PRACTICUM
For any questions about the Practicum, please contact the Educational Services Manager at ischool.edsm@ubc.ca
PREREQUISITES
MLIS and Dual MAS/MLIS: completion of MLIS core
Practicum is not available to MAS students
If you opt to do a Practicum, it must be completed PRIOR TO your last term of study in the MLIS or Dual program, as it intended to inform your program of study. A practicum will not be arranged in or after a final term.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Please apply by the following dates to be considered for the practicum placements:
- Apply by September 15 for end of Winter 1 placements in December
- Apply by January 15 for end of Winter 2 placements in April
- Apply by May 15 for end of Summer placements in August
SETTING UP A PROJECT
To apply, fill out the LIBR 595 Practicum Application Form and follow instructions on how to submit. Students should submit at least one organization choice, but can submit up to three locations. For ideas of where to complete your practicum, see example practicum locations [PDF].
To satisfy this requirement, you must work for at least two weeks under supervision in an approved information-based organization. The normal time period is after the examinations concluding the first academic year of studies so that the more specialized and practical studies of the second half of your program may be based on the experience.
After a placement has been confirmed with the Educational Services Manager, complete the practicum project plan with your supervisor to use as a guide during your placement.
EVALUATION
The Practicum appears on your transcript with a Pass/Fail grade.
WHERE DO PRACTICUMS NORMALLY TAKE PLACE?
The practicum normally takes place in an academic, public, school, or special library but if it meets your needs better, and if a freelance information professional agrees to supervise, it may take place in a non-institutional setting. There is no limitation on locality. Your wishes are considered and usually accommodated in determining this. Since there is no provision for payment or return of expenses to you, it is usual to undertake the practicum in a locality where you need not pay extra for accommodation during the period. Practicum placements have been arranged in almost every province and in many foreign countries.
EXPECTATIONS
Supervisors
The supervising librarian receives instructions which emphasize the purpose of the practicum as an introduction to professional judgement-making and the planning and execution of services. Students are not to be expected to carry out routine operations of an essentially clerical nature. At the end of the placement, supervisors are asked to complete a final survey providing feedback on the student and the overall placement.
Students
All the documents below are accessible via the iSchool Resources website.
- A practicum project plan is required before project work begins. The plan outlines the daily schedule of activities and should be approved by the Supervisor. Once the plan is received students will be registered in the course by the Educational Services Coordinator.
- Students are required to complete the Hands on Learning Agreement document before beginning their placement.
- Students are asked to complete a final Student Report form at the end of their placement.
FORMS
For more practicum-related materials and forms, including final report forms for students, visit the Hands on Learning section of the iSchool Resources site.