Argosy University, Chicago

COURSE SYLLABUS

C7500/C7510

Advanced Counseling Practicum/Internship

Room: 1303

Faculty Information

Faculty Name: Kent B. Provost, Ph. D.

Contact Information:

Phone: 312-777-7641

Office: 1361

Office Hours:

Mon: (by appointment)

Tues: 3pm – 5pm

Wed: 2am – 5pm

Thurs: 2pm – 5pm

Fri: (by appointment)

Class Meeting Days & Times

Advanced Practicum/Internship seminar meetings – alternative Wednesdays, starting from September9th, 2009, 6:00 -9:00 p.m.

Proposed meeting days (Note that these are not regularly alternating Wednesdays):

Sept. 9

Sept. 30th

Oct. 7th

Oct 21st

Nov. 4th

Nov. 18th

Dec. 2nd

Dec. 9th

Course Length:15Weeks

Contact Hours:24 Hours

Credit Value:1.0 credit/semester

Course Descriptions:

Advanced Practicum(1 credit hour):The advanced practicum provides for thedevelopment andrefinement of advanced counseling and supervisoryskills related to the professional practice of Counselor Education andSupervision. Doctoral students are required to participate in a supervised doctoral-level practicum of a minimum of 100 hours in counseling, of which 40 hours must be in direct service with clients. This can be conducted at the student’s currentwork site upon recommendation and decision of the program chair.If conducted at the student’s current work site, the practicumexperience must include new learning that is qualitatively differentfrom the student’s occupational responsibilities. The student willreceive weekly individual and/or triadic supervision; this supervisionis usually performed by a supervisor with a doctorate in counseloreducation or a related profession.

Advanced Internship(1 credit/semester = 2 credit hours): The advanced internship provides for thedevelopment andrefinement of advanced counseling and supervisoryskills related to the professional practice of Counselor Education andSupervision. Doctoral students are required to complete doctoral-level counseling internships that total a minimum of 600 clock hours. The 600 hours include supervised experiences in counselor education and supervision (e.g., clinical practice, supervision, research, teaching). This can be conducted at the student’s currentwork site upon recommendation and decision of the program chair.If conducted at the student’s current work site, the practicumexperience must include new learning that is qualitatively differentfrom the student’s occupational responsibilities. The 600 hours may be allocated at the discretion of the doctoral advisor and the student on the basis of experience and training. The student willreceive weekly individual and/or triadic supervision; this supervisionis usually performed by a supervisor with a doctorate in counseloreducation or a related profession.

Group Supervision for Doctorate-level Practicum/Internships: Internship and Practicum Group supervision is provided on a regular schedule with other students throughout the practicum and internship experiences. This will be performed by the program faculty member or their designee.

Course Pre-requisites: Submission and approval of a plan for Advanced Practicum that will be developed in conjunction with the student’s Academic Advisor or designated Seminar Leader by the required deadline. The plan should include information concerning where the experiences will take place, the beginning and ending dates of each experience, and any other information which might be helpful in evaluating the proposal, i.e., specific objectives, name of site supervisor, and daily schedule.

Required Textbook(No Assigned Text)

Technology Needed

Hardware: As a general guideline students should not have computer specifications less than a Pentium III CPU, Windows 2000 or XP, and 256 MB RAM or MAC G4 processor, MAC OS X, and 512 MB RAM.

Software: Adobe Acrobat Professional, Microsoft Office Professional (including MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Outlook), Norton Antivirus.

Internet Connection: 56K or faster Internet connection is required for blended or online courses; however broadband is strongly encouraged.

