Fair go in the field: Inclusive field education for international students in the social sciences

Increasing numbers of international students are enrolling in professional degrees in the social sciences requiring successful completion of work-based practicums. However, international students on practicum face particular challenges relating to language and cultural issues which are often compounded by prejudicial attitudes in the workplace. Academics responsible for field education play a crucial role in both preparing students for field practicums and negotiating with professionals in the field who supervise them, but little is known about how they approach this dual responsibility. This project will analyse the need for specific interventions to make social science field education inclusive by reviewing relevant research and resources, and investigating perceptions and practices of academic field coordinators and professional supervisors. Findings will inform the development of a model of inclusive field education and a plan for addressing identified needs. These will be evaluated as a foundation for a larger grant application to develop strategies and resources to make field education inclusive for international students.