One of these courses is the final field practicum course, which requires them to spend three days per week, seven hours per day in the field. As with the three-year option, the second year includes two days per week, seven hours per day in a field practicum, in addition to one classroom course. A second field placement is taken during the fourth year and requires the student to spend three days per week, seven hours per day in the field. One classroom course is taken at the same time. The full-time program must be completed within two years of enrollment.
Students typically take five courses per semester, including field instruction courses.
While the majority of students concentrate in clinical practice, a growing cadre are electing to concentrate in macro practice via the planning and administrative practice concentration. The latter prepares graduates for mid-level organizational and community program administrative positions as well as policy practice positions. This newest concentration in the Northern Virginia program benefits from the campus's proximity to numerous regional and national advocacy and non-profit organizations, which serve as field placement sites for our students. Students may combine their social work study with other subjects to earn certificates. Certificates are offered in Aging Studies, School Social Work and Nonprofit Management.