Practicum and Internship Description

Supervised Practice Counseling

Supervised Practice Counseling requires students to have a minimum of 90 contact hours (i.e., individual counseling, interviewing) in an appropriate counseling setting that is supervised by an experienced counselor who holds the appropriate professional credential. The intent of supervised practice is to provide an opportunity for students to explore and develop their skills for one-to-one helping relationships and group leadership. Students who wish to do supervised practice must complete a Practicum Application and indicate their preferred sites. Placement will only be approved at settings that verify they have adequate facilities for the student to fulfill the required practice. Adequate facilities include the availability of private office space when needed so the student can interview and counsel clients. In supervised practice, the student primarily will interview and counsel clients in one-to-one relationships using basic interviewing and helping skills. Some of these one-to-one sessions will be audio taped (with client permission) by the student for the professor and other students to hear and evaluate during the practicum seminar. The seminar meets once a week for two-hour sessions. In addition, each student will schedule individual conferences for supervision as instructed by the professor.

Counseling Internship

Counseling Internship requires student interns to complete a minimum of 225 contact hours (i.e., direct counseling individually and in groups, consulting, program coordination, assessment, etc.) in an appropriate counseling program that is supervised by an experienced counselor who holds the appropriate professional credential. The intent of the internship is to provide a broad, realistic exposure to all the services of a professional counseling program. As interns, students are required to fulfill the contact hour requirement in two-hour (or longer) blocks of time. Students who are ready for internship must complete an Internship Application and indicate their preferred sites. Internships will be approved only for settings where adequate facilities exist and program components are in place for the intern to carry out requirements of the internship. Adequate facilities include the availability of private office space for the intern to do individual and small group counseling. Interns will be required to video and/or audiotape individual and group sessions (with client permission). Internship seminars are scheduled throughout the semester for supervision, and each intern is expected to schedule individual conferences with the professor. At least one site visit by the professor will be scheduled during the term. A conference with the on-site counseling supervisor is expected at that time.