Department of Psychology

Psychology Practicum Course Syllabus

Course: Psychology Practicum (PRCPSMA)

Prerequisite: All Major Psychology Courses (Except THSPSMA/DIRPSY)
Prerequisite to: Graduation
Type of Course: Major
Faculty: Prof. Roberto E. Javier Jr., PhD
Term: Term 1, AY 2010-2011

Course Description:

This course allows graduating students from both the BA and BS Psychology
program an opportunity to become part of a work environment/situation/team where
the psychological principles are at work, and where the knowledge and skills learned
through the program could be utilized, refined, or further enhanced. A practicum
student is assigned various tasks and projects in different units of an institution by a
practicum on-site supervisor, as approved by both the practicum coordinator and the
student’s faculty adviser. On-site work totaling 100 hours minimum is required of the
practicum student. Aside from rendering on-site service of 100 hours minimum, an
AB Major in Psychology student is required 50 hours minimum of community service.
Tthe community service is rendered in approved and recognized sites of the DLSU-
COSCA . A case study is a major requirement of this course. The student taking on-
the-job training meets periodically with the practicum faculty adviser for structured
learning sessions such as report/share work-related experiences, preparation and
presentation of case study.

Course Objectives:

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired the fundamental work
skills from his/her choice of work sites i.e. clinical/educational or
industrial/organizational. In particular the student will be able to:

1. describe the applications of psychological theories in specific institutions

and/or a specific case
in these institutions;
2. relate psychological knowledge, attitudes, skills, and/or work habits
acquired in the university with knowledge, attitudes, skills, and/or work
habits required in the work setting;
3. apply psychological knowledge and skills in the work setting;
4. demonstrate new knowledge, attitudes, skills, and/or work habits acquired
from the practicum site; and
5. provide evidence of active and satisfactory participation in the design,
implementation, and/or evaluation of actual programs or projects in the
student’s assigned practicum site.

Course Procedures:

1. The student, in consultation with the practicum coordinator and his/her

practicum adviser, together with a potential on-site supervisor, plans and
proposes a program of psychology practicum training.
2. The practicum coordinator approves the proposed training program upon the
endorsement of the student’s practicum adviser.
3. The practicum student keeps a daily log of the practicum activities

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 documenting what was done as well as what his/her reactions were to the
tasks that had to be done. The entries in this log are periodically read or
listened to by the practicum adviser.
4. The student submit a time record form, documenting the time of the student’s
reporting in for work and logging out of the work site. Every entry made on
the record form must be countersigned by the on-site supervisor (or his/her
duly designated representative).
5. The class meets as a whole group three times for the practicum class, the first
time for an orientation meeting, the second time as a final goal-setting
session, and the third time to update the practicum coordinator about
developments in the practicum job site and community service sites,
respectively. The dates for the class meetings are to be set by the practicum
coordinator.
6. The student meets with his/her practicum adviser regularly for updates about
work-related experiences, concerns about work attendance/performance, and
final paper requirement (case project).

Course Activities:

Week 1
1. Course Orientation
a. Course structure
b. Goal-Setting
c. On-the-Job Site Selection
2. Preparation for Job Application
a. Letter of Introduction Form (LOI)
b. Job Description Form (JDF)
c. Parent’s Waiver Form (PWF)
Week 2-3
3. Consultation with Faculty Adviser
4. Job Sourcing
a. Submission of LOI to job sites
b. Follow-up of Job Application
Week 4
5. Formalization of Job Contract (JDF; signed by duly designated supervisors and
other signatories)
6. Meeting with Faculty Adviser
Week 5-12
7. On-the-Job Training (OJT)
8. Case Study (preparation in consultation with the Faculty Adviser)
9. Community Service (BA Major in Psychology)
Week 13
10. Case Study (presentation; revision) c/o Faculty Adviser
Week 14
11. Submission of Requirements to the Practicum Coordinator
a. Certificate of Completion (100 Hrs Min OJT) (50 Hrs Min CS)
b. Performance Appraisal Form (accomplished by the student’s on-site
supervisor, submitted in a signed-sealed envelope)
12. Submission of Case Study paper (soft copy or in print form) to the Faculty
Adviser
13. Feedback to institutions; letter of gratitude/card of thanks

Course Requirements:
1. Timely submission of the following forms prior to start of practicum:
a. Letter of Introduction to practicum site (LOI)

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 b. Job Description
c. Waiver Form
2. Timely submission of the following after completion of 100 hours minimum in
the practicum site:
a. Certificate of Completion of 100 Hours
b. Attendance Sheet
c. Daily Log
d. Draft of letter of thanks and feedback to institution
3. Case Study (Paper and Presentation)
4. Additional Write-Up
5. On-site Supervisor’s Rating Form (Performance Appraisal Form)
6. Attendance in Periodic Group Meetings and Meetings with Practicum Adviser

Assessment/Evaluation:
On-site Supervisor’s Rating 60%
Case Study 30%
Class Standing (Faculty Adviser’s) 10%
100%