Practicum
Students who have no or very little actual library experience should consider taking a practicum as one of their electives. For students in the Detroit metropolitan and surrounding areas, there are over 200 libraries, many of which provide opportunities for a supervised practicum which students may elect for credit. A planned on-site experience in a participating library under the direction of a professional librarian and the supervision of a member of the faculty can also be arranged for students living throughout the country.
School Library Media and Archival Administration Students
Please note that students specializing in school library media or pursing the archival administration certificate must complete a practicum. School media and archival students should visit the links below for more information regarding their practicums.
Practicum Guidelines - School Library Media
Practicum Application for School Library Media
Practicum Application for Archival Administration
General Practicum Information
Practicums are 3-credit classes offered each term. The course requires 135 hours at the practicum site plus three mandatory seminars.
A call for submission of practicum applications is made each semester to the SLIS electronic discussion list. In addition to filing a practicum application, the student must also register for the course; students cannot register for the practicum without receiving departmental approval. Both the submission of an application and course registration are required in order for the Practicum supervisor to place the student.
Application Deadlines:
| Semester | Application Due Date |
|---|---|
| Fall | June 1 |
| Winter | October 1 |
| Spring/Summer | February 1 |
For frequently asked questions regarding practica, please visit the Practicum FAQ section.
To be filled out before the first practicum seminar: Practicum Information Sheet