Practicums have an humbling affect on students. Students are faced with reality, and reality is where planning is practiced. Planning education should strive to keep students in touch with reality and the practicing profession. A practicum should be equivalent to a thesis in planning schools. Generally, most students in undergraduate and graduate school intend to enter the job market without further education.
Planning is a terminal degree.
It is not an academic degree. Yet the lines between the professional and academic degree are becoming blurred. Many planning educators believe schools must require a thesis or at least have a thesis option for the school to have a strong program. If planning is a professional degree, emphasis should be placed on practice. A thesis should be an option for students pursuing a Ph.D. There is certainly a place for research and report writing in planning school.