Online MSW Internship Information

Students are required to complete two internships during their program. In the first year, students focus on coursework only and do not complete an internship. However, at the start of the program, students are required to work with the Regional Coordinators to actively participate in locating internship sites in their home state for their generalist (first-level) internship. The internship process can mimic a job interview process. Students apply to sites and interview to secure an internship. Internships are from Fall to Spring only.

Generalist (first-level) Internship: When students start the second year of the program, they begin their generalist internship. During the generalist internship, students learn to work with individuals, families, and groups. Activities can include case management, intakes, resource referral, basic assessments, etc. The generalist internship does not have to be a site related to the students' track:  Advanced Clinical Practice, LCAP, or Schools. Students do not provide individual or group therapy during the generalist internship. At the start of the first year of the program, students begin to work with the Regional Coordinators to identify and locate their generalist internship. This internship should be secured during the students' first year in the program and students will start their generalist internship in the Fall semester of the second year.

Specialized (second-level) Internship: 

In the third year of the program, the internship is aligned with the students' track: Advanced Clinical Practice Track, LCAP Track, or Schools Track (only in Illinois). During the specialized internship, students learn to practice their skills with individuals, families, and groups. In the Advanced Clinical Practice Track, students are required to work at the micro-level clinical practice across a variety of settings, including hospitals, outpatient sites, extended care facilities and community mental health agencies. Student should work with individuals, families, and groups in a clinical settings completing clinical work, treatment planning, and counseling. In the LCAP track, students are required to work with mezzo and macro practices, and in the Schools Track, students are required to work in designated Loyola University-approved PEL schools K-12. (Illinois only). At the start of the second year in the program, students work actively with the Regional Coordinators to identify and locate their second-level internship in their chosen track (while concurrently completing their generalist internship).

Since the specialized internship requires 600 hours, it can be more difficult to manage an internship along with work, home, life, and school responsibilities. It is important for students to be proactive in planning and time management.

Track Descriptions

Advanced Clinical Practice Track

Students in the Advanced Clinical Practice Track can complete clinical internships working with individuals, families, and groups. Students can practice diagnosing, do treatment planning, and counseling. Examples of sites that offer these opportunities are mental health centers for adults and children, inpatient hospital sites, outpatient sites, community based health centers. Students are required to work with the Regional Coordinators to participate in locating internship sites in their home state. When Students interview for their specialized internship, they should discuss doing clinical work and the learning opportunities available as this needs to be the focus of the internship.

Leadership, Community, Advocacy, and Policy (LCAP) Track

Students in the LCAP Track intern in an agency that provides opportunities in mezzo and macro practice within a variety of organizations and community settings. Learning opportunities include grant writing, advocacy, program coordination, and/or leadership and development. Social Work sites that provide administrative and programmatic learning opportunities at a mezzo and macro level may fulfill this requirement. Students are required to work with the Regional Coordinators to participate in locating field sites in their home state.

Schools Track

Students in the Schools Track intern in a variety of school settings. Activities include creating IEPs, working with students individually and in groups, crisis intervention, etc. Note: The Schools Track option is only available to students residing in Illinois. Students complete an internship for licensure as a school social worker in Illinois (Professional Educator License/PEL). Loyola has multiple sites that partner with PEL Schools in various cities. Communities that have limited school partnerships with LUC are required to work with the Regional Coordinators to participate in locating schools in their Illinois community for their specialized internship.

Required Internship Hours

*The expectation is that students will complete their internship over two semesters.

Generalist (first-level) Internship

A total of 400 hours is required during the fall and spring semesters only. Students work 10-15 hours per week.

Specialized (second-level) Internship

A total of 600 hours is required during the fall and spring semesters only. Students work 15-20 hours per week.

Students and sites identify a mutually agreeable weekly schedule that supports the learning opportunities available at the site. Students and Internship Supervisors agree on the start date and end date at the start of the student’s internship. Students may refer to the Internship Manual for the early termination policy.

How to secure an internship

The internship process begins with the start of the Online MSW Program when the student completes the generalist (first-level) field application located in the SONIA database system. We will share the current Loyola internship sites that we have in your home state (if any) at the beginning of the process but cannot guarantee these sites will be available as the interview process is competitive. The internship process requires students to take the initiative to identify internship sites within their home state and work with the Regional Coordinators to secure an internship. Students may need to identify internship sites for both generalist and specialized internships as part of the OMSW program. We recognize that securing an internship site may come with some challenges and we are here to support you.

Next Steps:

• Upon enrollment, students receive a letter informing them to complete the generalist (first-level) internship application in the SONIA database system. The generalist internship application should be submitted within 30 days of the start of the Fall semester.

• Once the students' internship application is submitted, they will be added to the Online MSW Placement Group in SONIA and Sakai, the learning management system used at LUC. The Sakai course site is titled "Online 1^st  level MSW site" and students will be able to view the tutorial with additional information about the generalist internship.

• The SSW Regional Coordinators will begin to work with students at the start of the program and will share existing national sites in the SONIA database system. Loyola’s School of Social Work may have a current partner in or near your geographical area. The Regional Coordinator will be able to “shortlist” these partner agencies and share them. Students will then use SONIA to reach out to sites to schedule interviews and secure an internship. Please note that we are continuing to grow our national partnerships and may not have one in your location at this time. An interview does not guarantee an offer.

• If there are no existing internship sites near the student's geographical location, the regional coordinator will ask the student to submit two agencies that the school can approve as an internship site. The approval process for internship sites can take up to 2-4 months depending on the site. Hospitals and government agencies can take much longer to approve as an internship site (up to six months or more).

• If a student receives one or more internship offers, they may only accept one. If the student does not receive an internship offer, they will need to restart the process.

• Students must be supervised by an LCSW or an MSW with 2 years of post-master's experience. Students complete an internship confirmation form in SONIA once they have secured an internship site.

• Students work with their secured internship site regarding any paperwork.

• Students cannot begin their internship until a Loyola Affiliation Agreement has been completed between Loyola University and the internship partner. Once the Affiliation Agreement process is completed, the student may begin the internship at the start of the Fall semester. Students should agree on a start date and end date with their Internship Supervisor and should be included in the Learning Agreement. We do not encourage students to terminate their internships early.

Timeline for internships:

Generalist (first-level) Internship

Specialized (second-level) Internship         

Regional Coordinator

Sandy Peterson, speter8@luc.edu