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.

School Counseling

The clinical field experience consists of a part-time practicum consisting of 100 hours (SDS 6800) and a full-time internship consisting of 600 hours (SDS 6820). It's completed over the course of two consecutive semesters.

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. Students must have completed the majority of their coursework (to include the following courses) prior to enrolling in SDS 6800, the practicum that precedes the internship: MHS 5400, MHS 6700, MHS 6802, MHS 6428, MHS 5350, MHS 6511, SDS 6700, SDS 6411, SDS 5460. Students must have completed all coursework prior to enrolling in SDS 6820 — the internship. All students must have the approval of their advisor to enroll in the field experiences.