Practicum
The practicum requirement gives students the opportunity to integrate and apply the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind they have learned in the classroom in a real-world work setting. Students are eligible to request a practicum placement after completing the first two core courses, LIS 601 and 602, although many students choose to complete additional courses before undertaking the practicum.
During a placement, students interact with both library users and professionals who may become role models and colleagues. Staff at host libraries often report feeling reinvigorated by contact with students, who are coming into the profession with fresh ideas.
The iSchool partners with libraries, archives, and information agencies at UW–Madison, the Wisconsin Historical Society, colleges, universities and public library systems in Wisconsin, the Madison Metropolitan School District, as well as local and national corporations and non-profit agencies, to provide a supervised practicum or field project for all master’s students.
All students must complete a 120-hour practicum.
Information for Practicum Supervisors
Interested in learning more about supervising an iSchool field project student?
Library & Information Studies MA – Practicum
LIS 620, Field Project in Library & Information Agencies: Students interested in public & academic libraries, archives, museums, digital libraries & collections, user experience, corporate libraries, or information work outside of libraries, will take LIS 620, which is offered every semester including summer.
C&I 620, School Library Media Placement: Students in the school libraries program will register for C&I 620, which is cross-listed with LIS 620.
Students have two other options for a practicum experience:
LIS 862: Teaching & Learning Practicum, taught in the Spring semester, contact Patrick Leeport (patrick.leeport@wisc.edu), and
LIS 521: TLAM Practicum (TLAM 2), taught in the Summer and Spring, contact Cassy Leeport (cassy.leeport@wisc.edu).
Students Describe Their Practicum Experiences
Requesting a Practicum Placement
The process for requesting a placement is fundamentally the same for both on-campus and online students. Students begin the process by declaring “Intent To Participate” for a specific semester by responding to the Practicum Program Director’s email. Students are then invited to view the Partner Directory List and meet with the Practicum Program Director for advising. Based on placement needs, a student might be asked to connect with local institutions where they would like to do the practicum for a self-sourced site. The advising and submissions are done the semester before a student wishes to complete the placement – e.g. Placement Requests for Spring semester placements are submitted during the Fall prior; Summer and Fall semester requests are submitted during the Spring prior.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
For those students interested in a practicum experience through LIS 620:
- Intent and Advising: During the advising period prior to the semester or Summer Term in which you wish to complete the practicum, meet with the Practicum Program Director (Jaime Healy-Plotkin) to discuss the best timing for you to complete the placement as well as your advisor. All students will receive an invitation to communicate your practicum interest from the Practicum Program Director and the student needs to reply to that email. Each semester, the iSchool will offer an in-person Practicum Fair and a virtual meeting as informational sessions introducing practicum opportunities and expectations.
- Matching: Based on student interests, professional goals, and available sites, the student and Practicum Program Director will discuss options for a placement. Deadlines for the choice of submissions and confirmations will be clearly communicated directly to the students on the interested list by the Practicum Program Director.
- Discovery Meeting: Following the advising and submission window, the Practicum Program Director will give student contact information for a matched site. The student will contact the matched or self-sourced site directly with a request for an interview. Confirmation of the site is done by communicating directly with the Practicum Program Director.
- Register for LIS 620: Permission to register for LIS 620 will be granted by iSchool enrollment once a successful match has been reported to the Practicum Program Director.
Practicum Program Placement:
Spring 2027: The process begins after the start of the Fall 2026 semester.
Important dates:
- September 9: Students are invited to share interest to the Practicum Program Director
- October 5 – November 6: Practicum Program Advising with Jaime Healy-Plotkin
- October 7 at 11am: Virtual Information Session
- October 12, 1:45-3:30pm: Practicum Fair at the iSchool in the Student Org Lounge
- October 16: Deadline to submit interest
- October 26-30: Advising Week – speak with your advisor or Tanya Hendricks Cobb
- November 6: Deadline to submit site choices in the Site Matches Google Form
- November 9: Enrollment for Spring 2027 opens
- November 6-20: Confirmation window
Practicum Process Resources
Partner Directory List – Current Placement Opportunities Updated October 19, 2026
iSchool Career Services
Practicum Support
LIS 620 Learning Objectives Agreement (LOA) 2026
School Library Media
Students in the school libraries program will be placed in both an elementary school and a secondary school for a total of 120 hours. They register for C&I 620, which is cross-listed with LIS 620.
Placements are arranged by the Teaching Education Center (TEC) at UW–Madison. Students should email Professor Rebekah Willett (rwillett@wisc.edu) during or just after advising week (March and November) to indicate that they are planning to do their practicum the following semester. Dr Willett will notify the TEC, who will send the student a Qualtics survey to gather information about their placement preferences.
Practicum & Internship Awards
iSchool Masters Student Practicum Support Fund
Fall practicum funding request application are closed. Information for Spring 2027 funding will be available later this semester.
The iSchool Masters Student Practicum Support Fund was created by the iSchool Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Committee, with support from iSchool leadership with the goal of defraying direct costs to iSchool MA-LIS or MS-Info students (both online or campus based) of unpaid practicums at non-profit organizations. For example, this fund may be used to defray transportation costs, childcare, relocation expenses, etc. Please fill out this form if you would like to be considered. Funding is limited, so we may not be able to help everyone who applies, but we will do the best we can. If something changes about your practicum placement after you submit an application, you may amend your award request.
Eligibility Criteria:
- iSchool MA-LIS or MS-Info students completing an unpaid practicum at a non-profit organization as part of LIS 620, LIS 862 (Teaching & Learning Practicum), or LIS 521 (TLAM Practicum)
- in good academic standing with no incomplete grades
Application Information: Complete the application form including a brief summary of your practicum, direct practicum-related costs, and financial need statement.
Questions?
Please contact: Jaime Healy-Plotkin, Practicum Program Director at jaime.healyplotkin@wisc.edu.
