Professional Counseling
Practicum
The practicum is the first field experience students have while in the professional counseling program. One day a week is spent at a site in their program area of interest. Additionally, students have a 5 hour class on campus where they engage in personal growth counseling sessions with volunteers from our program and the Human Services Leadership Department. The students also spend time engaged in group supervision by watching their peer’s counseling sessions and then sharing feedback.
Applying for Practicum
Practicum Applications are due on April 15th or November 15th
Students submit their applications the semester before they expect to complete their Practicum course. For example, if a student is going to take Practicum in the Spring, their application would be due on November 15th. Below step-by-step guide to securing and applying for a practicum site.
- Plan Accordingly
Students should be aware that it takes time to secure a Practicum Site, so we typically advise students to begin searching two semesters before they expect to complete Practicum. Tevera is a great place to start your search. Students could also set up a meeting with Michelle Henderson, Clinical Coordinator at hendersonm@uwosh.edu. - Cover Letter and Resume
Sites and supervisors want to be sure you are the “right” person for their site. Alternatively, students should also make sure the site is the “right” fit for them. Students should have a Cover Letter and Resume ready to present to potential sites and expect to engage in an interview process prior to being “hired” at a site.- These resume tips developed by the Career and Professional Development Office can help you as you format your resume.
- Practicum Application
Once students have secured their site, they can complete their Practicum Application in Tevera.- Students will need to get information from their site supervisors (e.g., license number, years of service, site information, etc…) and obtain a signature from their supervisor before handing in their application.
- Additionally, applications will not be accepted if the following are not included:
- Verification of TB Test
- Liability Insurance
- Mandated Reporter Online Training Certificate
- Application Review
Applications are reviewed by the Clinical Coordinator in Tevera.
Please note that if a student is intended on moving sites after their Practicum or Internship semester, it is professional to discuss their intentions with their site supervisor.
Evaluations
FACULTY AND SITE SUPERVISOR EVALUATIONS
Students are evaluated by both faculty and their site supervisor during Practicum. The evaluations are intended as a venue for feedback to help the student continue their development as a Professional Counselor. The faculty and site supervisors evaluate students at the midterm and end of the semester in Tk20. Students are able to view the results of the evaluations in their tk20 field experience binder as soon as they have been submitted.
- Faculty and Site Supervisors will complete their evaluations in Tevera on October 1st and December 1st for Fall Practicum Students and on March 1st and May 1st for Spring Practicum Students.
- Evaluation Criteria
The linked practicum evaluation form is here to help students understand the criteria for which they are being evaluated. Students should NOT give this evaluation to the site supervisor to fill out. Site supervisors will use Tevera to evaluate students.
STUDENT FEEDBACK
Students will also have the opportunity to evaluate their Site Supervisors at the end of the semester. The evaluation will be filled out in Tevera. This is an opportunity for the student to share final feedback with their site supervisor. It should be noted that the student can deliver feedback to their site supervisor at any time of the semester. The Site Supervisor Evaluation is available below. Please feel free to use this evaluation form as a guide to helpful feedback for the site supervisor throughout the semester.