Practicums at SUM expose students to a variety of ministry settings to develop ministry experience under the direction of a seasoned leader. Choosing a practicum description is one part of the process of defining that ministry experience for the term
Full time undergraduate students at SUM take two, 1 credit practicum courses per term in their first and second years. Each credit represents 4 hours of hands-on, supervised ministry experience per week for ten weeks. Half of the practicums are directly connected to applied theology course content, half are general practicums. The specific focus, responsibilities and expectations of each practicum are established in the first week of each term between the practicum leader and the student. These expectations are formalized in the practicum leader agreement and articulated in the practicum description.
One of the goals of the student ministry program at SUM is to expose the student to a variety of ministry settings under the supervision of a practicum leader. This provides novice and seasoned students the opportunity to grow in their practical ministry skills.
SUM has provided a file of practicum descriptions outlining opportunities and responsibilities in a wide variety of ministries.
These descriptions are available for the student and leader to review and choose one that works well for the ministry placement for the term.
If no appropriate description is found, the student and lead can download the DIY template to create their own practicum experience.
In most cases, a description will already exist. The student and leader should work together to select an experience that will best challenge the student and serve the ministry.
Practicum descriptions are categorized as Church Based Practicums and Community Organization Based Practicums.
When a practicum is connected to the content of a course, such as the evangelism practicum, care should be taken to ensure that the practicum will contain opportunities to apply the content of the course to the ministry setting.