Students gain insight into career options, requirements for different careers, as well as work experience and skills to become marketable for job opportunities and graduate school. Practicum is offered each semester including summer session and winter intersession.

Site contracting and PEP 495 registering

• Run any site ideas by your advisor or the practicum coordinator for initial approval.
• Approach sites with your resume and your goals for your experience.
• Once you have been accepted to the position by the site, complete the Practicum Contract/Agreement with the site supervisor.
• Return the completed paperwork to the Practicum and Internship Coordinator using the contact information provided on the form.
• The U of I Coordinator will process your contract (aka approve the site, comment on your tasks and goals and remove the hold) and email you with directions of the next step.
• You will then register for the course and complete the U of I professional liability request if directed to do so (if your site does not provide you with coverage).

Completing a Practicum (PEP 495)

• Complete 40 hours at your site during the section dates that you signed up for. You will attend your site using the schedule you agreed upon with your site. For example, all 40 hours within one week, or Tuesdays 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. for 10 weeks.
• You will see the course come up in Blackboard Learn at the beginning of the semester. All assignments, grades and feedback will go through Blackboard unless otherwise stated.
• A grade will be entered at the end of the course by the U of I Supervisor/Class instructor.

Students will gain valuable experiences that allow them to apply their classroom knowledge and skills in a practical setting. The experience will help students to achieve career and/or educational goals. Internship is offered during fall, spring and summer.

Site contracting and PEP 498 registering

Internship Proposal

• The semester before you plan on completing internship you will complete the Internship Proposal. The proposal serves as your request to participate in an internship and the information you provide will help us to determine if you can move forward with your search and plan.
• Return the completed paperwork to the Practicum and Internship Coordinator using the contact information provided on the form.
• You will receive feedback about your proposal from the Internship Coordinator.

Internship Contract

• Once you have been accepted to the position by the site, complete the Internship Contract/Agreement with the site supervisor. Submit the Internship Contract/Agreement to the Internship Coordinator. Generally, this is done four weeks before your internship start date.
• The U of I Coordinator will process your contract (aka approve the site, comment on your tasks and goals and remove the hold) and email you with directions of the next step.

Registration

• Register for the course and complete the U of I professional liability request if directed to do so (if your site does not provide you with coverage).
• Work directly with your site to provide any documentation or checks that they require before you begin, such as current background check, immunization records or CPR certification.
• If the site requires a Certificate of Professional Liability or an Affiliation Agreement, the Internship Coordinator will work directly with the site.

Completing the Internship (PEP 498)

• The course begins day one of the semester, regardless of your first day at your site.
• Complete 360 hours at your site during the semester dates that you signed up for. You attend your site using the schedule you agreed upon with the site.
• You will see the course come up in Blackboard Learn at the beginning of the semester. All assignments, grades and feedback will go through Blackboard unless otherwise stated.
• A grade will be entered at the end of the course by the U of I Supervisor/Class instructor.

Please be reminded that sites may require any, or all, of the following prior to starting at the site. If you do not, or cannot, provide what they need you will not be allowed to participate at the site.

• Background check
• Current CPR certification (sites may require additional certifications)
• Current immunizations
• TB test
• Drug screen
• HIPAA training
• Blood Borne Pathogen training

Tips for finding a practicum and internship site

• Decide on what type of career or experience that you want to explore and/or gain experience in which will help you decide your career path and help you gain valuable work experience.
• Make a map of the geographical area(s) that you are willing to work within or travel to.
• Be open to a variety of sites. For example, if you want to be a physical therapist but have experience already, you can look into occupational therapy, public health or cardiac rehab to explore what they do and help you with patient care skills.
• To generate ideas and make connections ask your contacts to put feelers out for you by talking to their coworkers, friends or other contacts. Talk to your former high school teacher, coach, family doctor, classmates and use social media.
• Research what facilities may be of interest. Look for listed internships, jobs, as well as simply identifying businesses and companies. Check out what the site does, outcomes they look for, their clients, employees, and so on. Make a list of the sites that are the most interesting or the best fit for you.
• Talk to potential supervisors. You are looking for someone with education, skills, experience, relevant credentials and enthusiasm to help you learn and grow.
• Work on a two-minute pitch that describes practicum or internship, who you are, your goals and why you are contacting them.
• Use University of Idaho’s Career Services to help you with your pitch, resume, cover letter, materials, practicing your pitch, mock interviews, building connections or career exploration or uncertainty.
• Start looking for sites early as it can take several months to secure one.
• Watch for the Practicum and Internship Coordinator’s emails that are sent regularly with opportunities, important dates and deadlines and reminders.

Specific tips for practicum sites

• Review the Examples of Practicum, and do research to identify several ideas and possibilities.
• Think about which semester, and which section during the semester, will work for your schedule. There are several sections during the year to choose from.
• Think about your goals for the field experience. For example, what do you want to know or be able to do after your placement is over?

