Health Science Practicum
About the Practicum
During the final year of the Health Science undergraduate program, students complete a practicum experience to gain first-hand experience in an area of interest.
Practicum experiences may be completed in selected healthcare work environments: public health departments, clinics, hospitals, not-for-profit organizations, community or commercial settings both domestically and abroad.
Students are required to read through the Practicum Process before planning their practicum. This page will also serve as a touchstone for resources and process guidelines.
Student Information
About the Practicum
Health Science undergraduates are required to complete an approved, planned, and supervised practicum. Students complete the practicum the summer before, or during their senior year. Students completing the practicum abroad may complete in either their junior or senior years.
Required reading for students: The Practicum Process
Note: A one-time $100 internship fee per undergraduate internship course will be applied. This fee will cover all administrative expenses incurred for the student’s participation in this academic requirement.
Requirements
Requirements for completion of practicum:
- 120 hours of onsite experience (approx. 8-12 hours/week for 12-14 weeks depending on site needs)
- Reflections about experiences on site
- Course assignments
- Midpoint and Final Reviews completed by supervisor
- Students receive a letter grade for the practicum
Planning Your Practicum
Registration
Consult with your Faculty Academic Advisor early to discuss class scheduling, or the possibility of taking additional classes in preparation for your internship.
Based on their guidance, register for the Health Science Practicum (SAR HS405, 4 credits) for the appropriate semester.
Plan
- After reviewing the information on this page, complete and submit the Practicum Planning Survey
- Though we have an extensive network of partner sites, consider your personal network of peers, faculty, and professional contacts when choosing your site.
- Think outside the box. Reflect on lectures, guest speakers, volunteer experiences, or organizations and individuals who have meant something to you, and pursue those opportunities.
Next Steps and Information
Sample Practicums
Students complete their practicums at a wide variety of sites. You can find some samples below.
Supervisor Information
Sargent College’s Health Science program requires that all students complete a practicum experience in their senior year.
The practicum experience requires 120 hours, a minimum of 8 weeks, under the supervision of a designated site supervisor; and under the guidance of the program’s practicum office.
Supervisors can read more about their responsibilities on the Practicum Process page, under the “Site Supervisor and Organization” tab.
Supervisor Responsibilities
- Serve as a liaison between Sargent College and the organization site
- Act as a mentor whose primary goal is to synthesize the development between academic learning and applied health practice
- Provide regular feedback to the student
- Assist the student in developing Learning Objectives and Goals
- Meet with student to evaluate performance and submit brief evaluations: Midpoint and Final Reviews (see below)
Advertise Practicum Opportunities to Students
Please complete the Practicum Request Form to provide the most updated practicum information for students at your site. Please contact us at: hsintern@bu.edu or (617) 353-7576 with any questions.
Supervisor Forms
- Learning Contract
- We request you discuss the Learning Objectives and Goals with the student within two weeks of start date onsite. Student is required to submit this directly to their clinical instructor.
- Midpoint Review
- Please submit the Midpoint Review at the midpoint of the practicum semester. We encourage you to share your feedback directly with students. This provides an opportunity to assess the progress of the student and make adjustments, if necessary.
- Final Review
- Please submit the Final Evaluation at the end of the semester. We request that you submit by the following dates:
- Fall: December 10
- Spring: May 10
- Summer: August 9
- We also encourage you to share this feedback with the student. This provides the opportunity to review their progress assess their overall performance. This is a crucial component of the practicum and professional development of the student.
Contact us
If you have questions or comments regarding a current or potential practicum opportunity for our students, please contact a faculty advisor:
Clinical Education Services
Sargent College has a dedicated Clinical Education Services (CES) office right in our building. This office assists faculty, staff, and students with the administrative and operational components of the clinical placement or internship. Please visit our webpage for more information!