Practicum

LS 5843 Practicum = Professional Preparation

• A 120 hour / 160 hour* unpaid, professionally supervised internship in an approved school, public, academic, or special library appropriate to your SLIS coursework and area of specialization
• LS 5843, a 3-credit-hour course required** for graduation and included in your official TWU SLIS "Degree Plan"
• An opportunity for TWU students to apply academic knowledge, to practice newly acquired skills, and to perfect their professional manner

TEXAS SCHOOL LIBRARIAN CERTIFICATION: A student under current contract with a school district as "Librarian of Record" may fulfill the Practicum requirement at their own school library during regular school hours. The student must be enrolled in the required Practicum course (LS 5843) with a certified school librarian from the TWU SLIS Faculty serving as Practicum Faculty Supervisor for the Texas Education Agency (TEA) mandated observations with related official documentation.

*REQUIRED HOURS: Students seeking Texas School Librarian Certification who were admitted to SLIS on or after January 1, 2009, are required to complete 160 hours to comply with the Texas State Board for Educator Certification's requirements. Students seeking school librarian certification outside of Texas are responsible for determining and meeting their specific requirements.

**WAIVER: Practicum Waiver may be approved for students employed as a fulltime librarian in a public, academic, or special library for a minimum of one year demonstrating professional responsibilities and competencies. If the Waiver is approved, an alternate 3-hour course must be added to the student's Degree Plan as required for graduation and the award of the MLS, MALS, or Dual MLS/MS Health Studies degree. Practicum Waiver will not be approved for students seeking Texas School Librarian Certification based on current Texas Education Agency (TEA) mandated observations with related official documentation.

Course Description for LS 5843 Practicum: Professionally supervised work experience in approved school, public, university, or special libraries. One hundred and twenty hours of work experience; students seeking school librarian certification admitted to MLS program on or after January 1, 2009, complete one-hundred and sixty hours of work experience. Practicum may be waived if student has had equivalent work experience. See **Waiver (above) for waiver details. Credit: Three hours.

Course Syllabus for LS 5843 Practicum:

• Purpose of Practicum
• Learning Objectives
• Work Products
• Student Professional Expectations for Practicum in Specific Library Types

Practicum Sites should be carefully selected to reflect the student’s academic and professional focus. As a part of the planning process for Practicum, students are encouraged to make preliminary, unofficial contacts with potential Practicum Sites and to seek a possible Site Supervisor at each location. All official contacts with prospective Practicum Sites are made directly by the Practicum Coordinator as a part of the placement process.

Practicum Site Supervisors must have a minimum of 2 years of professional experience, be currently employed by an accredited or credentialed library/information center, and oversee and assess the student’s performance.

Information for Site Supervisors

Practicum Application Deadlines
Fall Semester Practicum – July 1st
Spring Semester Practicum – November 1st
Summer Semester Practicum – April 1st

Information on Practicum is provided to TWU SLIS Students via Blackboard
Go to “My Organizations” (SLIS) Student Resources and select "Practicum [LS5843]" from the MENU.

• Practicum Policy in Master's Handbook
• Practicum Guidelines
• Syllabus for LS 5843
• Application & Instructions
• Waiver Application & Instructions
• Lists of Recent & Potential Practicum Library Sites  

MaryAnn Kitchens, MLS
mkitchens@twu.edu
Practicum Coordinator
School of Library & Information Studies
Texas Woman's University
PO Box 425438
Denton, TX 76204-5438
940.898.2732 / Fax: 940.898.2611