Resources for Masters Students

General Requirements for Practicum Placement

1. Completion of 15 semester hours of counseling course requirements with a B or better in:

• Counseling Theories
• Counseling Techniques
• Ethics
• Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling
• Group Counseling (pre- or co-requisite)
• **Introduction to Play Therapy (pre- or co-requisite)

**Note: Introduction to Play Therapy is required only for individuals working with children aged 10 or younger**

2. Display of appropriate disposition(s) as defined by the contract you signed upon entering the Counseling Program.

3. Possession of active liability insurance

General Requirements for Internship Placement

1. Completion of the following counseling courses:

• Practicum
• Advanced Techniques (pre- or co-requisite)
• Introduction to Play Therapy (only for those working with children 10 years of age or younger)

2. Display of appropriate disposition(s) as defined by the contract you signed upon entering the Counseling Program.

3. Possession of active liability insurance

Student Expectations

You are responsible for knowing and following practicum and internship guidelines. You risk complicating the practicum or internship process, which may affect your progression through the program. If you are unsure how to proceed, consult your faculty advisor and the school counseling clinical coordinator.

Since these guidelines cover your on-site actions as well, check with your site supervisor to make sure that you are acting according to the institution or school policies and procedures. For example, know and follow the procedures for requesting a professional day or taking sick leave. As noted earlier, practicum and internship students, even unpaid ones, must adhere to professional, institutional, and ethical standards.

Counseling practicum and internship students will adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Complete the duties assigned to them at the practicum or internship site in accordance with University, departmental, and cooperating agency or school policies and procedures, as well as the ethics, statutes, and laws governing the professional practice for counseling
2. Early separation or leave of absence from the practicum and internship requires written approval of the school or clinical mental health counseling program coordinator, the site supervisor, and the university instructor
3. Know and meet practicum and internship expectations, guidelines, and procedures as outlined in the Clinical Handbook
4. Know and meet all practicum and internship deadlines
5. Ensure that the practicum and internship documentation is accurate, current, and complete
6. Meet with the site supervisor weekly for an average of one 1 hour of individual supervision
7. Practicum students will meet for 1 hour of individual supervision per week with the university supervisor and participate in a minimum of 1.5 hours of group supervision per week
8. Internship students will participate in group supervision for a minimum of 3 hours per week, on a regular schedule throughout the internship
9. Practicum and internship students will provide either audio or video taped counseling sessions for review in group supervision and individual supervision with the university supervisor
10. When obtaining taping permission from client’s or the parents of clients, the UNC Charlotte Department of Counseling client release form provided in this manual will be used in addition to any release form from the agency or school
11. The clinical experience will commence at the beginning of the semester when students have completed and submitted all required documentation and have registered for the practicum (CSLG 7430) or internship (CSLG 7435/7436) course
12. Be responsible for knowing and meeting the specific requirements for certification and licensure they wish to pursue
13. Accept responsibility for knowing and understanding that failure to act within these guidelines may result in disciplinary action

Requirements During Practicum or Internship Experience

Course Documentation

Interns are responsible for seeing that all required forms, evaluations, and reports are submitted to the practicum or internship course instructor. Failure to meet these requirements can result in lowering your grade.

1. Log of Hours

Each student will complete an on-going log of accumulated hours attained through the practicum or internship experience. The log sheet requires students to provide a detailed list of hours accumulated in various activities during the clinical experience. All other hours can include duties appropriate to the clinical setting or supervision (either on-site or university) as listed on the log sheets.

2. Weekly/Bi-weekly Reflection

Each week (or Bi-weekly per the instructor) practicum or internship students will submit a reflection of their thoughts, feelings, activities, and experiences for the preceding week(s) at their site. The reflection format also allows students to record their accumulated hours.

3. Evaluation Process and Evaluation Forms

A mid-semester self-evaluation will be conducted by the student. A formal evaluation from the site supervisor will be conducted at the end of the semester. During the final week of the internship experience (the end of each semester), students will complete an evaluation of their internship site and an evaluation of their internship site supervisor.

Client Documentation