Practicum and Internship

Seattle University Counseling FAQs on Practicum and Internship Field Placement

The counseling program has established some protocols regarding field placements in response to the COVID-19 developments in our area. These protocols may change as new developments occur in our region. We ask that students reach out to their respective practicum and internship instructors if they need clarification about the FAQs we developed listed below.

Site Closure: Clinical practice must take place in an educational setting for school counselors and in mental health agencies for clinical mental health counselors. If your site is closed, what other options are available?

Please work directly with your practicum or internship instructor to identify suitable alternatives that will allow you to work remotely while also accrue hours. Clinical practice includes direct and indirect hours. Indirect hours can take place through remote instruction, online learning, or as part of an extended work day at your site. Indirect hours can include planning, instruction, case notes, project-based activities, advocacy project, and reflection that prepares the candidate for the role. Direct hours can include telehealth counseling, remote work with students such as email, phone, and teleconference platforms that your agency and/or district supports. If there are questions between what counts as direct and indirect hours please reach out to your practicum and/or internship professor. They will do their best to make appropriate accommodations while making sure to keep in mind certification, licensure, and accreditation requirements.
Supervision Hours Requirement: How do I meet group supervision hours requirement?

CACREP requires that students meet for group supervision while engaged in the internship. Group supervision will take place using Zoom video conference for the remainder of the Spring term. We are asking students to register for your practicum and internship courses in spring as planned. Your practicum/internship instructor will send you invitations to group supervision class.
On-Site Supervision Hours Requirement: How do I meet individual on-site supervision hours requirement?

CACREP requires that students meet with their site supervisors for a minimum of one hour a week. We are asking students to schedule these meetings using technology our Zoom platform, because it is HIPAA compliant. Please coordinate with your practicum/internship instructor to set up a weekly Zoom supervision meeting between you and your site supervisor.
Spring Practicum Starts: What if I start practicum this spring?

You will be registered for spring practicum and expected to work remotely. Contact your site supervisor about what options are available for remote work and inform your practicum instructor. Group supervision class will meet remotely using Zoom. Practicum includes a total of 100 hours. Of these, 60 are indirect hours and 40 are direct hours (working directly with clients/students). It is likely that you will not be able to accrue the necessary direct hours to complete practicum because your site is closed. Students registered for practicum in spring will likely receive an “N” grade, which means, “In Process”. In such cases, direct on-site hours (i.e., direct work with students/clients) will be accrued during the fall term when you register for internship. You will be enrolled simultaneously in both practicum and internship in the fall. Once you complete your practicum hours, and have sufficiently met all the requirements for practicum, your “N” grade would be changed to “CR” for Credit. You will then begin to immediately accrue internship hours. The hours for practicum will be completed at your internship site and not at the practicum site you were in.
Other Clinical Practice Requirements: What are other clinical practice requirements?

Clinical practice must be under the general supervision of a certificated practitioner who has three years' experience in the role for which the candidate is seeking certification. The preparation program must offer experiences for candidates to develop and demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed for their role.

Unable to meet required clinical practice hours: What happens if I cannot meet my required clinical practice hours?

We are working with CACREP, the state, and also with our institution to explore alternative ways for our students to be able to meeting clinical practice hours. Once we have more information from them we will let you know. Currently, we are encouraging students in field placement to work remotely. Please reach out to your practicum and/or internship instructor regarding alternative ways that you may accrue hours.
Practicum/Internship Site Not Secured: What if I don’t have a practicum/internship site secured?

Please work with Dr. Jackie Leibsohn, the field placement coordinator, in determining how to secure placement. It is likely that placements may be delayed either because sites are closed or because they are trying to figure out what to do. If this is the case, know that the program will do their best to make sure you are placed.

Orientation

Students are required to attend the Practicum and Internship Placement Orientation meeting one year prior to beginning the field experience, to learn about the placement process.

