), Berger (HR Department), Damodor Valley Corporation (HR Department), Macro Resources (HR Department), Numaligarh Refinery Limited (HR Department), HR Department of Max (HR Department), Om Trax (HR Department), RP Sanjeev Goenka Group (HR Department), Amtron (HR Department), Ascensive HR Consultant Private Ltd.

For more details on fieldwork please refer to MSW Fieldwork Manual in Curriculum and Syllabus tab of SXUK website.