- Students must have completed at least one gerontology core course before starting practicum.
- Three credit hours of practicum are required for both the gerontology undergraduate certificate and the M.S. degree, whereas it can be optional core or elective credit for the graduate certificate in gerontology. Three semester credits are equivalent to 150 clock hours (or 50 clock hours per credit hour).
- Previous but recent aging-related employment can waive the student for one of the required credit hours (or 50 clock hours). In this case, the student only needs to register for remaining two credit hours and work 100 clock hours of practicum. This one credit waiver needs to be approved by the Practicum Coordinator or the Center Director.
- Practicum can be either service (Geron 5990/6990) or research (Geron 5400/6400) experience, or any combination up to three credit hours. More than one site can be used to complete the required practicum experience.
- Students must register for the practicum course in order to earn practicum credit. The grade will be assigned once the work is completed. If the work is not completed within the semester in which the student registered, a "T" will be assigned until the requirements for the practicum are met.
- Students must complete the following with each site preceptor: 1) A form stating goals and job description prior to starting the practicum experience, 2) Weekly timesheets signed by the preceptor documenting hours worked toward total hours, 3) At the conclusion of the practicum, the preceptor completes an evaluation that is submitted to the Practicum Coordinator. A grade can not be reported until this form is completed. Copies of these forms are available at Center on Aging office or at this web site.
- A list describing current practicum sites (updated periodically)
is available in the Center on Aging main office (Nursing
591) and can be found at this web site by linking to: Practicum
sites. These fact sheets help describe practicum work experiences
at each site, Other possible sites can be proposed by the
student with approval from the Practicum Coordinator.
Dr. Michael Caserta, Practicum Coordinator
587 College of Nursing, 581-3572
michael.caserta@nurs.utah.edu
