Practicum in Industrial/Organizational Psychology

DESCRIPTION:

Students are trained to conduct applied research in organizations for the purpose of analyzing and improving work performance, productivity and quality of work life.

PURPOSE:

Student Benefits:

The practicum provides the student with an opportunity to apply academically acquired skills in an organization. This real-world experience prepares the student to enter the workforce with attributes valued by employers.

Employer benefits:

The student completes a meaningful project designed to enhance the organizational functioning and presents a formal report of the findings to management. A faculty member, who is an industrial / organizational psychologist, serves as the academic supervisor and provides technical expertise to help guide the project to its completion.

PROCESS:

The site supervisor and student, along with the academic supervisor, jointly decide on the project, its scope and objectives, a time frame for its completion, and the work to be performed. The student works under the direct supervision of the site supervisor and receives technical supervision from the academic supervisor.

The student typically spends 20 hours a week for 15 weeks on site to complete the project. However, the hours may vary depending upon the project requirements. Students are generally paid on an hourly contractual basis for the duration of the practicum. They often spend additional time on other HR activities as well. The project is usually completed over the course of a semester (15 weeks), but beginning and ending dates are determined primarily by the demands of the project. Upon completion of the project, the site supervisor provides an evaluation of the student's work to the academic supervisor who submits a grade for course credit.

REPRESENATIVE LIST OF PROJECTS:

· Conduct job analyses

· Develop procedures for evaluating personnel for selection and promotion

· Conduct attitude surveys

· Conduct needs analysis for training and Development

· Develop training modules

· Evaluate HR practices for effectiveness and legal compliance

· Develop structured behavioral interviews

· Conduct salary surveys

· Develop HR policy procedures

For additional information contact:

University of Baltimore

Division of Applied Behavioral Science

1420 N. Charles Street

Baltimore, MD 21201-5779

T: 410-837-5310

F: 410-837-4059

tmitchell@ubalt.edu

http://home.ubalt.edu/tmitch

University of Baltimore

Division of Applied Behavioral Sciences

Masters Degree in Applied Psychology

Industrial / Organizational Specialization

Requirements for Practicum

Course: APPL 707 PRACTICUM IN I/O PSYCHOLOGY

The student will complete a specific, well-defined project which

(1) Benefits the organization and

(2) Provides the student with an opportunity to utilize graduate level training and develop skills in an applied setting.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Practicum Agreement:

Describes the project, specifies the student work activities, and deliverables

2. Written Report: (must include)

a. Includes an executive summary

b. Introduction: Description of the problem/need

Note: be sure to include literature relevant to the project

c. Method/ Procedure (e.g. for job analysis, how it will be conducted)

d. Results (outcome) with deliverables

e. Discussion of outcome and recommendations

f. Appendices (omit any proprietary information)

3. Log of activities (by day or week)

4. Critique of work experience (favorable and unfavorable aspects):

To will help to improve the internship for others sites and future students)

5. Letter from site supervisor assessing quality of work.

6. Subscribe to IOINTERN and post bi-weekly progress.

IOINTERN listserv

Maintained for the Industrial / Organizational graduate students in the

Division of Applied Behavioral Sciences at The University of Baltimore

Tom Mitchell, Ph.D. Director of Graduate Programs

For I/O Graduate students, academics and HR practioners, and others in the HR community. The purpose of this listserv is to provide a forum for I/O graduate students to discuss their practicum experiences with fellow interns and obtain advice from HR professionals and I/O psychologists. This listserv is not to be used for promoting products or for discussion of political / social issues. Please take advantage of the opportunities it provides for reaching a broad range of HR professionals.

Use it to:

· Post a description of your practicum project and updates on your progress.

· Discuss I/O and HR related issues of interest to professionals.

· Announce job openings / job search for you or your organization.

· Announce upcoming events of interest to students and HR professionals.

· Pose questions on HR related issues:

• (e.g best practices, or a specific question for advice from others).

· Find other HR professionals for collaboration on issues, problems.

· Any other uses related to HR issues.

To subscribe / unsubscribe: go to: http://lists.ubalt.edu/mailman/listinfo/iointern

To post message: send email to: IOINTERN@lists.ubalt.edu

· Be sure to complete the subject line

· Be sure to identify yourself

(Note: Remember that a reply to IOINTERN goes out to all on list.

(Note: Send comments, questions, suggestions to: Tmitchell@ubalt.edu

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Ioadmin1

PW: iszadu

Elizabeth Brindley 410 837 5062 ebrindley@ubalt.edu

1420 North Charles Street/ Baltimore, Maryland 21201-5779

tel:410/837-5310; fax:410/837-4059; web: http://www.ubalt.edu/tmitch

UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE

Division of Applied Behavioral Sciences

MASTER'S DEGREE IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY

AGREEMENT for PRACTICUM in

INDUSTRIAL/ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

Student Information:

___________________________________________________ _______________

Name Student ID #

______________________________________ ________________, ______ _______

Street Address City State Zip

( ) ____-______ ( ) ____-_______ _________________________________

Home Phone Office Phone E-Mail Address

Dates for Practicum Credit Hours contracted (circle)

For course: APPL 707

From: ___/___/___ To: ___/___/___ 1 2 3 4

Semester: ______________ 20______ Hours on site per week: _________

Site Supervisor Information:

Name: (please print)__________________________________________Title: ________________________

Organization: ___________________________________________________________________________

Site Location: ____________________________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________________________________

Telephone: ( ) _____-________ Fax: ( ) ______ -__________

E-mail: _________________________________________________________________________________

Academic Supervisor:

Name: (please print)__________________________________ Title: ____________________

Address: _________________________________________________________________

Telephone: ( ) _____-________ Fax: ( ) ______ -__________

E-mail: ___________________________________________________________________

Page 2 Practicum Agreement in Industrial / Organizational Psychology, U. of Baltimore

Below, please describe: (A) purpose of the practicum, i.e., develop test for XX Corp., develop a training module; (B) activities the student will be engaging in; (C) skills developed, and (D) the requirements to be met.

(A) Purpose/objective of practicum for organization (e.g. conduct survey):

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

(B) Activities: (e.g. test administration, scoring, interviewing)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

(C) Skills/knowledges developed: (e.g. design training, statistical analysis)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

(D) Requirements: (e.g., deliverables such as report to management, proposal )

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

The student agrees to undertake and complete the practicum as described above. The academic supervisor agrees to submit a grade before the final due date for submission of grades for that semester.

__________________________ ____________________________ __________________

Supervisor Student Date