Practicum and Internship Deadlines

Winter Quarter (School Counseling - Practicum): October 25
Spring Quarter (School Counseling - Practicum): January 10
Winter Quarter (School Counseling - Internship): February 1

Application Process

The School Counseling program seeks sites with quality supervision and in-service training, a variety of clientele and presenting problems, a philosophy of supervision which encourages respectful and responsible risk-taking by the intern, and a placement which seeks to help the student integrate theory with practice via case conceptualization.

The student counselor must be provided a broad range of clientele, counseling orientations, and counseling experiences. In keeping with the mission of the Counseling Programs, the student's site should include experiences with diverse populations.

Process for obtaining a practicum or internship site

During student orientation, the student and advisor determine a tentative quarter to begin practicum and internship.
At candidacy, the student reserves a space for practicum and internship.
A practicum and internship orientation is offered twice a year (see dates above).
The student determines whether a prospective site meets the student's needs as well as the requirements for group counseling, practicum and internship as outlined by the CACREP standards and Washington Administrative Codes. The student completes the School Counseling Practicum Agreement Form. All placement sites must be approved by the Practicum/Internship Coordinator.
Once the prospective internship site has been approved, the student reviews the requirements for field-based group counseling, practicum and internship with the prospective site supervisor(s).
The student completes and submits appropriate agreements to the Practicum/Internship Coordinator. When the Practicum/Internship Coordinator has also signed the agreement, the original will be filed and a copy will be returned to the student.

Practicum and Internship Sites

School Counseling Internship and Practicum Sites

Students can request permission to intern at other sites by contacting coun@seattleu.edu to be connected with the current Field Placement Liaison.

Practicum

All students in the Counseling Programs are required to complete a one-quarter practicum. This involves a minimum of 100 hours on-site, 40 of which are direct contact hours. Students take part in a weekly group supervision class on campus, as well as individual or triadic supervision with a faculty supervisor one hour per week.

Students must complete all of the following prior to enrollment in practicum:

Attend the practicum/internship orientation meeting held in mid-September and mid-October. The Field Placement Liaison will announce specific dates and times for the orientation via email and faculty will notify students in their classes.
Have completed COUN 5100 Fundamental Counseling Skills, COUN 5110 Counseling Theories, and COUN 5510 Counseling Lab.
Complete 21 hours of direct observation of school counselors, at least one each at elementary, middle/junior high school, and high school levels.
Submit a completed, signed Practicum Agreement, as well as a Risk Acknowledgement and Release and a copy of your supervisor's resume.
Complete the fingerprinting/background check prior to registering for COUN 5540. Direct questions to your advisor or the Certification Office at COE-certifications@seattleu.edu. This process can take several weeks.
Throughout the practicum, students must submit a Disclosure of Information and Client Consent Form for each client.

Practicum Handbook

Please review the Practicum Handbook for additional important information about practicum.

Internship

All students in the Counseling Programs are required to complete a three quarter internship. This involves 600 hours on-site (200 per quarter), 240 of which are direct contact hours (80 per quarter). Students also take part in weekly group supervision class on campus each quarter.

As a student, you become eligible to enter internship after:

Successful completion of all coursework except the internship sequence and electives with a minimum 3.0 GPA; and
Approval by the counseling faculty of your general academic and interpersonal functioning using the criteria in the Personal and Professional Competencies document (see "Candidacy" section for this document).

Students must complete all of the following prior to enrollment in internship:

Submit a completed, signed Internship Agreement prior to the beginning of the internship, as well as a Risk Acknowledgement and Release form and a copy of your supervisor's resume. A hold on registration will occur if this is not completed.
Throughout the internship, students must submit a Disclosure of Information and Client Consent Form for each client (see section on practicum, above).

Internship Handbook

Please review the Internship Handbook for additional important information about internship.

Practicum and Internship

Seattle University Counseling FAQs on Practicum and Internship Field Placement

Site Closure

Supervision Hours Requirement

On-Site Supervision Hours Requirement

Spring Practicum Starts

Other Clinical Practice Requirements

Unable to meet required clinical practice hours

Practicum/Internship Site Not Secured