Practicum experiences are offered each Fall (PSY 420) and Spring (PSY 421) semester on a limited basis. These 4-credit courses provide senior students in psychology the experience of applying their knowledge to an actual situation in the field. The student is expected to spend an average of 6 hours per week during the semester in direct contact hours plus 1 hour per week of off-site faculty supervision and 1 hour per week of on-site supervision. A journal/log is kept throughout the experience and becomes a part of the student's file at the end of the semester. Each student makes a 1 hour presentation related to their practicum experience and must make arrangements for their site supervisor to write a letter of evaluation to the faculty supervisor upon completion of the experience.
Students interested in taking a practicum should begin by contacting Dr. Bargar, the department practicum coordinator. This would usually be sometime during the students junior year. They must apply to the Psychology Department during the semester preceding the semester they hope to do the practicum. Deadline dates are posted and will precede the pre-registration period each semester in order to allow the department to review the applications and determined participation prior to the advisement period. The following are the main concerns reviewed by the department in making its decisions regarding practicum applications:
- Faculty availability to provide supervision.
- Senior status of the applicant and a review of course work already completed. Consideration is given to performance and completion of course work related to the practicum experience.
- Course and outside work load of the applicant. The department discourages participants from taking an unrealistic course or work load during the semester of a practicum due to the time requirements of these experiences.
- History of responsibility of the applicant. The department only approves students capable of self direction to participate in practicum.
- Woodson Hospital
- Family Guidance Center
- Sunrise Center
- YWCA Abuse Shelter
- Heartland EAP
- Youth Services Group Homes
- Noyes Home for Children
- Synergy House, Inc.
- SafeHaven
- Missouri Western Career Counseling Office
- KANZA Mental Health Center
- Industrial Rehabilitation Center, Inc.
- Quaker Oats