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1. OVERVIEW
Practicum Home | Responsibilities of Participants | Recent Practicums
The Practicum is usually a 100-hour work placement, paid or unpaid, located in an approved site, working under the supervision of an experienced Information Professional.
During the Practicum placement, the student is expected to contribute to the activities of the workplace and to meet the same demands of work production and responsibility expected by the organization of its regular employees.
Approximately 25% of the duration of the Practicum must be spent contributing to the general mission of the host organization. The placement must also include exposure to the organization's administrative structure and procedures. The remainder of the Practicum may be spent on one or more in-depth projects focusing on particular aspects of the organization's work, and should provide the host organization with useful service and feedback. The Practicum, however, is also a learning experience; its effectiveness will depend to a large degree upon the extent to which a student observes, evaluates, and questions. Opportunity for discussion among the students, the School, and the participating organization has been written into the program to encourage such evaluation.
The Practicum placement enables the student to test and evaluate theories discussed in class, to gain experience in an information setting, to refine specific areas of interest, and to explore areas of particular interest for course specialization and future employment. This is accomplished through:
- extending studies beyond the classroom to practical, hands-on work experience in an information setting
- evaluating and supplementing studies through the comparison of differing perspectives and methodologies;
- testing individual performance, problem-solving skills and ideas in the context of a professional environment;
- enhancing communication and report writing skills;
- making contact with potential employers and future colleagues in the professional community;
- providing feedback to the School of Information Management's Curriculum/Continuing Education Committee on the Practicum as well as the relevance and comprehensiveness of the course offerings.
