The School offers a block second-year placement for qualified Individual, Group and Family Practice (IGFP) students. In this arrangement, students complete their advanced year practicum placement over the Summer Spanning term, from early May to late August. Students complete a total of 480 hours in practicum, usually 30 hours per week for 16 weeks. Students also take the final two concentration courses (IGFP 5302 and 5303) concurrently with the block placement.
Interested students should attend the information session or contact ellen.smith@uconn.edu. After the information session, students must indicate their intention to apply for summer block by the end of the 2025 fall semester by submitting the Summer Block Interest Form. If there is not sufficient interest, we will not accept any applications for summer block.
Students must apply for the summer block program, and must be approved by the chair of the summer block committee. The program will be offered only if there are enough qualified students. Applicants should be aware that the block placement is demanding and intensive.
Block placements are limited to agencies which are active with the School. As a result, there are a limited number of agencies that can be utilized for summer block placements, and students may need to be flexible as to the location or setting of the agency.
Criteria for Summer Block
Applicants for summer block must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and satisfactory performance in their foundation year practicum placement.
By the beginning of the summer block program, students must have completed all of their foundation/BASC courses, the Clinical Conditions course, and their foundation year practicum placement. Please see the course planning worksheet for more information.
Other Procedures
Students who are accepted for summer block must submit a Plan of Study to OSAS.
Students who will graduate in August may participate in the School of Social Work commencement ceremony. They should complete and submit the online graduation form sent by OSAS, indicating August block as the graduation date. OSAS will send information regarding graduation to students’ UConn email at a later date; students are encouraged to thoroughly read through the information.
Students who are accepted for summer block should apply for financial aid as needed.
Application Process
Students should first discuss their interest in the block placement with their advisor. Dual degree students should also meet with the director of OSAS.
The application consists of the following materials:
- A current transcript.
- The completed course planning worksheet, indicating when each course was/will be taken.
- A copy of your most recent practicum evaluation.
- The advisor recommendation form, to be completed by the advisor assigned to you during your first practicum placement. Please ask your advisor to email the form to ellen.smith@uconn.edu.
- An updated resume.
- A brief (2-3 pages) written statement that addresses the following:
- Your educational rationale for wanting to take a block placement rather than a concurrent placement.
- Your preparedness for a block placement (a much more intensive learning experience than the usual concurrent placement), including performance to date in practicum and in classes.
- Reflections on your practice, including strengths and areas for growth.
- Any recommendations for a specific placement.
If accepted into the summer block program, students will need to successfully complete their practicum placement and their coursework in the spring semester, as demonstrated by the final practicum evaluation and course grades. They will also need to maintain compliance with all Complio requirements.