Human Services Delivery & Administration Field Placement Manual

Field instruction and experience are a required component of the HSDA curriculum at the undergraduate level and a signature experience of the HSDA program. Graduate student may with extensive applied experience may choose between an applied track (includes field practicum) and an applied research track.

Field practicum courses provide opportunities for the student to test, integrate, and incorporate into their own practice the knowledge, skills, and values learned in the classroom. Students develop and refine their conceptualizations and ways of thinking analytically about human behavior, societal structure, and social policies.

Human Services Delivery and Administration (B.S.)

Undergraduate students take three (3) supervised field practicum classes:

• HSDA 3201: Field Practicum I (prerequisite HSDA 2200)
• HSDA 4200: Field Practicum II (prerequisite HSDA 3201)
• HSDA 4201: Field Practicum III (prerequisite HSDA 4200)

Students are required to complete 150 field hours per semester (450 total) at the undergraduate level. HSDA 2200, Introduction to Field Practicum & Case Management, provides an orientation to the field and case management, is a pre-requisite for HSDA 3201. Field practicum courses are taken sequentially and draw on classroom learning; therefore, the sequence should start in a student’s first or second semester of HSDA course work. Undergraduate field practicum courses are offered in fall, spring, and summer (full session) semesters.

Human Services Delivery & Administration (M.S.)

Graduate students take one field practicum course (HSDA 5200) and complete 120 hours at a single agency. HSDA 5200 is only offered in the spring and is typically taken in the first year of the program if a student is attending school full-time.

The following skills and tasks are emphasized in field practicum courses:

• Attention to ethical considerations
• Problem-solving/Communicating effectively in speech and writing
• Case management/Multi-dimensional assessment
• Identifying strengths/Empowerment of the client
• Education/Development of resources
• Interviewing/Referral
• Advocacy/Modeling and coaching

• Documentation/Evaluation and research
• Planning/Organization/Prioritization of tasks
• Supportive peer counseling
• Negotiation/Working collaboratively
• Mediation/Developing positive relationships
• Self-awareness/Effective use of supervision
• Evaluation of practice

Activities in which students may be involved include:

• Reviewing case records
• Reviewing policies and procedures
• Interviewing staff within agency
• Observing an interview or client interaction
• Shadowing agency staff
• Completing an intake interview
• Completing an assessment
• Constructing a genogram or eco-map
• Completing a literature review
• Completing a process recording
• Attending staff meetings
• Attending pertinent training sessions
• Attending committee or board meetings
• Participating in reviews by funding or licensing agencies
• Visiting related community agencies

• Developing and/or updating a resource directory
• Completing referrals for community resources
• Developing goals with clients
• Developing a treatment plan
• Documenting client interactions
• Collecting data for agency outcome studies
• Completing an evaluation of practice
• Developing and completing a research project
• Processing ethical concerns with field supervisor
• Develop and present a psychosocial assessment
• Develop and present a case study
• Develop a professional portfolio

• No less than 150 per practicum level or with the approval of field coordinator 2 semesters (300 hours) completed at a single agency/organization (undergraduate only)
• Students are expected to pace their placement hours throughout the semester which averages around 10 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters and 17 hours per week during the summer semester for undergraduates and around 8 for graduate students.
• Travel time to and from the agency is not counted.
• If a student leaves their agency and, on the way, home makes a home visit, time from the agency to the visit counts, but not the time after leaving the agency task to continue
• Any assignments or workshops that require the student to leave the agency’s physical location, after reporting for duty, counts as hours worked, as well as travel time for such events.
• No homework, readings, or assignments for other classes allowed during field internship
• Agency reading, orientation, and training activities can count toward hours at the discretion of the field supervisor and the faculty supervisor.
• Attendance at professional conferences and meetings falling on field time may count as field hours at the discretion of the field supervisor and the faculty supervisor. The decision based on the field supervisor’s judgment of program learning opportunities for students. As a professional learning experience, the field supervisor may expect documentation and discussion of that exper
• Daily logs and time records done at the agency count toward agency
• If students experience "down time, students should immediately bring it to their field supervisor's attention

Student performance and growth is supervised by both the faculty and field supervisor throughout the semester.  The course grading criteria is either satisfactory or unsatisfactory (U/S) and is based on the quality of the work submitted, completion of required documents, professional competency demonstrated in the field placement, and the field supervisor evaluation. The final grade is determined by the faculty supervisor.

• There are no exemptions from fieldwork based on prior experience at the undergraduate level.
• Paid field placements are not permissible at the undergraduate level.
• The field placement schedule follows the college calendar. The University does not require students to do fieldwork during holidays or exam  However, the student and the field supervisor, in consultation with the HSDA Faculty Supervisor, may jointly determine that she/he needs to be present during the holiday periods. The nature of fieldwork will determine the student’s responsibility to the clients during these periods. (Some students may need the additional hours in order  to  complete  placement;  others  may  be  in agencies where their responsibilities to clients require that they continue working during seasonal breaks). A student must have the approval of their faculty supervisor to complete hours while the university is closed or outside of the dates of the semester.
• Students are responsible for informing their field supervisor of their class schedule.
• If a student is unable to complete the requirement for the class within the semester, an incomplete with the approval of the faculty supervisor may be considered. Incompletes are only appropriate when the number of hours to be completed is relatively small (<20 hours).

