Practicum and Internship

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

  1. During student orientation, the student and advisor determine a tentative quarter to begin practicum and internship.
  2. At candidacy, the student reserves a space for practicum and internship.
  3. A practicum and internship orientation is offered twice a year (see dates above).
  4. 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 Practicum Agreement, by downloading this form in CANVAS.  All placement sites must be approved by the Practicum/Internship Coordinator. 
  5. 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).
  6. The student completes and submits appropriate agreements to the Practicum/Internship Coordinator via CANVAS. 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 

A list of current Practicum and Internship Sites will be provided to the student by the Field Placement Liaison or by the Student's Practicum and Internship Advisor.

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.

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).

Practicum and Internship Handbook

Please review the most recent version of the Practicum and Internship Handbook, located on the Student Resources Page, for additional important information about practicum and internship.