A practicum combines fieldwork with academic activities. It allows a student to augment classroom learning by working in a professional organization.

To earn practicum credit, students must:

1. Work a total of 300 hours at the organization they choose for their practicum. Generally, this is accomplished by working 20 hours a week for 15 weeks in a semester or 25 hours a week for 12 weeks in a summer.
2. Provide evidence of professional work to the faculty member who is serving as practicum coordinator, including a portfolio, a project, a paper, or other evidence.
3. Provide faculty practicum coordinator with an acceptable proposal for completing the practicum. 
4. Complete the following reports as scheduled:
   *  Agreement and Responsibilities Statement - The Agreement and Responsibilities Statement form is due on the Monday following the first full week of the practicum. 
   *  Midterm Progress Report, to be completed by the student.
   *  Final Evaluation to be completed by the student.
   *  Successfully complete the practicum paper.

NOTE:
While working for the sponsor, a student is expected to adhere to the organization’s policies. If the sponsoring organization has just cause for terminating a student’s practicum (tardiness, unauthorized use of office equipment, inability to complete assigned work and so forth), it may do so. Should this happen, the student will receive a failing grade for their practicum (JOUR 777).

Unless all steps in the process are completed to the satisfaction of the supervisor and the faculty program coordinator, students will NOT receive academic credit for their work. All practicums are graded. The three credit hours for the practicum count as JOUR 777.