Welcome to UOP Field Experience! The following guidelines are offered to maximize the value and ease of selecting your field experience site:

1. Email Dr. Denise Land (dlland@hughes.net) for the latest BSHS Approved Agency Affiliation List. This list is meant to give examples approved agencies selected by prior students and BSHS 341 students are required to make their FE selection from organizations on this list.

2. For your second and third field experience course new organizations may be approved for your field experience activities; however, to make the approval, all required forms must be received a minimum of three weeks prior to the course start. Ideas on locating an organization include: Purchase a copy of The Community Services Directory for the county where you intend to do your field placement. The directory describes nearly all nonprofit agencies of a county and is available at nearly all major bookstores. Tips: The book may also be available at local library. Or, share the cost of the book ($25.00) with other students. OR: Try a website search with the name of the county or city where you want to work and the word "directory", "human service directory”, "volunteer directory", etc. For example, "Merced directory" or "Sacramento human service directory". Another website option is www.volunteersolutions.org by the United Way.

4. In choosing a field placement, it is recommended that you think about your career goals and the types of fieldwork experiences you want. This will help you to select an agency that can provide you with the experiences, training, and supervision you want. Please remember you are probably developing a new career field, thus be willing to accept entry level positions. As you continue your education and develop your skills, you will become eligible for more advanced positions with more complex duties.

5. It is strongly recommended that you arrange for an interview at your potential agency at least six to eight weeks before your class starts. However, if you want to work with minors, you will likely need a background check by the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) that often takes 2 to 4 weeks for the results. Thus, you should arrange your interview with the potential agency about 8 weeks before the field experience class starts to allow time for the DOJ results and possible TB test.

6. Bring the UOP field placement forms (Field Work Experience Agreement, Human Services Agency Profile, Agency Placement Request form and Student Learning Objectives) to the interview and offer to complete them, so the interviewer only has to sign them. These forms with be sent to UOP and your lead faculty liaison for approval of your FE placement.

7. Once at your field experience, always be prompt, cooperative, enthusiastic, and willing to learn. Your fieldwork is valuable to the agency and its clients. List your field experience on your resume with a description of your duties because it counts as work experience. (You may also want to ask for a letter of recommendation from the FE site.)

8. Be on time for you field experience class because it is only two hours long. Be prepared to discuss your fieldwork experiences, both positives and negatives (if any).

9. Special Notes: A. Only one field experience may be at your current or previous worksite, provided it is substantially different duties from your regular job, with a different department and supervisor. B. Each of the three field experiences should be significantly different duties/experiences and agencies. C. If an agency requires pre-training, only a maximum of 20 hours of training will be accepted toward the fieldwork time requirement.