Field Experiences for Counselor Education

Field experiences are a part of all majors in the Counselor Education program. All students must complete 600 hours of internship, as well as practicum requirements that vary by major. These experiences are designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply and practice the competencies they acquire throughout their training program.

In many instances, the field experiences serve as a steppingstone to future student employment. The field experiences also provide a link between the schools, community, the University and the department counseling unit.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The clinical field experience consists of a full-time practicum, which currently due to COVID-19 is consisting of 100 hours (MHS 6800) and a full-time internship consisting of 600 hours (MHS 6820). The practicum is completed over one semester. The internship has two options: full and split. Full internship is completed over one semester. Split internship allows students to complete their hours over two consecutive semesters. Please, contact Dr.Prikhidko at aprikhid@fiu.edu for more information regarding the split internship. These field experiences are intended to be conducted in a mental health counseling setting. The nature of this experience should be similar to that of a regular counseling position, but with closer supervision on site and at FIU. The field experiences will occur at the end of the training program, and the intern is expected to put into practice the knowledge and skills acquired in the program.

A major criterion for placement is the credentials of the agency’s on-site supervisor, namely possession of at least a master’s degree in counseling, psychology, or clinical social work as well as licensure in such discipline. Students must have completed all course work prior to enrolling in MHS 6820 - the internship. All students must have the approval of their advisor to enroll in the field experiences.