Practicum Director - Master of Social Work Program

The Practicum Director provides leadership and administration for the MSW practicum education program while supporting student recruitment, admissions, enrollment, retention, and community partnerships. The Director ensures practicum operations align with MSW Program objectives, University policies, and applicable CSWE accreditation standards.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Practicum Administration
Oversee all aspects of practicum education, including placement processes, policies, documentation, timelines, student evaluations, and program operations.

Student Placement and Support
Coordinate student placements from initial readiness assessment through placement confirmation and completion. Address placement challenges, student performance concerns, agency issues, and necessary remediation or placement changes.

Agency and Community Partnerships
Recruit, evaluate, and maintain a diverse network of high-quality practicum sites and qualified practicum instructors. Develop strategic partnerships with nonprofit, government, healthcare, educational, behavioral health, and community organizations.

Practicum Instructor Support
Orient and support practicum instructors regarding supervision expectations, student competencies, evaluations, University requirements, and professional standards.

Compliance and Accreditation
Maintain practicum records, affiliation agreements, assessment data, and processes necessary to support University requirements and CSWE accreditation. Participate in accreditation reporting, assessment, program review, and continuous improvement activities.

Student Recruitment
Participate actively in MSW recruitment through information sessions, open houses, recruitment events, community outreach, and prospective student engagement. Develop recruitment pipelines through universities, employers, alumni, community organizations, and practicum partners.

Admissions and Application Review
Participate in MSW admissions by reviewing applications, evaluating applicant readiness, conducting interviews when appropriate, and making admissions recommendations. Support Advanced Standing review, admitted-student outreach, and enrollment yield initiatives.

Student Success and Retention
Collaborate with program leadership and faculty to identify barriers to student progression and implement strategies supporting retention, professional development, and successful degree completion.

Program and Partnership Development
Represent the MSW Program with community organizations, professional associations, alumni, and prospective partners. Identify opportunities that strengthen practicum education, recruitment, employment pipelines, community engagement, and overall program growth.

Administration and Supervision
Supervise graduate assistants and practicum-related administrative support as assigned and oversee practicum management systems, student and agency records, and operational workflows.

Required Qualifications:

MSW from a CSWE-accredited program.
Minimum two years of post-MSW social work practice experience.
Strong administrative, organizational, communication, and relationship-building skills.
Experience working with students, interns, supervisees, or emerging professionals.
Ability to develop community partnerships and manage multiple priorities.
Required teaching of 1 course per semester.

Position Expectations
The Practicum Director serves as an educational administrator and strategic partner responsible for strengthening practicum education, student recruitment, admissions, student success, community partnerships, and MSW Program growth. Local and regional travel for site development, recruitment, and community engagement is expected.

Desired Qualifications:

Experience in social work practicum/field education or higher education.
Experience with student recruitment, graduate admissions, or enrollment.
Experience with CSWE accreditation and program assessment.
Experience with Tevera or a comparable practicum management system.
Social work licensure preferred; advanced clinical licensure is not required solely by CSWE standards.
PhD in Social Work, Public Administration, or a related field is preferred.

Licenses and Certificates:

LCSW

Salary Range:

$60,000-$72,000

Exempt/Nonexempt: Exempt

Physical Demands: General Office Environment

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Benefits Information: 

Full Time Benefits

Life today is complex. That’s why Seton Hall University offers a comprehensive package of benefits and programs to help you simplify and enrich your life.

These benefits are important elements of your total university compensation package. Benefits include but are not limited to bundled medical, prescription, and vision insurance, dental insurance, and life insurance, and retirement plan. More information is available at https://www.shu.edu/human-resources/benefits.html. 

Seton Hall University is located in South Orange, New Jersey, 14 miles from New York City. It is the oldest Catholic diocesan institution of higher education in the United States and is home to about 6,300 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate students. A vibrant and culturally inclusive community, Seton Hall pursues academic excellence and ethical development in a collaborative environment and prepares its students to be servant leaders in their professional and community lives. Seton Hall University is an equal opportunity employer. It honors diverse perspectives and welcomes employees from all faith traditions. In turn, its employees respect Catholic beliefs and values, engage in servant leadership, and support the University’s mission as a Catholic institution of higher education.