Among more than 600 accredited social work programs nationwide, The University of Alabama School of Social Work is the only institution outside the Washington, D.C., metro area offering both Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work students the opportunity to complete a semester-long practicum with a faculty in residence in the nation’s capital. The latest cohort began its journey this spring semester.
The Washington, D.C. Practicum Program is a highly competitive, immersive experience that places students in federal agencies, congressional offices, national nonprofit organizations and advocacy institutions.
“This program is designed to prepare social work students not only to understand systems, but to be a part of influencing them,” said Dr. Courtney Chapman Thomas, director of the Office of Experiential Programs and Community Partnerships. “Our students don’t just observe policy and practice at the national level. They contribute meaningfully to it.”
Reagan NeSmith, an undergraduate student, described the experience as “truly transformative,” noting that being in Washington, D.C., “the epicenter of policymaking,” has allowed her to immerse herself in the policy world while developing long-term professional skills.
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to live in the city and engage with so many meaningful and impactful experiences,” she said.
Students are selected through a rigorous application and interview process and complete supervised, semester-long placements focused on policy analysis, advocacy, program development, research and systems-level practice. Host organizations benefit from sustained engagement with highly trained social work students who contribute to research, stakeholder engagement and policy support while working under professional supervision.
Dr. Coy Stout serves as the faculty liaison for the program, teaching weekly in-person seminars that integrate theory, ethics and systems-level practice with hands-on fieldwork. A distinguished alumnus of the program, Stout completed his own UA social work D.C. practicum in 1994 at the Whitman-Walker Clinic and has since built a nationally respected, three-decade career in direct and macro practice.
“The D.C. Program allows students to explore the policy-practice connection in ways that simply can’t be experienced anywhere else,” he said, citing “unparalleled opportunities for professional growth, civic engagement and a deeper understanding of how social workers shape — and are shaped by — public policy.”
The program serves as a workforce development pipeline for social workers entering policy, advocacy and leadership roles.
“This program strengthens the pipeline of social workers prepared for leadership in national systems,” Chapman Thomas said. “It also provides organizations with knowledgeable, skilled and passionate social work students who are ready to contribute from day one.”