Elizabethtown College
Department of Communications
Course Syllabus

Comm 471/472 - Communications Practicum


1 Credit -- 2 Credits -- 3 Credits --Spring, 2009
Dr. Tamara L. Gillis

Prerequisites - minimal sophomore standing

Course Description
Supervised application of previously studied theory by professionals in the field of the student's concentration: Public Relations, Marketing Communication, Mass Communication, or Honors.

Objectives
The student will be able to:

  1. Build upon technical skills learned in the classroom and acquire new skills.
  2. Experience the relationship between theory and practice in a non-classroom or professional setting.
  3. Become familiar with professional performance expectations of the field beyond the classroom.
  4. Make judgements about the experiences and expectations of the position as they relate to career aspirations.
  5. Begin a transformation from learner to professional behavior.

Requirements - 1 credit item 1, 2 credits items 1-2, 3 credits items 1-2-3

  1. Journal - summary report of activities and analysis of events: problems, experiences, etc. An assessment of what was done, why, if it was rewarding, successful, or could be done better. Relate experiences to college education. A retrospective analysis - key perception of the week and people encountered. (Loose leaf paper, 8 1/2 x 11, submitted by mail by Mondays weekly or submitted by email.) At the end of the internship, the final weekly journal is a detailed evaluation report of the entire practicum experience. Use questions above as a guide, but consider the entire experience.
  2. Portfolio due by the last day of classes for the semester. A folder accumulation of best samples (1 or 2) of projects/work completed during the practicum, with documentation of your role in completing the project. This collection must show regular effort on the student's part to produce work an ultimately some items for which responsibility was given. Due last day of classes.
  3. Final project is an Applied Project designed and produced with and for your client. Instructor's approval will be required. Topic and outline due by mid-term. Project due by last day of classes.

Grading
Each Practicum will be graded pass/fail. Practicum evaluations are completed at mid-term and the end of semester classes on forms downloaded from GILLISTL public file. Field supervisors complete and return to the department at the address noted.

Midterm Evaluation: March 17, 2009.
Final Evaluation: May 1, 2009.