The Integration of Classroom and Practice
Field education, also known as practicum or internship, provides students with critical opportunities to connect theories, concepts, and skills learned in the classroom to actual practice. A hallmark of social work education, field education also provides students with hands-on opportunities to serve populations or experience practice settings of interest to them.
How is field education different at Carroll?
Carroll's MSW program takes an individualized and developmental approach to field education, working closely with students to explore populations, social problems, or practice settings of interest to them. Our director of field education then works to identify a placement that will offer them an outstanding learning experience. After being placed in their internship, students are supported by their field instructor and faculty field liaison as they work to demonstrate social work learning competencies identified by the Council on Social Work Education. Unlike other online programs that may expect students to develop their own placements, Carroll's MSW program takes the lead on identifying and formalizing field placement sites, wherever they are located.
Fellowship Opportunities
Given Montana's severe need for clinical social workers, Carroll's MSW program has partnered with provider organizations to develop intensive social work fellowship experiences. These opportunities represent a new level of coordination between social work education programs and community-based providers.
A defining characteristic of these fellowships experiences is they lead to full-time employment upon graduation. Additionally, students will receive support from organizations and the MSW program as they work to obtain their clinical social license, a process that takes at least two years in Montana. To support student fellows, agencies may offer paid internship placements, tuition assistance, flexible schedules, housing, and more.
Agencies currently offering fellowship opportunities are listed below, but we continue to develop similar opportunities with other organizations. If you want to learn more about a fellowship opportunity with one of these organizations or know of an organization that is interested in partnering with us, please contact our director of field education, Molly Molloy. If you are interested in learning more about these organizations, visit each organization's website below.
AWARE is a statewide nonprofit organization that offers quality, community-based support for people with mental health and/or developmental disabilities and families with children ages 0 to 8. We serve all 56 counties in Montana. The support they provide helps the adults, children, and families we serve to become active and vital members of their community while focusing on personal growth. 
Each day, Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch employees work with close to 650 youth throughout Montana who struggle with controlling emotions and behaviors. YBGR has impacted more than 10,000 youth and their families since 1957 through Residential Services in Billings, Community Based Services throughout Montana, and the Yellowstone Academy in Billings.
Youth Dynamics offers children's mental and behavioral health services, including home and community-based services, youth case management, outpatient therapy, and residential treatment in Therapeutic Group Homes and Therapeutic Foster Care at more than 30 locations across Montana.