Published on : September 13, 2024
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and Payment for Placements (P4P) recognize the significant impact of the cost of higher education on students’ overall well-being and are committed to making social work education more accessible. CSWE remains committed to collaborating with the P4P movement regarding ways to reduce the cost of social work education, including paid internship opportunities.Accredited social work programs are required to adopt a competency-based educational framework for practicum education, integrating theoretical knowledge with practical experience. CSWE requires baccalaureate programs to provide 400 hours and master’s programs to provide 900 hours of practicum experience to prepare students for their professional responsibilities. While internships provide students with the opportunity for important hands-on learning, they are often unpaid, which exacerbates economic hardships for many students.
CSWE defines economic well-being as having present and future financial security. The rising cost of some social work programs creates barriers to access education and disproportionately impacts students of color. A report from 2020 showed that Black and Hispanic social workers carry more student loan debt than white social workers, with Black graduates having an average of $92,000 in debt, Hispanic graduates having an average of $79,000 in debt, and White graduates having an average of $57,000 in debt. CSWE is dedicated to creating and sustaining programs such as the Minority Fellowship Program to facilitate degree completion among social work students.
CSWE and P4P acknowledge the creative ways that universities and practicum sites have responded to the call for student support in practicum by providing parking vouchers, offering online practicum opportunities, reimbursing students for mileage, supplying necessary technology, including internship wages in grants, paying for onboarding costs such as background checks, providing stipends, providing the opportunity for employment-based practicums, and/or paying an hourly wage. CSWE and P4P also support legislation on a local, state, and federal level that pays students for their internships, including the SMART grant program in Michigan.
CSWE and P4P recognize the value of practicum education in the preparation of social work professionals and appreciate students’ and programs’ dedication to generating resources and funding to support the practicum experience. We continue to encourage practicum sites and universities to provide funding to social work students for their internships. For more information on the various ways that social work students have contributed to this effort, please click this link to find out more about Payment for Placements (P4P).