The Purpose, Value and Structure of the Practicum in Higher Education: A literature review

This report discusses practicums and their important role in many of the professional courses in higher education. This research provides an overview of different ways in which the practicum has been conceptualized, implemented and evaluated in higher education. Findings indicate that whilst the practicum is widely accepted as a valuable and successful component of professional education, it has a number of shortcomings; and the lack of good quality research into the practicum makes it difficult to draw unequivocal conclusions.