Cjls practicum FIELD EDUCATION Manual

Field Education Overview

This field education manual is designed as a guide for students and community education partners to important policies, processes, and resources related to field education. Field education is a unique partnership between the university, community organizations, and professionals who serve as Field Instructors.

We are extremely grateful for the organizations and individuals who agree to take on the important responsibility of supervising our students during their practicum field experience.

Field Education Terminology

Throughout this manual, the terms “practicum”, “field education,” “field experience,” and “fieldwork” will be used to describe this experiential component of our curriculum. “Practicum” is the all-encompassing education experience, wherein the student integrates theory and practice through a combination of academic and internship or “field education” experiences. This manual focuses more narrowly on the “field education” (fieldwork, field experience) aspects of the experience, while also situating field education within the larger context of the CJLS Program curriculum, including practicum.

The Practicum (aka Fieldwork) Course:

During fall semester of senior year, all CJLS majors complete the Practicum seminar course, including a minimum of 70 field education hours under the supervision of a Field Instructor and the administration of the Practicum Coordinator. In addition to field education activities, students attend a weekly seminar class in which they integrate classroom knowledge with practice and critically analyze and reflect on their practicum experiences and professional development.

Field Instructor Orientation & Training

In addition to this Field Manual, prior to student placement, Field Instructors are offered a live orientation and training on topics related to Pacific University’s CJLS Program and field education. This orientation and training is typically offered over Zoom ~2 weeks before the start of the semester. This live orientation does not cover all the materials included in this Field Manual and is not intended to replace Field Instructors' independent review of the Field Manual.

In cases where new Field Instructors are not able to attend this training, individual meetings to review the materials may be scheduled.

August 12, 2025 Field Instructor Orientation Materials:

PacificU Practicum Field Instructor Orientation_8.12.24.pdf

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