Training Information: Counselor Education Masters Program

What is the role of the two-semester internship sequence in the Counselor Education Master’s Program?

The clinical internship is the culminating experience in UT Austin’s program of studies leading to the Master of Education degree in Educational Psychology, with a specialization in school counseling or higher education counseling and student affairs. Completion of the program meets the Texas Education Agency requirements for certification as a school counselor and the requirements for application of licensure as an LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor)

Associate in Texas. All interns are required to complete 600 clock hours of supervised clinical experience, of which a minimum of 40% (240 hours) must be in direct services to students/clients in their appropriate areas of specialization.

The internship in School Counseling provides an opportunity for interns to gain experience and competency in the full gamut of a comprehensive school counseling program. School counseling interns are under the supervision of a certified school counselor, with a minimum of three years’ experience as a school counselor in addition to LPC licensure, and a UT Austin faculty member. LPC supervisors must maintain LPC licensure in good standing for at least three years and then complete a Board-approved training course in supervision. The ASCA (American School Counselor Association) National Model and the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Program serve as organizational tools to identify and prioritize the elements of a quality school-based counseling program, which assists students in their academic, career, and personal/social development. Student interns in the higher education counseling and students affairs track gain experience in higher educational environments such as Career Advising, Wellness Centers, Academic Coaching and other mental health community settings.

Students complete their internship sequence in Fall and Spring of their 2^nd year in the program, following a Practicum course in Spring of their first year. Students are placed in Practicum sites in a separate process by the Clinical Training Director of the Counselor Education Program. Students in Practicum acquire 100 service hours, 40 of which are direct services to the students/clients. School counseling candidates are placed in their sites in a separate process

What does UT need from Internship supervisors?

School counselor supervisors must have certification in school counseling, with a minimum of three years’ experience as a school counselor, in addition to LPC licensure.
LPC supervisors must maintain LPC licensure in good standing for at least three years and then complete a Board-approved training course in supervision
The Practicum/Internship requires 700 hours accumulated over three academic periods for approximately nine to twelve months (at approximately 15-20 hours per week) under the supervision of an experienced professional. Some training sites may require additional hours or require the student’s presence on certain days. Students in Practicum/Internship are expected to spend at least 40 practicum and 240 internship hours providing direct face-to-face services to clients.
Supervision of interns occurs through two primary modalities a. The site supervisor provides a minimum of one hour of individual supervision of the intern each week throughout the internship. Site supervisors sign an Internship Agreement and are expected to complete a site supervisor training provided by UT Austin. Site supervisors will evaluate the supervisee at the end of each semester. b. The intern participates in an average of one and one-half (1 1/2) hours per week of group supervision with a UT Austin faculty member throughout the internship.
With the consent of their client/student and site supervisor, students will prepare and present two taped individual or small group counseling sessions. One of the taped sessions (approx. 10 minutes) must be included in their Case Presentations. The other taped session will be reviewedbythe instructor at mid-term or end of term supervision session.
For School Counseling candidates only: Observations
With the consent of their client/student and site supervisor, in addition to the two session recordings, school counseling candidates will arrange for the faculty member to observe a live or recorded counseling session (either an individual or small group). It is the student’s responsibility to schedule the observation in advance with both the faculty member and the site supervisor. After observing the student’s session, the faculty member will provide feedback on the student’s skill development.

What are internship calendar & holiday expectations?

UT Student Internship runs for 9 months from September to May. Exact dates are dictated by the UT academic calendar for the year to correspond with student registrations for internship courses Fall and Spring terms. Typically the academic calendar is the last week of August to mid May. We allow internship to adjust by a week or two to accommodate transitions and keep a consistent calendar if they prefer (e.g. Sept 1st to May 31st is fine).
Students appreciate it if Internship sites are able to honor UT’s academic breaks to support student time off. If you are unable to do so, please give student trainees advance notice about your expectations with respect to vacation time. Most sites expect intern students to work at least part of UT’s extended winter break. However, please be especially sure to give your trainees advance notice if there will be impediments to them taking the Thanksgiving holiday off and 2 weeks during the winter break (Dec holidays & New Years time period

Who should I contact if I have questions about internship training or a concern about my student(s)?

We value open lines of communication between the internship site and the counselor education clinical training program and consider you vital partners in our students’ training.