A practicum combines fieldwork with academic activities. It allows a student to augment classroom learning by working in a professional organization. Follow the links below to learn more about the process.
Choosing and Scheduling a Practicum
What Should be included in a Practicum Proposal?
The practicum is the final component of the M.M.C. program designed to help prepare students to become media or strategic communication management professionals. M.M.C. students are expected to complete all degree core and concentration core courses before they are eligible to take the practicum, but exceptions can be made by the Associate Director of Graduate Studies in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications on a case-by-case basis. With the help of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, students secure a practicum appropriate to their interests, allowing them to further pursue their concentration in the mass communications field. The practicum experience allows students not only to see how communication organizations work, but also lets them evaluate the effectiveness of the organization for which they are working.
In the practicum, students are treated like full-time employees, work full-time and complete a final report analyzing the management processes of the sponsoring organization. Students must regularly check in with the practicum instructor of record as they complete their program, but are encouraged to work in any location reachable by e-mail. This encourages students to expand their horizons by living in a new area. Former students have worked in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and many other places, including abroad. We have found that the practicum makes M.M.C. graduates more successful media and strategic communication professionals and also gives students the chance to explore the vast array of opportunities available to them.