Practicum

The University of New Haven College of business is pleased to invite eligible students to participate in a practicum experience while earning three credit hours. The practicum work experience is one of an ongoing set of numerous professional enrichment opportunities and alternative pedagogical methodologies that the college encourages all students to consider

 

What is professional enrichment?

Professional enrichment is an opportunity to be exposed to professional issues presented through short seminars through the school year.  This is required for graduation for College of Business students. 

What is a practicum?

A practicum is a guided work experience conducted within a guided framework. Each practicum group provides dynamic consultation concerning practical business- related problems to a small business or other organization, under the mentorship of a faculty sponsor.

 

What are the benefits of enrolling for a practicum?

Students who enroll for a practicum have the opportunity to:

• Earn three credits towards their curriculum credit hour requirements;
• Gain hands-on experience employing group and team dynamics;
• Sharpen presentation and professional report writing skills;
• Familiarize themselves with the decision-making issues faced by organizations;
• Learn how to integrate academic theory and technology with business practices;
• Work on a real world business project for a client;
• Experience the practices of consulting; and
• Develop business contacts and increase networking opportunities.

Organizations participating as clients in the practicum benefit from business expertise of the student group involved, and gain contemporary problem - solving perspectives that address the work issue or business at hand.

 

What type of consultation might be involved?

Student groups that participate in a practicum will become involved in consulting activities including, but not limited to:

• Implementation and utilization of contemporary  accounting systems;
• Financial consulting and investment analysis, utilizing financial databases, and software;
• Involvement in corporate strategic planning;
• The development of marketing plans;
• Exploration into export markets  and global business operations;
• Small business start up and entrepreneurship; and
• Customer service issues and quality improvement.

 

What are the requirements for completing a practicum?

Requirements vary by work opportunity, but generally involve weekly on-site visitations to the work-place to meet/ consult with the clients point person. These meetings also offer the opportunity for the point person to help familiarize students with the business world and the climate of the profession, and provide insight concerning career development issues.

Simultaneously, the student group provides updates to the client on the project's progress, the information that has been gathered, and the results of the analyses that have been conducted in support of the project. As a basic part of the practicum, students are expected to employ group dynamics and to partition the workload between the group members. The practicum group should also provide periodical updates to the faculty mentor, and submit a written report to the faculty mentor and client. This report is accompanied by a group presentation at the end of the semester, during which the end results of the group work effort and consultation are summarized.

 

How do students enroll for a practicum?

To be eligible for a practicum, the interested student must have:

• A grade point average of at least 3.0, both overall and major;
• Junior status (58 credit hours) by the beginning of the semester that the practicum is taken; and

Interested students who meet the eligibility requirements should submit the attached from to the Office of the Dean. Students may additionally / alternatively indicate their interest to faculty members of their choice. Students who would like to work with other particular students may indicate this on the attached from, although groups are ordinarily constructed to meet the requirements of the client and facilitate the completion of the project. As projects are arranged, interested students will be contacted by a prospective faculty mentor, a department chair, or the Dean's Office.

 

*students should consult with their advisors concerning-how course credit earned will be used to satisfy curriculum requirements. Practicum credit hours may be used to satisfy the University Of New Havens College Of Business directed credit hour requirement with the permission of the sponsoring department chairperson and Dean