Graduation Stream- Practicum

The standard journey for a Master’s Student in a practicum-based program is as follows:

Please keep in mind that the information below is a summary of more detailed information that can be found in the Practicum Guidelines [PDF].

Every graduate student is required to have a Graduate Program Advisor. Generally, the Advisor will be selected and appointed as soon as the student arrives to begin his/her program of study. The Graduate Program Committee Chair is responsible to approving the appointment of a practicum Supervisor and a Supervisory faculty member from the Department. The Supervisor or Advisor may act as Chair of the Committee. Your practicum supervisor will be directly responsible for supervising and providing guidance on all aspects of a student’s practicum by staying informed on the student progress. The supervisor will prepare annual reports summarizing progress and practicum experience. Practicums may include placements in Indigenous communities or with organizations (NGOs, government organizations, for-profit organizations, etc.) involved in matters related to Indigenous governance. With the supervision of the Practicum Academic Supervisor, students will work closely with skilled practitioners and community members in order to achieve goals outlined in the Practicum Proposal. A second faculty member will review and approve both, the Practicum proposal and the reports.

Practicum Examining Committee

The Practicum Committee, which consists of the Practicum Academic Supervisor and Graduate Program Coordinator, are responsible for approving the proposal based on its feasibility and relevance. If the suggested Practicum Academic Supervisor holds the role of Coordinator and Supervisor, another Faculty member will be required for the Committee. Once the proposal has been approved, the students will begin the practicum.

Logistics

Students are responsible for identifying a site for the practicum, which may be in Canada or internationally.

Should an international site be chosen, students are responsible for immigration issues, travel accommodations, budgeting and understanding any other requirements of travel.
Students must sign up with the Registration of Canadians Abroad on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International trade Canada’s website.

Practicums held over a 3-month period where students are required to complete a minimum of 30 hours to a maximum of 40 hours per week.
For the Practicum to take place, a Host contact responsible for facilitating logistics, community contacts and fieldwork is required.
The formal supervision and evaluation of the practicum will be the responsibility of the Practicum Academic Supervisor. Students are expected to cover the costs of practicums and are encourage to apply for bursaries, grants, and loans.

Program Structure

Practicum orientation will take place with the Practicum Academic Supervisor and will include discussion and instructions on ethics.
Practicum will follow the proposal approved by the Practicum Academic Supervisor. Periodical reports will be included as part of the supervisory activities.
Hosts may provide an orientation session to brief the student on the history and activities of the organizations and/or area/ community.
Evaluation is based on an integrated portfolio containing:

A report of 30-35 pages
A portfolio of practical experience (i.e. projects, presentations, meetings etc.
Public presentation.

Students must submit the final report with the approved proposal and the Section Agreement.

The practicum will be evaluated on Pass/Fail criteria.

Please review the Practicum guideline for more detailed information on student ethics and the detailed form for the Section Agreement between the practicum Student, the Practicum Academic Supervisor, and the Practicum Host.

Please note that there is a database of indigenous organizations for potential practicum and internship positions which can be made available through the Department Assistant. Students need to consult with the Department Graduate Committee Chair before initiating contacts with a potential organization. Students can also contact Jennifer Ledoux of the CN Resource Centre (3RC086) for more information on potential organisations.

Graduation Deadline

To be eligible for Spring Convocation, all requirements, including the oral defense and submission of the final copy of the thesis, must be completed prior to May 15 of the same year.

To be eligible for Fall Convocation, all requirements, including the oral defense and submission of the final copy of the thesis, must be completed prior to September 15 of the same year.