Reading Quizzes
One of the many things that students can do to improve their probability for success is to read the textbook. There will be summative quiz for each module posted on Canvas.
Career Exploration Paper
For this brief paper, you will choose two professionals whose careers reflect an area you are seriously considering once your education is complete. These professionals’ careers can either be similar or different – that is up to you. Before interviewing each of them, you will research a little about their career and then interview them about the realities of their career and career preparation. The paper will then report the results of this research. Additional details are provided on Canvas.
Response Assignments
You will complete one discussion during each module. Discussions may include responses to assigned articles, ethical dilemmas, course concepts, professional reflection, or practicum experiences.
Each discussion is worth
20 points and will include an individual post and responses to classmates. Specific instructions and deadlines will be provided in Canvas.
Each student is required to complete
20 hours in order to receive a passing grade in the class. An incomplete practicum will result in a failing grade. Do plan to begin your practicum as early as possible, and discuss any concern over accruing sufficient hours as early as possible. Potential agencies are listed on the
Psychology Department’s web site (suu.edu; Academics; College of Humanities and Social Sciences; Psychology; Practicums/Internships/Externships). There are over 85 programs from which to choose. You are also welcome to find a new, unlisted site. Sites need to be cleared with the instructor.
Practicum/Agency Identification
This brief assignment will ask you to identify practicum placements/agencies of interest to you.
Practicum Paperwork
Before beginning practicum hours, students must complete the required liability waiver, confidentiality commitment, and finalized placement information. Additional instructions will be provided in Canvas.
Journal Keeping for Service Experiences
Writing these documents provides excellent professional development and training experience. These journals should be typed. To protect confidentiality – no identifying data should be presented in the records.
Each day the students attend their practicum site, they should write an entry that consists of a professional service record and a clinical process journal (description below). At the end of the journal, students will include a summary of their experience.
- Professional service record. This part of the journal are to be written as if you were an actual employee at the agency. They are an objective record of what took place in each clinical interaction, including status, intervention and plan. Additionally, each entry will need a recording of the date and the time spent.
- Clinical process journal. Unlike the previous portion, this much more subjective. It is a record of your speculations, thoughts, feelings and experiences working with the clients and at the agency. For example, this is a great place to identify areas you may seek further professional training –or not.
- Summary. At the end of your journal, include a 1-2 page summary of your experience. This portion is an overall reflection of the experience. Be sure to include strengths and challenges of working in the setting, as well as ethical dilemmas that are likely to be encountered in this setting. Also include how this experience informs your future career plans.