About the practicum 

 Students are placed in a workplace where they can use their health psychology skills and knowledge as they participate in a project or undertaking relevant to the organisation and critically reflect on their practice. Staff members are in touch with places of work all over New Zealand where health psychology students can do their practicum.

Students who successfully complete the practicum will be able to:

1. Apply relevant theory and knowledge (e.g., community health development, indigenous health models, health promotion) in practical situations;

2. Explain, discuss and critique the processes involved in the application of appropriate theory and evidence from research to health issues in a health setting;

3. Demonstrate the professional, personal, and ethical skills required for working in health settings.

1. First identify an academic supervisor and talk to them about your ideas or plans. 

Staff members who supervise include Don Baken; Kathryn McGuigan; Tracy Morison; Sarah Riley; Gareth Terry; Clifford Van Ommen; Siobhán Healy-Cullen; Jessica Tappin.

2. Identify a suitable organisation. 

Discuss possible organisations with your Massey supervisor and agree on a workplace. (See the Past host organisations page for inspiration.)

3. Negotiate the placement.

Your MU supervisor will work with you as you negotiate your placement with the organisation to ensure the work is viable for the practicum and the goals of the practicum are clear. 

If you need them to, they can get in touch with your workplace supervisor to give them information and make sure they know what is expected of them (signing off hours and filling out the assessment form at the end of the practicum).

4. Identify a workplace supervisor and request support. 

Give your workplace supervisor the host organisation role document.

5. Decide what you will do for the organisation during your practicum

Discuss with your Massey supervisor and the workplace a project that you can contribute to at the organisation, using and applying your health psychology knowledge.

6. Complete the project plan 

Use the Health psychology practicum project document.