How to Pitch the Practicum
Many students are not sure how to approach a potential supervisor to discuss the idea of the practicum. There are many different ways to have this conversation, it is not one size fits all. You don't want to pitch the idea without having done some basic homework first. Consider:
- What are the needs of the organization?
- How would your proposed project support the mission of your organization and/or priorities of your supervisor?
- What projects are already in progress?
- What experience or expertise do you have and how could you contribute to a project?
- If pitching a new idea for a project, what would that project be?
- How does it connect with the organization's mission?
- What deliverable(s) could you produce?
- You can see example deliverables here.
- What is the time commitment for you?
- 180 hours minimum
- What is the time commitment for them?
- Providing support and feedback on the project, reviewing and providing feedback to your Proposal, Report and deliverable(s).
Here are some examples of how to pitch the practicum in various settings:
- How to explain what the practicum is:
- The practicum is a directed internship. The idea is for students to apply core coursework to a problem in a professional setting and to further our professional experience. I would partner with you to develop a project, methodology and deliverable(s). The minimum time requirement is 180 hours, but the project can exceed that if you are interested in having an intern longer term. I am responsible for submitting a Practicum Proposal prior to starting the project as well as a Report and Deliverable(s) on completion of the project. I would need my supervisor's approval on those documents prior to submitting them to the program.
*It is helpful to show your supervisor the Practicum Proposal template, which has more details on what the practicum is. - How to talk to your current supervisor about doing a practicum:
- Hello [name of supervisor],
I would like to discuss if there is an opportunity for me to dedicate time to a specific project to use towards my practicum (internship) requirement for my masters degree. I had a few ideas on what the project could be [include ideas for projects] or I'm happy to brainstorm if you have other ideas that might better align with your priorities. I have availability [include date and time, ex. July 6 at 10:00am] to discuss further.
Thank you for your consideration,
[Your name] - How to talk to a potential supervisor about doing a practicum:
- Say that you have applied and are interviewing for an internship or job position and would like to discuss your practicum with your potential supervisor. If the interview goes well, you could use your time for questions at the end to see if they would be willing to work with you on your practicum. If you're not sure how the interview went, you could wait until you are formally offered the position before bringing it up.
As mentioned, I am a current masters student in the Environmental Policy and Management program at UC Davis. As part of the degree, I have to complete a minimum of 180 hours on a Practicum (internship) project. Would it be possible for me to dedicate time to work on a specific project to complete this requirement? There is a lot of flexibility on what the project could be, I was thinking [give an example based on the job description or conversation you had in the interview]. I am also happy to brainstorm other projects that better align with existing priorities. I can provide additional information on the Practicum requirements if needed.
You can also suggest to work on a larger, on-going project, with your deliverable being your contribution to whatever that project is. An example:
Hello [name of supervisor],
I was wondering if there would be an opportunity for me to plug into [name a project that's currently in progress] to use as my practicum requirement for my masters degree. If this is possible, I was hoping to get an idea of the project needs to see what I could produce as a deliverable. I am available [give a few day and time options] to discuss further.
Thank you for your consideration,
[Your name] - Inquiring about practicum opportunities after an introduction by a mutual contact:
- If you have a connection (ex. the EPM Associate Director) who can introduce you to a professional contact at an organization you're interested in working with, you should provide your connection with background information on your prior professional experience, current interests and what you're looking for (ex. a practicum opportunity) so they can introduce you properly. For the sake of the example below, let's say the Associate Director introduced you to a contact.
Thank you [Jessica] for the introduction.
[Name of the person you're contacting] as [Jessica] mentioned, I'm a [first or second year] masters student in the Environmental Policy and Management program at UC Davis. I am looking for opportunities to partner with an organization to complete my practicum (internship) requirement for my degree. My previous experience is in [list your prior relevant professional experience or skills]. I saw on your website that your organization is working on [describe some of their current projects that interest you]. These projects aligns with my topical interests and future professional goals and it would be a valuable opportunity for me if I had the chance to work with you.
I have attached my resume to this email. I would love to set up a time to discuss with you more. I'm available [include date and time, ex. July 6 at 10:00am] to discuss further if you are interested. Thank you for your time and consideration and I hope to hear from you soon.
Best,
[Your full name] - Inquiring about practicum opportunities with no introduction or prior contact:
- We also refer to this as 'cold contact'. You will usually have a better chance of getting a response if you are introduced by a mutual connection, so be sure to check if anyone has connections with an organization before cold emailing or calling them. Please see our resource document on 'cold contacting' professionals here.
Dear [insert contact's name],
My name is [insert your name] and I am a [first or second year] masters student attending the Graduate Program in Environmental Policy and Management at UC Davis. I am looking for opportunities to partner with an organization to complete my practicum (internship) requirement for my degree. My previous experience is in [list your prior relevant professional experience or skills]. I saw on your website that your organization is working on [describe some of their current projects that interest you]. These projects align with my topical interests and future professional goals and it would be a valuable opportunity if I had the chance to work with you.
I have attached my resume to this email. I would love to set up a time to discuss with you more. I'm available [include date and time, ex. July 6 at 10:00am] to discuss further if you are interested. Thank you for your time and consideration and I hope to hear from you soon.
Best,
[Your full name] - Inquiring if there is funding available for a project:
- You should wait until you've had some productive conversations about a potential practicum project and the supervisor seems interested in working with you before you ask about funding. Before you ask this question, you should evaluate if you can accept unpaid work, or if not, what pay rate you are willing to accept. You can see more information about negotiating a salary here.
If they don't bring it up, here's an example of how you can.
I am very excited at the prospect of working with you on [name project]. It will be a valuable experience for me. Before we continue to move forward, I want to inquire if there are any funding opportunities for this project?
If there is no funding available and you are not able to accept unpaid work, be sure to thank them for their time and opportunity. There might be an opportunity later down the road that they will remember you for. An example:
Unfortunately, I am unable to accept unpaid work at this time. I appreciate your time and willingness to brainstorm ideas with me. If there is another similar opportunity in the future, please feel free to reach out to me. I would like to keep in touch as I am interested in pursuing similar work in the future.
Frequently asked questions
Here's some common questions potential supervisors might have, especially after discussing funding.
- Will you receive academic credit for the practicum?
- Yes. The Practicum accounts for 6 units.
- Are you allowed to receive both academic credit and financial compensation?
- Yes, you are allowed to receive both academic credit and financial compensation for a practicum project.
- Would my organization pay you or your program?
- The organization hosting you would pay you for your work.
- Is there a way to pay you through the university?
- Yes, the process usually takes 2-3 weeks. There are associated indirect fees with processing payment through the university. A supervisor can contact Jessica Penrose for further information.
- Does the program have a standard pay rate?
- When the program sets up practicum agreements, we advocate for the student to be paid at least $26/ hour. However, if the organization has a different set pay scale for interns we will defer to that rate. It is ultimately up to the student if they want to pursue an opportunity at a given pay rate.
- What would my time commitment look like?
- A supervisor will need to provide support and feedback as you work through the proposed project. They will also need to review, provide feedback and approve your Practicum Proposal and Practicum Report + Deliverable