Industry Internships

The professional practicum is an Exercise and Sport Science student's opportunity to gain practical work experience in a professional exercise, health, and/or sport setting. Through the professional practicum, classroom instruction is enhanced by the acquisition of practical experiences that are closely supervised by a practicing professional.

Practicum placements range from 1-4 units (30-120 hours) depending on the setting and expectations. Past placements have included physical and occupational therapy clinics, health clinics, commercial health clubs, corporate fitness centers, community recreation centers, sport resorts, and sport events.

Download and complete a Professional Practicum Site Application Form to offer an internship at your site. This means that we have your request on file. Each approved request is sent to all ESS students via our list serve.

Agency Responsibilities
Students will contact you directly to interview for the posted position.

When the student intern has been hired the Professional Practicum Professor will contact you to discuss the practicum process.

Our primary purpose is to make sure that our students make a contribution to the sponsoring agency. In doing so, we ask each agency to ensure that each intern has the opportunity to:

•  Learn the operational aspects of an exercise, health, and/or sport profession.
•  Learn personal leadership practices common to an exercise, health, and/or sport profession.
•  Discover individual strengths and weaknesses under professional supervision.
•  Work side by side with actual working professionals in their work environment.
•  Apply academic experiences to practical contexts.
•  Formulate future professional possibilities based on the practicum experience.
•  Make a contribution to the community and/or the sponsoring agency.

At the end of the practicum placement, the Agency Supervisor will be asked to evaluate the quality of the student's work during the semester. It is the student's responsibility to file a Professional Practicum Evaluation Request Form with the ESS Department two weeks prior to the conclusion of the practicum placement.

Download a copy of the Professional Practicum Evaluation Form.