Program Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of the development of counselors, knowledge of theories and practices of counselor supervision, and skills in the application of these areas to counselor supervision.
  2. Demonstrate the design and implementation of quantitative and qualitative research methods, the understanding and utilization of research findings in the counseling profession, and an awareness of the importance of research and scholarly contributions to the field of counseling.
  3. Apply theory beyond the entry-level of practice pertaining to the principles and practice of counseling, career development, group work, systems, assessment, and consultation.
  4. Demonstrate competency in the application and evaluation of teaching and instructional methodologies in counselor education.
  5. Understand and demonstrate a commitment to ethical practice in counseling, counselor education, and counselor supervision, grounded in the ethical standards of the American Counseling Association (ACA), the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), and other related professional organizations.
  6. Demonstrate multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills in the areas of cultural self-awareness, understanding of the client’s world view, and culturally appropriate intervention strategies.
  7. Demonstrate a commitment to personal development, including ongoing self reflection, growth in interpersonal skills, and openness to feedback.
  8. Using appropriate media and technology, present counseling information orally and in writing that is concise, organized, well supported, professional, and appropriate to the audience.

Purpose

The purpose of the Advanced Practicum is to provide the doctoral level student with the opportunity to strengthen and develop clinical skills in one or more identified areas of need or interest. Each student, in collaboration with the Academic Advisor or Seminar Leader, will develop an individualized plan based on identified areas of need and interest.

The CACREP Standards (2009) describe the doctoral-level practicum experience as follows:

Doctoral students are required to participate in a supervised doctoral-level practicum of a minimum of 100 hours in counseling, of which 40 hours must be in direct service with clients. The nature of the doctoral-level practicum experience is to be determined in consultation with program faculty and/or a doctoral committee. During the doctoral student’s practicum, supervision will occur as outlined in entry-level standards III.A and III.C–E.

A student who is already employed in a counseling position is not automatically required to change positions for the practicum; however, modifications in the present position will probably be necessary to reflect opportunities to implement program learning. It is the purpose of the clinical trainingin the EdD in CES program to offer an opportunity for integrative learning and to add breadth and depth to a student’s experience.

Required Student Supervision:

Ongoing individual or triadic supervision (one hour weekly) by an approved site supervisor is a requirement for advanced practicum studentsthroughout the practicum experience.

The CACREP Standards (2009) for doctoral practicum experiences state:

C. Site supervisors must have the following qualifications:

1.A minimum of a master’s degree in counseling or a related profession with equivalent qualifications, including appropriate certifications and/or licenses.

2.A minimum of two years of pertinent professional experience in the program area in which the student is enrolled.

3.Knowledge of the program’s expectations, requirements, and evaluation procedures for students.

4.Relevant training in counseling supervision.

E.Supervision contracts for each student are developed to define the roles and responsibilities of the faculty supervisor, site supervisor, and student during practicum and internship.

The purpose of the Advanced Internship is to provide the doctoral level student with the opportunity to strengthen and develop teaching/supervision/research skills in one or more identified areas of need or interest. Each student, in collaboration with the Academic Advisor or Seminar Leader, will develop an individualized plan based on identified areas of need and interest.

The CACREP Standards (2009) describe the doctoral-level internship experience as follows:

Doctoral students are required to complete doctoral-level counseling internships that total a minimum of 600 clock hours. The 600 hours include supervised experiences in counselor education and supervision (e.g., clinical practice, research, teaching). The internship includes most of the activities of a regularly employed professional in the setting. The 600 hours may be allocated at the discretion of the doctoral advisor and the student on the basis of experience and training.

The CACREP Standards (2009) for doctoral internship experiences related to this supervised experience state:

C.During internships, the student must receive weekly individual and/or triadic supervision, usually performed by a supervisor with a doctorate in counselor education or a related profession. Group supervision is provided on a regular schedule with other students throughout the internship and is usually performed by a program faculty member.

Additionally to the weekly onsite supervision, the student must attend the scheduled doctoral group supervision that will be scheduled regularly (on-campus and/or via conference call, at the seminar leader’s discretion) throughout the practicum/intership experience (a minimum of 8 seminar meetings will be scheduled by the Seminar Leader throughout the semester). The regularly scheduled supervision will be used for case presentations, consultation, discussion of professional issues, and to develop professional interests. Due to the participatory nature of seminar, students are expected to attend all seminar meetings and must make arrangements with seminar instructor in advance of any requested exceptions. Unexcused absences are unacceptable.

