Practicum and Internship Handbook: Finding a Field Placement Site

Good field placement site and field site supervisors are critical ingredients in successful practicum and internship experiences. Counselor trainees should approach their decision about seeking a field site with careful and realistic thought regarding their career goals, their current work and family situation, and their special interest areas. You should consult with your professors, your faculty advisor, other professional counselors, and/or the Director of Training and Placement regarding appropriate field sites and field site experiences that would make for the best “fit” for you. Remember, ALL clinical placement sites need to have departmental approval before negotiating a field site contract with that particular site. Check our approved list first to see if the site you are considering has already been approved. It is on the list, it is an approved site, and you can move forward with negotiating a field site contract with them. If the site you are interested in is NOT on the approved list, then fill out the site application form and submit to the department for approval. We will contact you regarding our decision on site approval.

Practicum and Internship courses require a significant commitment of time and energy. Trainees are expected to put in a minimum of 8- 10 hours weekly at their field site during Practicum and 20 hrs weekly at their field site during Internship. Clinical Mental Health / Community counseling track trainees must realize that it is nearly impossible to work a full-time job and also complete internship (and difficult to complete practicum) unless they use their job as their field site placement. While some agencies have evening and weekend hours, the majority do not, therefore most prefer counselor trainees be available during weekday hours.

NOTE: Most counselor trainees complete both practicum and internship at the same field placement site. Some field sites may require the trainee to commit to two or three semesters at their

Finding a field site placement is the responsibility of the counselor trainee. Clinical Mental Health / Community counseling-track trainees must complete their practicum/internship at an approved site under supervision from a licensed professional.

Some field placement sites are not appropriate because they do not provide adequate/qualified supervision, do not allow audio or video recording of counseling sessions, or are in some other way inappropriate for practicum or internship counselor trainees. An appropriate field placement site provides the following:

  • Opportunities to participate in a range of counseling and counseling-related activities appropriate to the role of a full-time professional counselor.
  • Permission for trainees to audio or video recorded counseling sessions (with client/parental consent).
  • Referral of a sufficient number of clients to generate the required hours of direct client contact necessary for practicum or internship (this cannot be guaranteed by the site or by the department).
  • A qualified field site supervisor who oversees and evaluates the trainees work and meets regularly for supervision of the client caseload.

Clinical mental health/community counseling track trainees may use their work setting as their field placement site ONLY under the following conditions: a) the work setting is a non-profit agency; b) they will perform duties different from those currently performed on the basis of a bachelor's degree; and c) their site supervisor will be a different person from their current work supervisor.

Steps to Securing a Practicum Field Placement Site

Clinical Mental Health and Community Counseling Track

Step 1.

During Basic Skills (COUN 516) you should begin by considering those sites already approved by the Department. The online Field Site Listing contains information and contacts. You should also review the Practicum and Internship Handbook so that you are well informed about all practicum and internship requirements. Remember the following:

  • Counselor trainees may NOT make home visits, unless accompanied by a licensed staff from the site providing the service, as part of their field site placement.
  • A qualified field site supervisor MUST have the following: a) master's degree in counseling or a counseling- related field; b) a minimum of 2 years of experience in counseling; c) hold a Texas professional license in the mental health field.
  • A potential field site must have the delivery of counseling services as its major focus and meet the other requirements outlined in this document.
  • The site supervisor has to commit in providing weekly supervision and you should be able to record your counseling sessions.

Obtaining approval for a site NOT currently on the approved field placement site list: ALL clinical placement sites need to have departmental approval before negotiating a field site contract with that particular site. Check our approved list first to see if the site you are considering has already been approved. It is on the list, it is approved site and you can move forward with negotiating a field site contract with them. There is a possibility that the approved site could have maxed out with interns; there is no guarantee that approved site from list will hold a spot for our students.

If the site you are interested in is NOT on the approved list, then fill out the site application form and submit to the department for approval. We will contact you regarding our decision on site approval.

Step 2.

Contact and interview at a field site. Select at least 3 sites which appeal to you and write or call to determine if they are accepting students for field placement during the semester you plan to register. It is recommended that you send a resume and cover letter to the site director and follow up later with a phone call. Your cover letter should be brief and specific and indicate your interest in the placement site.

NOTE: some sites may call counselor trainees “interns” regardless of practicum status.

Be prepared to give site directors whatever information or meeting times they require. They don't have to take you so making a good impression (organized, informed, motivated, and professional) is important to your getting the placement. Sites vary in their requirements and policies. For some a phone interview will be sufficient; others will prefer a live interview. It is up to you make yourself available for interviews. Make it easy to contact you and be sure you get all appropriate contact information yourself. Be prompt and prepared when you interview.

Step 3.

Once you have a verbal commitment from the appropriate site director for you to do your field placement, contact the Director of Training and Placement, preferably by email. Provide the following ACCURATE information (Site Information Form)

  • Student name and contact information (email; phone, address);
  • The semester you plan to do practicum;
  • Name and address of potential field site;
  • Name and contact information for the site director with whom you have discussed your placement;
  • Name and contact information for potential field site supervisor (email required, phone, address, credentials).

Step 4.

The Director of Training & Placement will contact the site director to obtain official agreement for your placement as a practicum counselor trainee.

Step 5.

If the site needs any specific affiliation agreement, the students are responsible to get it processed by the counseling department.

If CONTINUING at a field site

Counselor trainees completing practicum or Internship I should approach the appropriate entities (e.g., field site supervisor, site director) before the next semester regarding their willingness to continue as the trainee's field site placement. After the trainee completes the Department application process, he/she should notify the Director of Training and Placement by email and provide the following information (Application and Site Information Forms):

  • Trainee name and contact information (email, phone, address);
  • Which course you have applied for (Internship I or II);
  • Name and address of potential field site;
  • Name and contact information for the site director with whom you have confirmed continued placement;
  • Name and contact information for potential field site supervisor (email required; phone, address). This information is included in the application and site information forms that you send in.

If CHANGING field sites for Internship I or II

Discuss the matter with your present faculty instructor, then contact the Director of Training and Placement before the end of the semester you are doing practicum or internship I to discuss procedures. Once you receive approval from the Director of Training and Placement, you will need to supply the same contact information listed above.

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