The field advisor assists the student, the field instructor, and the agency to meet the educational objectives established for the student's field training experience. The advisor works with the student and the field instructor and the educational coordinator to ensure that the relationship of the student, field instructor and agency is progressing constructively. As an educational consultant, the advisor helps the field instructor and the student identify the educational resources and the teaching content in the field and facilitates the integration of field and class learning. Assignment of Advisors Faculty members and adjunct faculty field advisors are assigned to students for the academic year by the Director of Field Instruction. Often they are the advisors to the same agencies for a number of years and have ongoing relationships with the agency executives and field instructors and are familiar with the work of the agencies.
Advisors have masters degrees in social work.
Adjunct faculty has ten years post-masters, agency based experience and experience in field instruction. An advisor is expected to visit an agency to meet with the field instructor and the educational coordinator or the agency director. Students can be included in these meetings. The minimum of visits is one per semester for the two first year semesters and for the fall term of the second year. In many cases, advisors will visit more frequently than the minimum, and field instructors are encouraged to request contact when the need arises.