Because supervision is a necessity for practicum/internship, no practicum/internship activities will be allowed if adequate supervision is unavailable, i.e. between semesters when university supervisors are unavailable, unless specific arrangements are made with the university supervisor for coverage during these periods. With the approval of the academic advisor or seminar leader, the student may extend the practicum/internship experience over more than one semester; however, the student should plan on remaining at the site for at least one full semester. Practicum/internship dates are flexible and the student may begin and end on dates that are negotiated with the site as long as a schedule of weekly supervision is maintained.

Additional Requirements:

All Practicum students must accrue a minimum of 100 total hours. Each student should spend a minimum of 40 of these hours in direct service with clients.

Students should spend no fewer than 5 hours per week and no more than 40 hours a week in practicum activities.

All Internship students must accrue a minimum of 600 total hours. How these hours are allocated will be determined by the doctoral adviser and the student on the basis of experience and training.

Liability insurance is required for sites.

Site supervisor must hold at least a master’s in counseling, a state license or school counseling certificate and two years of related professional experience. Supervisors with a doctorate in counselor education or a related profession are preferred.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the Practicum course students will:

  1. Articulate their philosophy and/or theoretical approach to counseling, particularly with regard to the setting(s) in which they intend to work.
  2. Demonstrate advanced levels of counseling skill development.
  3. Critically evaluate his/her own work as a counselor.
  4. Utilizean ethical decision-making model in practicum placement settings, with specific attention to the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics and other relevant ethical guidelines.
  5. Demonstrate multicultural competence and sensitivity to diversity in all professional activities, utilizing the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Diversity (AMCD) Multicultural Competencies.
  6. Demonstrate awareness of and ability to manage emotions and behaviors in ways that facilitate interpersonal interactions.
  7. Demonstrate behaviors associated with self-reflection and self-evaluation.
  8. Accept responsibility for his/her feelings concerning clients and use information about those feelings appropriately and/or therapeutically.
  9. Appropriately solicit and use professional consultation.
  10. Discuss his/her own limitations and actively seek further education or access research regarding differing cultures and ethnic backgrounds.
  11. Integrate and understand a variety of skills and techniques necessary to cope with most clients' problems; adapt these skills and techniques to new situations and acquire new skills when necessary.
  12. Effectively utilize techniques and theories related to systems, groups, and individuals in counseling activities.
  13. Actively engage in treatment planning, implementation, and evaluation for each client.
  14. Utilize assessment techniques and/or information in making clinical decisions about treatment planning, client progress and termination.
  15. Discern and utilize support/evidence for treatment found in the professional literature.
  16. Utilize a systematic method for keeping accurate and updated records for the purposes of case conceptualization, treatment planning (developing goals and objectives), evaluation of client progress, and termination.
  17. Apply concepts of group dynamics such as content and process variables, leadership styles, and group intervention techniques.
  18. Appropriately utilize technology in counseling activities.

Upon completion of the Internship course students will:

  1. Articulate their philosophy and/or theoretical approach to teaching and/or supervision, particularly with regard to the setting(s) in which they intend to work.
  2. Demonstrate advanced levels of pedagogy/ andragogy and/or supervision skill development.
  3. Critically evaluate his/her own work as an educator/supervisor.
  4. Utilizean ethical decision-making model in internship placement settings, with specific attention to the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics, American Counselor Education and Supervision Ethics/standards, and other relevant ethical guidelines.
  5. Demonstrate multicultural competence and sensitivity to diversity in all professional activities, utilizing the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Diversity (AMCD) Multicultural Competencies.
  6. Demonstrate awareness of and ability to manage emotions and behaviors in ways that facilitate interpersonal interactions.
  7. Demonstrate behaviors associated with self-reflection and self-evaluation.
  8. Accept responsibility for his/her feelings concerning students/supervisees and use information about those feelings appropriately and/or professionally.
  9. Appropriately solicit and use professional consultation.
  10. Discuss his/her own limitations and actively seek further education or access research regarding differing cultures and ethnic backgrounds.
  11. Integrate and understand a variety of skills and techniques necessary to cope with instructional/supervision-relationship concerns; adapt these skills and techniques to new situations and acquire new skills when necessary.
  12. Appropriately utilize technology in teaching/supervision activities.

