UC Clermont Career Vocabulary

Internship
An experience where a student works as a member of an organization in order to gain real work experience and “test drive” the chosen career field.

Externship/Job Shadow
A temporary on-site visit to a workplace that can last for several hours, or up to a week, in order to gain knowledge of the job and company.

Co-Op
A course of study typically designed for engineers or medical students that involves supervised practical application of previously studied techniques.

Practicum
A course of study typically designed for the preparation of teachers and clinicians that involves the supervised practical application of previously studied theory.

Apprenticeship
A time where a student learns by practical experience under skilled and trained workers of a trade or art.

Field Placement
A supervised opportunity to gain vital work experience by applying lessons and theory learned in the classroom.

Clinical
The observation and treatment of actual patients, often in a local medical center, rather than theoretical or laboratory studies.