Liberty clinical systems
How a Liberty practicum actually comes together
A practicum team, zero-credit Gate courses, a site contract, InPlace logs and a state lookup stand between you and your first practicum day. Each guide below takes one of them, names it the way Liberty does, and says what Liberty publishes and what stays inside myLU.
Get your placement plan
Tell us your Liberty track and where you live. A placement advisor replies with what a Liberty-ready preceptor and site look like for you.
Where to begin
Read the placement process first, then what the practicum team does and the Gate courses. Together they give Liberty's order and who does what.
Already have a preceptor in mind? Check Liberty's preceptor rules and your state on the restrictions page before you ask them to sign anything.
Practicum placement
The placement process, start to finishLiberty's practicum path from Gate course to first day, for NP and MSN tracks: who searches for the site, what Liberty approves, and what it doesn't publish.Liberty's practicum teamWho sits on Liberty's nursing practicum team, what its collaborative partnership asks of you, and how to work with the team so your placement keeps moving.Gate courses: what they collectLiberty's zero-credit School of Nursing Gate courses by track (NURS 731, 756, 745, 828, 527): what practicum paperwork they collect and when each one falls.Who can precept, by trackWho can precept a Liberty nursing student, track by track: MSN rules in the catalog, the older PMHNP rule, what's missing for FNP, and where to ask.Preceptor site contract and formsWhat Liberty's preceptor site contract and educational site affiliation agreement are, who signs them, and the older Preceptor Verification and Agreement forms.When the offered site is too farWhat happens if you decline a Liberty practicum site because of distance: the rule in Liberty's words, what to check first, and your options before saying no.Site and preceptor feesLiberty says students pay any fee a practicum site or preceptor charges. What that can include, what to ask before you agree, and what to get in writing.States closed to practicumLiberty won't place NP practicum in California, New York, Washington or DC, and closes fewer places for MSN tracks. The per-program list and how to check yours.State board notices and timingLiberty's School of Nursing files some state board notices, like Alabama's 15-day notice, only after approving your paperwork. What that means for your start.Practicum at your workplaceLiberty's MSN rules allow practicum at your workplace if hours are unpaid, an agreement is signed and you're in a different unit. No NP rule is published.Asking a preceptorHow to ask a clinician to precept your Liberty practicum: who to ask, what to send, what to say about approval and paperwork, and what not to promise.
Systems and logs
InPlace (logs and evaluations)How InPlace replaced Typhon at Liberty's School of Nursing from Fall 2022, what it holds (logs, evaluations, placement records) and what isn't public.CastleBranch (compliance checks)What Liberty nursing students upload to CastleBranch, how the background check and drug screen work, what expires, and what Liberty hasn't published.myLU, Canvas, ASIST and emailWhere Liberty practicum things live: myLU as the portal, Canvas for Gate courses and handbooks, ASIST, Liberty email, and the State Change Notification form.The required intensiveLiberty's FNP and post-BSN PMHNP DNPs require one intensive. Program pages say virtual; another Liberty page says on campus. What each says and how to check.DNP Practicum Hour Verification FormHow Liberty's DNP Practicum Hour Verification Form works for post-master's applicants, how 560 DNP hours and 1,000 post-BSN hours fit, and what to confirm.
Clearance and compliance
Clinical clearance checklistLiberty's practicum clearance by track: AHA BLS, background check, drug screen, immunizations, physical exam form, HIPAA and OSHA, and when each is due.BLS requirement (AHA only)Liberty nursing practicum requires American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Providers with AED. What's accepted, ACLS and PALS, and keeping it current.Malpractice coverageLiberty's malpractice coverage for nursing students on Liberty-scheduled practicum, what it leaves out, proof-of-coverage requests and what isn't public.RN license for practicumLiberty needs an RN license valid in your practicum state: that state's own, or a compact license where accepted. Which states differ, and Arizona's extra rule.
Courses and hours
Clinical hours by trackPracticum hours for every Liberty nursing track: 1,050 for the NP doctorates, 504 for the PMHNP certificate, 300 per MSN track, and where sources conflict.NURS 771, 772, 838: FNP practicumsLiberty's FNP practicums NURS 771, 772 and 838: titles, credits, the 750 NP hours, prerequisites, preceptor and setting, no telehealth, and what to clear first.NURS 768, 769, 770: PMHNP practicumsNURS 768, 769 and 770 in Liberty's PMHNP doctorates: credits, the 750 NP hours, prerequisites, who precepts, the 50% telehealth limit and what to clear first.NURS 754, 755: PMHNP certificateLiberty's PMHNP certificate practicums NURS 754 (224 hours) and 755 (280 hours), the online page's conflicting NURS 768–770 list, preceptors and clearance.NURS 840–843: DNP practicumsLiberty's DNP practicums NURS 840, 841, 842 and 843: 2 credits each, 300 or 560+ hours by track, micro to macro focus, prerequisites, repeats and who guides you.NURS 677–679: Nurse Educator practicumLiberty's MSN Nurse Educator practicum, NURS 677, 678 and 679: titles, 300 hours, the NURS 504/505/506 prerequisites, the preceptor site contract and clearance.NURS 674–676: Administration practicumLiberty's Nursing Administration practicum, NURS 674, 675 and 676, shared by the MSN/MBA and MSN/MSHA: titles, 300 hours, prerequisites, preceptor and clearance.NURS 671–673: Community Health practicumLiberty's MSN Community Health practicum: NURS 671, 672 and 673, 300 hours with no per-course split, prerequisites, community settings, state limits, clearance.NURS 680–682: Health Policy practicumLiberty's MSN Health Policy practicum, NURS 680, 681 and 682: 300 hours, an MSN or doctoral preceptor, the employed-student design of 681 and 682, state limits.NURS 685–687: Informatics practicumLiberty's MSN Nursing Informatics practicum, NURS 685, 686 and 687: 300 practice experience or project hours, an informatics clinician, prerequisites, clearance.Telehealth hours: PMHNP 50%, FNP noneLiberty's telehealth rule for practicum hours: PMHNP students up to 50%, FNP students none. What the rule covers, what it leaves open, and what to ask first.
FAQ
Questions Liberty students ask
Which system does Liberty use for practicum hours?
Liberty moved from Typhon to InPlace starting in Fall 2022 for practicum logs and evaluations. Compliance items sit in CastleBranch. See the InPlace guide.
Who handles placement at Liberty?
A practicum team with an Assistant Director of Practicum Experiences and Practicum and Clinical Coordinators, reachable at APRN.DNPPracticum@liberty.edu. See the practicum team.
What is a Gate course?
A zero-credit Liberty course that collects practicum paperwork; the first one is scheduled a semester before the first NP practicum. See Gate courses.
Last checked 2026-09-23
We check these pages against Liberty's own published sources. The practicum team and Liberty's current handbook have the final word.
Placement desk
More leads, sooner, for your practicum.
Tell us your Liberty program, your county and when your practicum starts. We look for a preceptor and site that fit Liberty's rules for your track, and help you get the Gate-course paperwork right.
- Matched to your track: FNP, PMHNP, DNP or MSN
- Paperwork ready for the Gate course and the site contract
- In person near you, or telehealth where your track allows it
Start your placement plan
A placement advisor replies with what a Liberty-ready preceptor and site look like for you.