hello again I have another question and dont know if anyone here can help but I thought I would get some opinions on the issue. As I have stated in previous post I am a student majoring in social work. Over a year ago a month before I was supposed to graduate I had to approach my teachers and tell them I was battleing depression and anxiety. At the time I had a 3.6 gpa and was doing an internship. I started the internship at the beginning of August and was going to be done with it in May. When i approached the professors I had less than a month left. We decided for me to take incompletes but I did finish the intership. I got evaluated on it and had the needed hours. The university gave me a year to complete the assignments for the classes i did not complete. Unfortunetly due to medication side affects, and just trying to find the right med, I was not able to complete the work so the incompletes turned into an F. I am now enrolled this semester in one class and have 3 for the spring, but they are making me redo my intership. I just dont understand this, I got evaluated and completed the hours, I dont understand why I have to do this again. the classes I will repeat, but dont understand the rational behind redoing the internship. This is a huge finacial burden because this means I cannot get a job because I have to have so many hours for the intership. I went to disabilities through the university and they said I should try to fight to get the Fs turned back into incompletes so I wouldnt have to pay again for the classes, but I would have to go and talk to the board and honestly I dont want to have to go up against people who will later be grading me in class. Just wondering if anyone had some thoughts about this. Right now I am in the process of finding a new intership, but I just dont think it is fair. thanks all thoughts welcomed

I have NO CLUE. I can only SPECULATE so this is NOT repeat NOT the letter of the law. I am guessing that the school may feel that the courses are meant to be taken WITH an internship, e.g. some social work practice courses in my social work program had assignments based on the internship and active clients. While you could discuss clients from the internship you completed, they may feel that the learning experience is better if you are interning and going to class. Is it poss. to explain to the school the financial burden and then request to be paid for the internship or for some type of work study? THat may be 1 path of decreased resistance. Also, you may want to just flat out ask the school to explain their view point and reasoning for wanting you to re-do the internship with the courses. If you can get at the reason/educational goals the school is aiming at and then find an alternative way to achieve the educaitonal goals, then this may assist you. You're on the right track though by being in touch w/ disability services @ your school. Hope all goes well. Let us all know how things turn out.

Social workers are supposed to be advocates, so advocating for yourself is a good beginning. Audra may be right in her theory about why they want you to redo the internship. My experience is that at some schools the internship is actually linked to a class and for the hours to really be earned both the class and the internship need to be successfully completed.

In any case, if you think you could now finish the coursework in a timely manner I would advocate for yourself for an additional extension. I would also (respectfully) ask them to explain to you why the internship needs to be repeated.

I wouldn't worry about talking to a Board who will later be grading you in class, this could actually work in your favor! Letting them see you as a responsible committed person who is successfully dealing with/dealt with difficult issues is an asset in social work.

let us know what happens

Pandora