Students in the HSDA program are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the Code of Ethics established by the National Organization for Human Services. Failure to do so may be grounds for dismissal from the program. These ethical standards are addressed throughout the HSDA curriculum but will be applied most directly through field practicum work.

The human services degree at the University of North Georgia strives to educate human services professionals prepared for community, state, and global service through the development of professional competencies. Entry into the profession of human services is more than initiating a new career path or beginning a new job. It is like starting a lifelong journey.

As with many other professional fields, there is an intensive and rigorous training program to complete, which has academic and field placement requirements attached. However, because human services is a helping profession that deals with human living and a way of living in its own right, there are particular professional and personal challenges that students will encounter that are unique to the field. The challenges extend beyond the classroom and traditional academic standards and therefore require a different kind of development and assessment. 

The Fitness for the Profession policy is a guide for students and faculty to assess professional growth and development. Growth as a human service professional demands evaluation of one’s values, beliefs, attitudes and behavior patterns as defined in the Ethical Standards for Human Services Professionals. The 44 standards outlined in the code of ethics covers the human service professional’s responsibility to clients, colleagues, the profession, the public and society, employers, and self.  

Adherence to these standards is imperative for success in the field. Students in the Human Services Delivery and Administration (HSDA) program evaluated each semester with reference to these professional and personal attributes as well as to their academic performance as it relates to their growing professional skills. Students who fail to meet standards may be placed on a performance improvement plan and in some extreme cases students may be asked to leave the program.

Participation in the HSDA Field Practicum program requires a demonstrated mastery of course content. If any of the following applies to a student, they may be ask to take a semester off from field placement so that they can focus on academic progression: 

• HSDA GPA is below 2.5 or an overall GPA below 2.0
• The student has been placed on a performance improvement per the Fitness for the Profession policy.
• Received a D in any required HSDA course  (C for graduate students)
• Multiple Incompletes 

Students are required to purchase a one-million-dollar ($1,000,000) policy coverage of liability insurance through any insurance agency of the students choosing, for direct service and administrative field placement covering duties performed as part of academic curriculum and field experience.

Students must provide an electronic copy of their insurance certificate to their field practicum instructor prior to the start of field placement. Field hours completed in advance of purchase of liability insurance cannot be counted towards the required hours for the practicum course.

Student background checks and fingerprinting may be required depending on the agency or organization. Students are responsible for covering any costs related to required background checks. Some agencies require finger printing, while other agencies may require standardized psychological assessments. Students are strongly encouraged to follow agency procedure as instructed. Please contact the agency field supervisor if you have concerns about these requirements.

UNG policy prohibits students from transporting clients/consumers/participants during their Field Placement activities. Students should avoid placing themselves or clients at risk of bodily harm or injury while engaging in Field Placement activities. Students should immediately consult their field supervisor or the HSDA field coordinator if situation arise that raises any safety issues.

HSDA students must abide by the standards required of a UNG student as outlined in the UNG Student Handbook.

The HSDA program is committed to providing a learning environment free of sexual harassment. The HSDA program adheres to current UNG policies should situations involving sexual harassment arise. If a student experiences discomfort or believes that they are a target of sexual discrimination or harassment in the field, they should notify the HSDA Program Coordinator immediately.

The HSDA Program Coordinator, in coordination with the department Head, will take appropriate steps to ensure UNG and agency procedures to address the issue enforced.

Students not meeting NOHS ethical and HSDA academic standards may be removed from field experience per the Fitness for the Profession policy. The HSDA Program Coordinator, in consultation with the Department Head, has the authority to take immediate corrective action with regard to student misconduct and unethical or unprofessional performance.

In the event a student is found to be in violation of the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS) Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals, the student is subject to disciplinary action and possibly dismissal from the HSDA program per the Fitness for the Profession policy. Students removed from their placement for cause will receive a “U” or unsatisfactory grade for the course and will have to repeat the course. Completed hours from the course will be voided. Students have the right to appeal a grade in accordance with UNG policies and procedures.

On occasion, students may have conflicts with supervisors or other staff members. Students may encounter problems in the working environment or may lack assignments or direction. If such problems occur, the following suggestions may be helpful:

• Discuss the situation with your supervisor; if the problem is with your supervisor, discuss the situation with your faculty supervisor.
• If your supervisor is not helpful, schedule an appointment with your faculty supervisor to discuss the situation.
• The faculty supervisor will meet with the field supervisor and the student to explore resolution to the