Practicum
Explore the Practicum Program
Practicum provides students with opportunities to work directly with professionals in real world applications. Professionals that are committed to preparing future social workers and demonstrate their application of skills and the social work competencies. Students will gain practice experience as interns in a wide variety of social work and inter-professional settings and begin developing their professional networks. Social work provides broad career pathways and includes school and clinical social work, child welfare, gerontology, policy advocacy, community organizing and organizational administration, mental and behavioral health, international practice, and medical social work, among others.
THE UK DIFFERENCE
Forging an Impactful Path
Practicum connects students with placements that provide opportunities to learn and contribute as the demonstrate skills competency and lean into their professional interests.
Student-Driven Process
At UK, Students drive their practicum process and can select from an expansive agency list of that provide a variety of learning environments or suggest an agency that reflects their professional interests, including their employers.
Flexible Placement Plans
Students can explore organizational depth and breadth by opting to stay in one agency for both placements or intern in different agency settings, as well as consider employer-hosted placements when appropriate. Block placements and external practicum instructors are also strategies we use to ensure students have flexibility in their learning plan.
Strategic Advising & Career Prep
Strategic advising helps students navigate the practicum placement process and determine the best timing and approach for their career planning. Students also receive career counseling, mentoring, and post-graduation mentorship to ensure successful transition into social work practice. UK’s social work graduates have the highest clinical licensure pass rates in Kentucky.
Multiple Certificate Options
MSW students have the option to earn specialized certificates in Clinical Social Work, Child Welfare, Military Behavioral Health, and Substance Use Disorder with unique coordinated practicum opportunities.
Centers and Labs
CoSW is home to several unique research centers and labs, including the Training Resource Center, Interdisciplinary Research Center on Children and Families, Kentucky Kinship Resource Center, Self-Care Lab, Suicide Prevention and Exposure Lab, and Military Behavior Health Lab. Practicum placements within these entities provide unique learning and research opportunities
Practicum
by the numbers
3K+
Practicum placement Opportunities
#1
KY rank for licensing pass rates
97%
Students who receive some type of financial aid
WHAT'S NEW AT CoSW?
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Monthly Staff Meeting for Centers & Labs Training Resource Center Staff. The meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of Each Month at the Training Resource Center. This is an in-person
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This course equips participants with a deep understanding of the intricate dynamics between bonding, and attachment, and the critical role they play in fostering healthy relationships with children. The course |
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A Guide to Coping with Allegations explores the prevalence of false allegations of abuse and neglect amongst foster homes and reasons such allegations may arise. Strategies for preventing false allegations |
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4 events,
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Monthly Staff Meeting for Centers & Labs Training Resource Center Staff. The meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of Each Month at the Training Resource Center. This is an in-person 
Launch your social work career through your practicum experience—formerly known as field education. Attend an information session to learn about the process, opportunities, and support available as you prepare for 
Criminal Justice students are invited to attend our informal monthly meeting. This is a great opportunity to connect with other students, ask questions to your advisor, and meet with program |
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Connecting with Your Child While Correcting Behavior introduces parents to strategies to use to help them feel connected to children while correcting difficult behaviors. Parents will learn how to connect |
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Helping Foster & Adopted Children Transition to a New School will assist foster/adoptive parents in preparing to enroll a child in a new school. It will also provide practical tips |
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The 5 Love Languages introduces parents to the different love languages and discusses ways to use this information to strengthen partner/spouse relationships as well as relationships with children and teenagers.
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Helping Your Child Make Healthy & Positive Choices: Talking to Teens & Preteens will teach foster and adoptive parents the importance of open and ongoing dialogue with their preteen or |
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Building Positive Relationships with Case Workers & Community Partners provides foster parents the information and tools needed to establish a positive working relationship with their caseworker and child’s caseworker, with |
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Preventing Child Abuse: Types, Signs & Symptoms will inform parents of the definition of child abuse and ways it can be prevented. It provides descriptions and statistics of different types |
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This group is an opportunity for kinship caregivers to come together to find support, community, and resources in the care of relative and fictive children. This group will focus on |
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Monthly Staff Meeting for Centers & Labs Training Resource Center Staff. The meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of Each Month at the Training Resource Center. This is an in-person 
Turn Your Goals into Reality Explore our Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program during an online info session. Registration link is below. The UK Difference Our Doctorate of Social Work 
Social Work students are invited to attend our informal monthly meeting. This is a great opportunity to connect with other students, ask questions to your advisor, and meet with program
Launch your social work career through your practicum experience—formerly known as field education. Attend an information session to learn about the process, opportunities, and support available as you prepare for |
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CORE Teen Curriculum provides parents with information they need to develop safe relationships with youth while also focusing on how they can adapt their parenting styles to support the youth’s |
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Monthly Staff Meeting for Centers & Labs Training Resource Center Staff. The meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of Each Month at the Training Resource Center. This is an in-person 
Explore our Master of Social Work (MSW) program during an online info session. Registration link is below. The UK Difference Our MSW program is an Advanced Generalist program that prepares
Launch your social work career through your practicum experience—formerly known as field education. Attend an information session to learn about the process, opportunities, and support available as you prepare for |
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Are You Wildly Passionate About Social Work? Explore the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) program during an online info session. REGISTER HERE The UK Difference Graduates from our 
Pursue your Passion for the Greater Good Explore College of Social Work’s newest Criminal Justice program during our online info session! REGISTER HERE The UK Difference Graduates from our 
Please join us as we discuss the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program! This info session will be held virtually over Zoom. Please register below and select the appropriate
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CORE Teen Curriculum provides parents with information they need to develop safe relationships with youth while also focusing on how they can adapt their parenting styles to support the youth’s |
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This 90-minute session examines intimate partner violence (IPV) and elder abuse as interconnected public health issues shaped by social determinants of health (SDoH), structural inequities, and intersecting identities. Participants will
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The Lexington Continuum of Care is now accepting volunteers for the 2026 LexCount! This year's LexCount will take place on the evening of Wednesday, January 28, 2026, from 10 p.m
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Monthly Staff Meeting for Centers & Labs Training Resource Center Staff. The meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of Each Month at the Training Resource Center. This is an in-person
Launch your career through your practicum education! Attend an information session to learn about the process, opportunities, and support available as you explore hands-on learning in real-world settings. The UK College of
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Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky values the role every citizen plays in the prevention of child abuse. PCAK has designed curricula to address current trends and best practice for the prevention of
Turn Your Goals into Reality Explore our Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program during an online info session. Registration link is below. The UK Difference Our Doctorate of Social Work |
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CORE Teen Curriculum provides parents with information they need to develop safe relationships with youth, while also focusing on how they can adapt their parenting styles to support the youth’s |
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