Appendix A
Position Comparison Chart
Responsibility Level
Practicum/Field Study
Applicable training experience
with prominent academic
course connection with
structured supervision.
Schedules/Time
commitment
Dependent upon course
requirements and determined
by academic department
(should be clearly listed in
syllabus).
Academic Component
Always tied to a class; meet in
class to discuss the experience
with a cohort. May be a
student outside of the Univ. of
Minn., but must be enrolled in
a grad program at an
accredited college or
university.
Employer/Employee
Relationship
Not necessary to have an
employer/employee
relationship.
Learning Contract/Job
Description
Learning contract on front
end; usually determined by
academic course. Should
outline goals, outcomes, and
competencies to be developed.
Internship
Practical training or
participation in the design,
implementation and
evaluation of a project or
multiple projects with
structured supervision.
In general, on site hours (per
the Grad School) should equal
100 minutes/week for each
credit earned (i.e. 1 credit=
100 minutes; 3 credits= 300
minutes; 6 credits= 600
minutes). Students can earn
up to 6 credits for an
internship.
As the student requests or
requires academic credit may
be given. Academic
requirement varies by
department, but usually
includes supervisor check-ins
with a faculty member and
does not include a class
component. May be a student
outside of the Univ. of Minn.,
but must be enrolled in a grad
program at an accredited
college or university.
Not necessary to have an
employer/employee
relationship. In for-credit
instances, students will also be
supervised by a faculty
member from their sponsoring
department.
Learning contract on front
end; if not required by
academic component,
necessary to create one.
Should outline goals,
outcomes, project details, and
competencies to be developed.
Assistantship
An entry level position
with a structured
coaching atmosphere.
Positions are generally
a 25% time= 10 hrs or a
50% time= 20 hrs
weekly. Hours and
schedule should be
clearly articulated and
transparent; they
should be intentional
and deliberate based on
assignment to maximize
learning and meet
organizational needs.
Rarely officially tied to
coursework, but must
meet University of
Minnesota admission
and enrollment
standards.
Employer/Employee
relationship always
exists.
Requires a formal job
description since this is
an employment
position outlining job
expectations and job
duties. Create a learning
contract to determine
goals, outcomes, and
competencies to be
developed.
Appendix A, cont.
Performance Review
Process
Practicum/Field Study
Dependent upon course
requirements and determined
by academic department
(should be clearly listed in
syllabus). Should include both
course instructor and site
supervisor.
Compensation
Not necessarily financially
compensated. Stipends are
possible for these positions,
but must be in line with Fair
Labor Standards Act regarding
type of employment and pay
range. Stipends are
determined by a base
comparison of the prevailing
wage in the market (in this
instance the prevailing wage
used is the compensation rate
for Graduate Assistants). Any
stipends exceeding the
minimum is indicative of an
employee relationship and the
intern/practicum participant
must be compensated in
accordance with University of
Minnesota and the federal
minimum wage. (See Appendix
F). The Office of Human
Resources, the Office for the
General Counsel, and the
University’s Tax Office are
developing a framework to
guide colleges/departments/
units in making decisions on
stipends (e.g. appropriate use
and amount.). For clarification
and confirmation of current
policy, contact Susan at
cable003@umn.edu.
Other notes
Internship
Review based upon initial
learning contract (if the
position is for credit the
course may also dictate the
review process). Should
include the internship
supervisor (if for credit,
student should also be
reviewed by course
instructor). At a minimum
interns should be reviewed at
mid-experience and end-ofexperience given the
structured supervisory nature
of the position.
Not necessarily financially
compensated. Stipends are
possible for these positions,
but must be in line with Fair
Labor Standards Act regarding
type of employment and pay
range. Stipends are
determined by a base
comparison of the prevailing
wage in the market (in this
instance the prevailing wage
used is the compensation rate
for Graduate Assistants). Any
stipends exceeding the
minimum is indicative of an
employee relationship and the
intern/practicum participant
must be compensated in
accordance with University of
Minnesota and the federal
minimum wage. (See Appendix
F). The Office of Human
Resources, the Office for the
General Counsel, and the
University’s Tax Office are
developing a framework to
guide colleges/departments/
units in making decisions on
stipends (e.g. appropriate use
and amount.). For clarification
and confirmation of current
policy, contact Susan at
cable003@umn.edu.
If they band-out as a fulltime
student, the credits are free for
the intern.
Assistantship
Should be the same
process as used for
fulltime staff members
and based upon job
duties, job expectations,
competencies, and
learning contract
objectives. At a
minimum GAs should
be reviewed at midexperience and end-ofexperience given
structured coaching
nature of the position.
Hourly pay range is
$17.08-26.61 (FY11).
Tuition and benefits
packaged based upon
percentage of
appointment. For
clarification and
confirmation of current
policy, contact Susan at
cable003@umn.edu.