Master's Level Practicum Placement in Counselling

The Student Counselling and Career Centre (SCCC) ordinarily offers two counselling practicum placements at the Master’s level each year. These placements are intended for University of Manitoba students in the counselling program. They begin in early September and end in April each year.

About the Placement

General requirements for the practicum include:

• Completion of 1 day Orientation to the Student Counselling and Career Centre (SCCC).
• Completion of approximately 2 days per week of practicum experience during the academic fall and winter terms (unable to guarantee that all activities will fall within same 2 days).
• The entire practicum requires a minimum of 180 hours on site, of which approximately 60 hours will be devoted to direct service (individual and group).

N.B.  While practicum hours may be applied toward fulfilling the hours required by CCPA for certification, meeting CCPA requirements is not the primary goal of the practicum.

The practicum also involves requirements for students to: (a) provide an average of four personal individual counselling sessions per week, (b) to observe at least four drop-in sessions in the fall, (c) to take primary responsibility for four other drop-in sessions subsequent to observation, and (d) to observe and then provide either career or group counselling. All of which is done under supervision.

The SCCC is committed to its training role and strives to provide practicum students with appropriate supervision throughout the placement, and opportunities to enrich knowledge. Our requirements of all students include:

• A minimum of 1 hour per week of individual supervision with a Student Counselling and Career Centre staff member assigned as a primary supervisor for personal counselling cases.
• Audio or video taping of all counselling sessions with the client’s permission. Live supervision may also be arranged.
• Maintenance of legible, complete, and ethically appropriate case notes.
• Attendance at Student Counselling and Career Centre training seminar/professional development (1 ½ to 2 hours) to be held biweekly or as announced during the academic term. These training seminars will be related to the services provided by the SCCC.
• Attendance at Case Management Meetings
• Completion and presentation of a formal Case Conceptualization in the winter semester

In Addition:

For students who choose the group option, a minimum of 1 hour per week of group-related supervision for the duration of the group, together with live or taped supervision, of the co-facilitation and/or facilitation of a developmental/treatment group is required.

For students who choose the career counselling option, a minimum of 1 hour biweekly of individual supervision with a Student Counselling and Career Centre staff member assigned as a primary supervisor for Career Counselling cases is required for the duration of the Career group and when actively seeing career clients.

Evaluation

Evaluation is clearly an important part of the process of training, and is done in as supportive and constructive a way as possible. Informal evaluation is continuous and ongoing, and there is an active exchange of communication between practicum and program coordinators and supervisors. Should difficulties arise, program personnel in consultation with the practicum coordinator and/or supervisor will work with the student to develop a suitable remediation plan. In most cases Primary Supervisor responsibility shifts from a staff member to a psychology intern for the period of January through April. This is a part of interns’ supervision training requirement in the doctoral psychology internship at SCCC, during which they are also supervised. There are two formal, written evaluations:

• The first evaluation will be completed in December by the primary supervisor, as well as adjunct supervisors for all areas in which the student has been involved.
• The final evaluation will be completed in April by the secondary supervisor, again in collaboration with the primary and adjunct supervisors

Open House

The SCCC typically hosts an Open House each year. Students interested in our practicum placement are encouraged to attend. The Open House provides an opportunity to meet our staff and practicum coordinator and supervisors, learn the specifics of what this practicum placement has to offer and what is required, and hear our most recent practicum students talk about their experiences at the SCCC over the past year. Students will also have an opportunity to ask any questions they may have. A tour of our centre and an opportunity to sit down with the coordinator for any further discussion is also provided.

How to Apply

Students interested in applying for a practicum placement at the SCCC should submit cover letter and resume to:

Dr. Lori Mac, Master’s Counselling Practicum Coordinator
Student Counselling and Career Centre
474 University Centre
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3T 2N2

Phone: (204) 474-8592 (Reception)
Fax: (204) 474-7558

 Your cover letter should address: (a) why you are interested in a placement at the Student Counselling and Career Centre, (b) why you think this placement would be a good fit for you, and (c) how this placement would contribute to your professional development and goals.

Selected applicants will be contacted for interview times.

Dates*

Open House – typically held at the beginning of May
Cover letters and resumes – typically due by May 15th
Interviews- typically held in the 3rd week of May
Selection & notification of successful applicants – typically occurs by the end of the 1st week in June

*Please note that these timelines may be adjusted yearly due to scheduling. Please contact the SCCC for exact dates.