Frequently Asked Questions

This depends on your concentration.

• Clinical Mental Health Students are able to complete field experiences at the same location over all semesters.

• School Counseling Students are encouraged to complete at least two of their clinical experiences at difference school levels to obtain a range of school counseling experiences.

The hourly requirements for both Practicum and Internship are on-site hours and do not include campus instruction and supervision hours.

• Practicum Students complete 150 on-site hours over the semester.

• Internship Students complete 300 on-site hours over the semester.

Because of the intensity and demands of client hours, only Clinical Mental Health Internship II students are allowed to complete their field experience over the full summer session (11 weeks).

Before you consider interviewing at a site which is not on the approved list, you must contact the director of clinical field placements. Without that initial contact and an affiliation agreement in place, you should not interview or expect to secure sites outside of the approved list.

Only onboarding processes may begin before the start of a new semester. You cannot sit with clients prior to the beginning of the semester. Please check with your section instructor to obtain permission before seeing clients the first week of classes.

There are rare incidents when a practicum or internship ends early. Early separation may be site or intern initiated, or a combination of both. The goal of an early separation is to make it a positive learning experience for the student and to maintain positive programmatic working relationships with the site. Permission for early separations is granted only after other efforts to address the situation have been unsatisfactory. In the event an early separation is appropriate, it will occur with the mutual consent of all parties (see policies and guidelines) and requires active consultation and participation with the Clinical Director Should problems arise, we strive to maintain positive working environments for the student and a positive working relationship with the site.

You must complete your field experiences at approved addictions facilities throughout the three semesters.

As a practicum or internship student, you are not an employee of the school system or agency. Students work in a professional training capacity as part of their graduate program. Therefore, it is not acceptable for students to take on the role of chaperone for an off-site activity. Due to not being a school or agency employee, practicum and internship students are not covered by any type of insurance or administrative policies and procedures should anything happen during the event. Therefore, no student will assume primary responsibility for a group of clients or students in any type of event or trip. Practicum or internship students may assist or accompany other school or agency officials with events or trips as long as it is understood that the practicum or internship student is not to be placed in a position of primary responsibility for students or clients.

Students must take CSLG 7142: Introduction to Play Therapy prior or during the semester in which they are working with children under the age of 10.

Supervision for the practicum and internship students must be provided by a licensed mental health provider who has been practicing for 2 or more years. The license can be from any related mental health field (i.e., psychology, psychiatry, marriage & family…).

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