Program Policies & Procedures

Graduate students are expected to participate in 100% of practicum. Graduate clinicians are not permitted to be absent from externships unless the absence is excused. Reasons for excused absences include: 

• Personal illness/injury

• Significant illness/injury of immediate family (spouse, parents, children, grandparents, siblings, grandchildren) to care for the family member

• Exposure to contagious disease which can be communicated to other 

• Funeral

• Religious holidays/observation 

• Medically necessary appointment that cannot be scheduled at an alternative time 

• Other reasons approved by SLP faculty supervisor and coordinator of clinical education.

Graduate clinicians must provide documentation of absences. Unexcused absences or a frequent pattern of excused absences without appropriate documentation may result in a deduction in letter grade and/or an In-Progress (IP) for the practicum experience. 

Graduate clinicians who are absent with excused and unexcused absences 10% or more of the practicum experience will fail this course and will not receive credit for the clinical clock hours. You are considered tardy 5 minutes past your start time. Your start time is set by your site supervisor. Your site/faculty supervisor will deduct points from your final grade for chronic tardiness (tardy more than 3 times). Chronic tardiness will result in an action plan. 

(Updated: 9/4/25)