Field Study & COVID-19 FAQ

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*** Last Update  5/3/2021 3:00 P.M. ***

 

Fall Field Study 2021

Fall 2021 Field Study Overview:

Beginning in Fall ‘21, our Field Study enrollment and placement procedures will change significantly from the 2020-2021 academic year to more closely align with our pre-COVID-19 procedures. We will return to offering mostly in-person field placements, though a small number of remote opportunities will remain. Students will once again be responsible for securing a field placement prior to requesting enrollment for Fall ‘21 Field Study; we will be releasing a catalog of available placement sites in July from which students can apply. Research and learning assistantships will continue to count as fieldwork placements and available opportunities will be included in our Field Study catalog. A minimum of 80 hours will be required to fulfill the fieldwork requirement. For additional details and specific deadlines, please carefully review the FAQs below. 

 

Where can I request enrollment authorization for the Fall 2021 Field Study?

You will be able to request authorization to enroll in either SOCECOL 195/195W once the Course Enrollment Form becomes available for Fall 2021 (after August 2)

AND 

After you have SECURED a field study placement. 

Please reference the 2021-2022 Student Calendar on our Deadlines and Procedures page for specific dates and deadlines. 

 

Will field study be offered in-person or remotely during Fall 2021? 

Starting Fall 2021 and moving forward, field study will resume in-person placements. 

A limited number of remote placements will be available for those who are not able to participate in-person (this option is subject to change, updates will be released when available). 

 

How many hours will I be required to complete in Fall 2021?

Starting in the  Fall 2021 and moving forward, field study participants will be required to complete 80 fieldwork hours, if enrolling in 4 units of SocEcol 195/W. 

 

Students will be able to enroll in a variable number of units of SocEcol 195/195W but will be required to complete 20 hours per additional unit added. **Please note, a minimum of 4 units is required to fulfill the Field Study requirement. 

Here’s the breakdown: 

2 units = 40 hours 

3 units = 60 hours 

4 units = 80 hours 

5 units = 100 hours 

6 units = 120 hours 

7 units = 140 hours 

8 units = 160 hours 

 

Will I need to have a placement confirmed before I can enroll in a field study course? 

Starting in the Fall 2021 and moving forward, students need to find and secure a placement before requesting authorization to enroll in either SocEcol 195 or SocEcol 195W. 

Placements will need to be submitted via the Course Enrollment Form, along with the student course selection (SocEcol 195/W), before the designated deadline. 

 

How can I find available placements for the Fall? 

Our office will be releasing a new catalog the week of July 26. This catalog will be available year-round. Students who are interested in participating during the Fall will need to reach out to sites as soon as the catalog is released and confirm a placement via the Course Enrollment Form by September 3. 

 

When will I be able to enroll in a field study course for Fall 2021?

Although enrollment windows open in May for Fall 2021, Field Study enrollment does not take place until September. If you are planning on requesting enrollment, allow space in your schedule to fit in SocEcol 195/W and think of a backup course that you could enroll in if you do not end up securing a seat in SocEcol 195/W. 

 

Students will be able to enroll in SocEcol 195/195W the week of September 13, 

IF THEY RECEIVED AN EMAIL AUTHORIZATION TO ENROLL from the Field Study office. 

 

As a reminder, you will only be able to enroll if you meet all of the following prerequisites: 

  • Declared major in the School of Social Ecology or Environmental Science and Policy Major
  • Prior completion of SE 10 (or an equivalent course) 
  • 2.0 GPA
  • Junior or Senior Standing (90+ units)
  • Accepted a field placement and submitted a course enrollment form by the deadline.
  • A final decision on the status of Field Study for Summer/Fall 2021 has not been made, please check back later for updates. 
  • To receive an email update when more information becomes available for the Fall 2021 Field Study, please fill out the Fall 2021 Field Study Interest Form 

When do I start looking for field placement sites?

You can start looking at any time by referencing the catalog of Spring Field Study Traditional Placements, currently available on our website. 

Do I need to find my own placement?

Yes, you are responsible for securing your own placement from our Field Study Catalog, but you may also recommend for a site to become approved as long as the site meets the following criteria: 

  • Submit a Site Placement Application through our website  
  • Meet our field study guidelines and deadlines
  • Sign and submit the Site Placement Agreement before the deadline to submit your course enrollment form (deadlines vary by quarter)
  • Able to accommodate students for 80 hours of fieldwork for each term
  • Agree to complete a detailed final evaluation of your performance and confirm your fieldwork hours at the end of the term

Please note, if you plan on recommending a new site, you must plan ahead and ask them to submit the application as soon as possible. You should also have a contingency plan in place in case the site is not approved for field study. 

 

What is the difference between SocEcol 195 and SocEcol 195W? 

-4 units for SocEcol 195 will satisfy the Field Study requirement only 

-4 units of SocEcol 195W will satisfy the Field Study requirement AND upper-division writing. 

For more details on how they are different click here. 

 

Can participating in a faculty research lab/project or as a UCI learning assitant count as my field study placement?

Yes, participation as a research assistant (RA) or as a learning assistant (LA) can count as your field placement. However, we have specific enrollment requirements for RAs and LAs as described below, so PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY:

  • You MUST enroll in the correct number of SE 195 or SE 195W units in addition to the SE 198 (for RAs) or UNI STU 198 (for LAs) units as specified below. 
  • Each of the enrollment specifications outlined below will fulfill your Field Study requirement 
  • You will need to request an authorization code from your faculty RA or LA supervisor (NOT your Field Study course instructor) to enroll in SE 198 or UNI STU 198. Please reach out to them directly when your registration window opens.

Enrollment Requirements for Research/Learning Assistants for Field Study:

  • RAs in SE 195 must enroll in exactly: 2 units (SE 195) + 2 units (SE 198) = 4 total units
  • LAs in SE 195 must enroll in exactly: 2 units (SE 195) + 2 units (UNI STU 198) + 2 units (UNI STU 176) = 6 total units
  • RAs in SE 195W must enroll in exactly: 4 units (SE 195W) + 2 units (SE 198) = 6 total units
  • LAs in SE 195W must enroll in exactly: 4 units (SE 195W) + 2 units (UNI STU 198) + 2 units (UNI STU 176) = 8 total units

*Please see https://dtei.uci.edu/certified-learning-assistants-program-clap/ for more information about learning assistantships

What should I be doing now to prepare? 

Prepare your resume and cover letter! If you are authorized to enroll, you will have less than a month to apply, interview, and confirm placement. You should have your resume and cover letter ready to go so you can focus on selecting and applying to sites once the catalogs are made available to you. 

 

For assistance on how to put together a resume,  click here.  

For assistance on how to put together a cover letter click here.