Exploring gaps between MSW students’ experiences and expectations of field supervision in a Chinese setting

The quality of field supervision is essential to prepare social work students for professional practice. This qualitative study explored the experiences and expectations of 22 MSW students who received their field supervision at social work professional organizations in mainland China. Findings indicate that there are significant differences between the actual supervision that students received and their expectations with regard to the structure and content of supervision. This study contributes to the literature by clarifying further what the lack of time for supervision and the lack of professional supervision mean in China’s context.