Policy Statement
Graduate students enrolled in several programs at SUNY Oneonta must complete a field experience, or experiences, in an approved professional setting at part of their curriculum.
Students must secure program approval, meet all eligibility requirements, adhere to professional standards, and complete all documentation as specified by their program.
Rationale
Field experiences are an essential component of graduate education at SUNY Oneonta. Field placements provide opportunities to apply academic knowledge, develop discipline-specific competencies, and engage in reflective practice.
Applicability of the Policy
This policy applies to all SUNY Oneonta graduate students and graduate programs.
Policy Elaboration
Graduate-level internships are one type of field experience and as such are covered by this policy.
Definitions
Terminology, as well as course titles, for field experiences are academic-field specific and, in some cases, stipulated by external accrediting bodies.
Field experiences include, but are not limited to: “field placement,” “supervised practice,” “practicum,” “internship,” “clinical placement,” “cooperative (co-op) education,” and “student teaching.”
Procedure
Field experiences are overseen by the program of which they are part. Placement must be approved by the program director/coordinator, and field-appropriate site agreements must be in place when required. Documentation must include information related to student schedule, learning objectives, supervision, methods of evaluation, and academic credit.
Forms
Graduate students should contact their department for appropriate program-specific forms.
Contacts
Questions related to the daily operational interpretation of this policy should be directed to:
607-436-2517
Provost@oneonta.edu
Related Documents/Policies
Effective Dates
Effective date: May 2, 2026
Approved by President: May 5, 2026