1. After students have turned in their applications for the practicum,
the field director begins to work with the student in choosing
an appropriate placement. Generally, the student and practicum
director narrow the choice to two or three agencies with whom
the program has an agreement. The field director calls the agency
to
determine whether the agency is able to accept a student for
the semester requested. If the student has an interest in an
agency
where the college has not previously had a placement or where
there is no existing agreement to provide field practicum placements,
the field director initiates contact with that agency to determine
whether the agency meets the requirements for taking practicum
students. (In special cases the student may be given permission
by the field director to initiate contact with a new agency;
however,
this is always followed up by contact by the field director.)
2. The next step is for the student to arrange interviews with
the agencies upon which the student and the field director have
agreed.
If the agency and the student agree that a field placement in the
agency seems appropriate, the student may then go ahead and arrange
the practicum. If there is no existing formal agreement with the
agency, then the field director sends the agency a copy of the
agency/college letter of agreement to be signed by the appropriate
agency personnel.
The agency and student are encouraged to treat this interview as
they would an employment interview.
3. If accepted as a practicum student by the agency, the student
will, on the first day of the placement, take a copy of the college's
practicum contract to
the agency; with consultation from the field director, the student and the
field instructor fill out the form, which specifies the days when
the student will
be in the agency, the times of supervisory conferences, broad learning goals,
and other specifics of the placement.