Practicum Course Requirements and Expectations

  1. One Oral Case Presentation in class to include (at a minimum) the following:
  2. Theoretical/philosophical approach used for assessment, treatment planning, interventions, and ending (if applicable) - at least three additional supporting citations, from original works and/or research, required in addition to any text citing
  3. Diversity and advocacy issues addressed
  4. Assessment (including any assessment instruments used), treatment planning (short and long-term), specific interventions, and ending (if applicable)
  5. Client progress in counseling towards shortterm and long term goals
  6. Counselor’s personal reactions (successes and struggles) of the client as well as working with the client
  7. Address the following two questions:
  8. What I want to continue incorporating in my counseling work from this experience?
  9. What I would like to shift, change, eliminate in my counseling work as discovered through this experience?
  10. Any uncommon counseling experiences of interested related to trauma, suicide assessment, disaster experience, etc. that may have occurred during the counseling experience with this client
  11. Request and receive feedback from course peers – indentify initially what kind and form of feedback desired
  1. One Written Case Presentation Paper (by end of practicum experience)
  2. This to include all of the above information in APA format (including Title page, Abstract, Body, References) with appropriate citations.
  3. Additional paper content to the above oral presentation information:
  4. Self-reflect personal limitations and how these were specifically addressed
  5. Self-reflect personal reactions related to emotions and behaviors related to working with this client
  6. Self-reflect in how your personal feelings and other reactions my have affected your work with your client
  7. Discuss at least three different interventions, from your professional readings, that you did not incorporate in your counseling practice, but might have chosen to do so with expected outcome goals from these interventions
  • This Written Case Presentation Paper is required before getting a completed grade in this Practicum class (see instructor for specific deadlines)
  1. Students are to provide resources for extended and other care to their fellow students. This will be discussed further in class as to the nature, content, and type of materials, as well as when this will be completed.

Internship Course Requirements and Expectations

  1. One Oral Case Presentation in class to include (at a minimum) the following:
  2. Theoretical/philosophical approach used for pedagogy/supervision - at least three additional supporting citations, from original works and/or research, required in addition to any text citing
  3. Diversity and advocacy issues addressed
  4. Long-term/short-term goals and objectives for teaching/supervision outcomes
  5. Intern’s personal reactions (successes and struggles) of their teaching/supervision experience
  6. Address the following two questions:
  7. What I want to continue incorporating in my teaching/supervising work from this experience?
  8. What I would like to shift, change, eliminate in my teaching/supervising work as discovered through this experience?
  9. Request and receive feedback from course peers – indentify initially what kind and form of feedback desired
  1. One Written Case Presentation Paper (by end of practicum experience)
  2. This to include all of the above information in APA format (including Title page, Abstract, Body, References) with appropriate citations.
  3. Additional paper content to the above oral presentation information:
  4. Self-reflect personal limitations and how these were specifically addressed
  5. Self-reflect personal reactions related to emotions and behaviors related to teaching/supervising
  6. Self-reflect in how your personal feelings and other reactions my have affected your work
  7. Discuss at least additionalapproaches, from your professional readings, that you did not incorporate in your teaching/supervision, but might have chosen to do so with expected outcome goals from these approaches
  • This Written Case Presentation Paper is required before getting a completed grade in this Practicum class (see instructor for specific deadlines)
  1. Students are to provide resources for extended and other care to their fellow students. This will be discussed further in class as to the nature, content, and type of materials, as well as when this will be completed.

Grading Criteria