Counseling, MA Clinical Practicum and Internship Handbook 2025-2027
Subpages
- Counseling, MA Clinical Practicum and Internship Handbook 2025-2027
- Professional Practice Competencies
- General Clinical Policies and Procedures
- The Supervised Practicum Experience
- Supervised Internships (Internship I & Internship II)
- Evaluation and Grading
- Ethical Standards and Considerations
- Crisis Management and Reporting Policies
Introduction
The goal of this handbook is to describe the procedures for students to successfully complete professional practice requirements during their time in the Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling program. Professional practice involves the application of theory and the development of counseling skills under supervision. These experiences will provide opportunities for students to counsel clients who represent the ethnic and demographic diversity of their community.
The Clinical Practice Experience
An essential part of the Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling program is supervised clinical practice experience. Students complete 9 credits of supervised clinical experiences. Each experience is aided by close clinical supervision at the site, as well as at the University. This handbook will provide students with details of the requirements for such site experiences, the process for selecting sites, and all the details for completing the two phases: the practicum and subsequent internships.
Clinical Course Sequence
The Practicum/Internship clinical course sequence is designed as a culminating program experience that allows the student to practice and refine the skills that have been learned in previous courses. In the clinical courses, the student will apply what has been learned by integrating theory and experience in a way that makes sense to the student and is helpful to clients. The two-phase clinical experience is divided into a three-credit practicum (COUN 5900) and six credits in two semester-long clinical internships (Internship I: COUN 5901, Internship II: COUN 5902).There is an optional, one-credit independent study course, COUN 5800 Pre-Application Supervision, that students may take in the spring of their second year if they complete COUN 5902 Internship II in the fall of their second year.
The practicum (COUN 5900) is the student’s first off-campus clinical practice experience. During the practicum, the student is steered through initial experiences of counseling with intense supervision provided by both an off-campus site supervisor, and an on-campus faculty member in weekly individual/triadic supervision, and weekly group supervision by a Stockton faculty member. The goal is to reach a higher level of autonomy, confidence, counseling knowledge, and skills.
The internship experience (COUN 5901, COUN 5902) assumes that the goals of the practicum have been successfully accomplished. During the clinical internships, the student is again provided individual supervision by a qualified site supervisor and weekly group supervision by a Stockton faculty member. The goal of the clinical internship is for the student to become a confident, independent, and knowledgeable counselor, who can support clients and integrate their skills with input from other appropriate sources.
The Pre-Application Supervision independent study (COUN 5800) allows students who have completedtheirofficialclinicalsequencetocontinueworkingundersupervisionasaninternat their internship site, as they continue to collect hours to count toward their NJ licensure.