Specific tips for an internship site

• MVSC 445: Internship Preparation and Professionalism is an eight-week course that is designed to help you explore careers, look at sites, get your materials ready and build confidence to find sites.
• Check out the Examples of Internship Experiences, the Careers and Electives List, past Site Specs in the MVSC 445: Canvas class, and the internship opportunities emailed out.
• Brainstorm ideas. Contact the Internship Coordinator. Chat with any of our knowledgeable and enthusiastic faculty members.
• Have your resume and goals for internship ready.
• Be ready to speak about your interests, the internship course and to ask about their site, clients and internship application process.
• Share the Welcome Packet with the site.
• Follow up. If you have contacts and leads, reconnect with each to make sure all your materials (e.g., resume, cover letter, application) have been received and to share the Welcome Packet (if you have not already). Make a timeline for a third follow up and/or check based on their decision making timeline.

U of I Career Services

Are you looking for a job, wondering about your career, or preparing to apply to graduate school?

You have access to a career advisor that specifically serves movement sciences students. Kyle O'Keefe, our new Career Development Liaison to the College of Education, is here to help students with:

• Major and Career Exploration
• Resumes and Cover Letters
• Job and Internship Searches
• Mock Interviews and Interview Strategies
• Salary Negotiations
• Graduate School Applications

Kyle is available by appointment. Schedule an appointment by phone 208-885-2818, email at kokeefe@uidaho.edu or in person at ED 300.

Alternatively, visit the Career Services office in the Idaho Student Union Building 334 or email careerservices@uidaho.edu.

U of I Advisors and Faculty

Set an appointment to talk with your U of I advisor or your professors for their assistance with career or degree planning.

Two practicums and one internship.

You can do a practicum in any semester or session: fall, winter, spring, or summer.

You can do your internship in the spring, summer or fall, but remember that your internship should be conducted at the very end of your degree, after you have completed all of your classes and practicums.

Practicum and internship experiences must be started and completed within the course/session dates in which you enroll.

Requirements of practicum and internship experiences MAY include any or all of the following:

• Current CPR certification (certain sites may require additional certifications)

• HIPAA training

• Bloodborne pathogen training

• Current immunizations 

• Background check

Note, the costs of these certifications are paid by the student.

Geographically you can go anywhere; however, these are the rules:

• The site has to be related to Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences. 

• What you observe and do at the site has to be related to Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences. 

• You can’t do your practicum or internship somewhere where you’ve already worked and you can’t get credit for something you have already done (no retrospective credit earning).

• You can’t do two practicum placements at the same site unless you will have a different role at the site. You can return to a practicum site for your internship.

Yes, you will have to pay for your credits. Some placements are paid but they are hard to come by.

Look at past placement sites for both practicums and internships. There is a binder in the Movement Science Main Office that includes past internship site information. You can also discuss your options with your academic advisor, professors, or the Career Services Center on campus.

No. You need to seek out a new challenge.

Yes. For any hospital you will need to complete their volunteer application procedures. Hospitals need to coordinate many volunteers and also make sure you are healthy and able to carry out your duties.

You will also have to provide proof of HIPAA, bloodborne pathogen and CPR training, and current immunizations as well as complete a background check. If you are not up-to-date with your immunizations you will need to get those completed. There may be costs involved for both of these things. You will need to provide proof of your immunizations and certificates to the U of I Practicum and Internship coordinator when you hand in your contract. This information will be kept in your file and shared with your site with your permission. Please contact the University of Idaho coordinator to get a checklist to help guide you in this process.

If you plan to do your internship at a hospital, you will also need an Affiliation Agreement in place between the site and the University of Idaho.

These are legal documents that detail the relationship between a site and university. For all hospital internship placements we need an Affiliation Agreement in place. If you plan to work in a hospital for an internship then you will need to get this process started a semester or two before your estimated start date. To start the process, talk to your site about contacting your University of Idaho coordinator and he or she will oversee the communication between the university's risk management and purchasing staff members and the appropriate department/person at your site.

A supervisor must have education, skills, experience, and relevant credentials that will guide you, challenge you, support you, and help you to become a contributing member of their team. The quality of your experience has a lot to do with the site supervisor, so select wisely.

Yes, if they have all the education, skills, experience, and relevant credentials in their area of work. The University of Idaho coordinator can work with any new supervisor to coach them through their new role.

No. The 360 hours of internship must be completed in one semester.

Yes, but make sure these show up in your logs, and "working hours" should still be the vast majority of your hours.

No. We do want to see your hours every two weeks but your two weeks will depend on the day and time you started. It is also okay for one log to cover 12 days and the next 15 days.

Yes, if there will be learning, supervision, and some practical application.

For example, for the CNA course you have classes, tests, and you will also do a rotation/placement where you will be able to apply your skills under supervision. But simply studying and taking the test for CSCS would not count.

Please review the proper procedure.

The process from thinking about to starting your placements can take a long time to complete, on average 2 months for practicum and 6 months for internship, so please make sure you start looking early and submit all of your paperwork in a timely fashion.

No. The hold for the class will not be lifted until all steps are complete. You cannot start any placement until all steps are complete.

Yes. You can either work through the Study Abroad Office or you can contact sites on your own. However, it is often difficult to set these experiences up. We will require you to ensure that where you are going is safe, that you will have a safe place to stay, and that you will have good supervision.