Internship/Practicum

Master’s Degree Programs

You are required to earn a specific portion of your degree credits through demonstration of learning derived from a supervised internship or practicum related to your degree program. (see Degree Requirements). You can satisfy this requirement in one of two ways: through placement in a suitable internship position or, in certain cases, through the use of your current employment. In the latter case, you must demonstrate to your faculty advisor that professional supervision will be available and that there will be an opportunity for substantial new learning for you in your field. Students in the Foundations of Education program, who are experienced, practicing teachers, will use their workplace as a practicum site.

The following general principles serve as a guide to Antioch University New England’s internship or practicum component in all degree programs:

  1. A minimum of two semesters of internship or practicum is required of every student.
  2. A written contract, agreeing to the work (goals) to be completed in the internship or practicum, must be signed by you and a faculty member who will act as your internship/practicum advisor.
  3. Your learning objectives must be spelled out clearly at the outset of the internship or practicum, and be filed with the department.
  4. The process by which the Antioch faculty member will assess your achievement for your learning objectives must be spelled out in writing.
  5. The Antioch departmental representative may make one or more on-site visits per year, with the exception of the Department of Organization & Management. These visits are documented in writing and kept in the department records.
  6. The department is responsible for providing regular opportunities for you to meet with other students, under the supervision of a departmental faculty member, to examine your experiences and learning derived from the internship or practicum.
  7. The internship or practicum experience must be concurrent with the above opportunity to examine it.
  8. A written assessment by your internship or practicum site supervisor of your learning must accompany a verification sheet for each semester of internship or practicum.
  9. Departments may make use of self and on-site supervisor evaluations of the student’s learning in the internship or practicum.

The department is responsible for the distribution and collection of these materials. If the department wishes these to be included in your file, the department will attach them to the final verification sheet submitted to the Registrar.

Within the above framework, each program and department has designed its internship or practicum so as to achieve most effectively the desired learning from that department’s program. You need to be clear on the internship or practicum procedures, design, and requirements of your department.

Policies and procedures for the practicum in the Foundations of Education program may vary somewhat.

Doctoral Programs

For doctoral level internship/practicum guidelines, see departmental handbook detailing these guidelines.

Internship/Practica Crediting

Internships and practica are evaluated on four dimensions:

  1. Integration of theory and practice
  2. Professional-interpersonal skills
  3. Quality of documentation (work products and self-evaluation)
  4. Overall internship/practicum performance (a summative category)

In addition to the evaluation grid ratings, on the Internship/Practicum Verification Sheet records a narrative evaluation of student performance.

To receive credit for a practicum or internship, you must submit all required work and a Practicum/Internship Verification Sheet to the instructor by the due date. Your work must be of “satisfactory with concerns” quality or better in the overall Practicum Performance Quality category.

For doctoral level internship/practicum guidelines, see departmental handbook.