Admission To Internship
“Admission to Internship” refers to the point in graduate studies when faculty decide whether a student is a suitable candidate for an internship placement. (This decision point is the Admission to Internship process referred to in the EMU Graduate Catalog.)
The student should normally have met all requirements for admission to internship upon completion of 30 graduate credits. Admission to internship is required for work in the program beyond 36 semester hours.
To be admitted to internship the student must have completed 30 semester hours in the counseling program with a 3.00 minimum GPA, obtained satisfactory practicum references, met the Mastery Competency assessment criteria, and obtained the formal approval of the faculty of the Master of Arts in Counseling program.
While we value the importance of academic success and a solid grasp of concept and theory, we also feel that fostering personal growth and attending to personal characteristics is equally important and crucial to the formation of competent counselors. As stated in the Journal of Counseling & Development, the qualities that comprise competent counselors include, “emotional security, sincerity, extroversion, positive self-concept, patience, interpersonal competence, openness to professional self-development, understanding, goodwill, recognition, acceptance of one’s personal power, a willingness to be open, self-respect, and a sense of humor” (Duba, Paez, & Kindsvatter, 2010, p.155). We therefore not only assist students with academic skills, but also address interpersonal dynamics and incongruencies as they relate to a student’s work with others in the program and to their clinical work.
Admission to internship is a central decision point. Admission to internship marks an important movement from “student” toward “colleague.”
Students are reviewed for admission to internship during the semester in which they expect to complete requirements for admission to internship.
A student must complete the Master of Arts in Counseling degree within three years after admission to internship.
If a student does not meet the criteria for admission to internship the faculty may, at their discretion, propose a timetable for remedial work prior to admission to internship. Any remedial work, and full admission to internship must be obtained before the student can begin an internship assignment.
Admission to Internship Procedures
The following schedule applies to students completing the admission to internship process during the spring semester. In the less typical case of someone ready for admission to internship during some other time period, the following procedures should still be followed in the order given, with a timetable agreed upon by the student and faculty.
1. The admission to internship process is initiated in the semester during which the student expects to complete requirements for admission to internship. The process is finalized after the student completes all requirements for admission to internship.
2. Students in practicum will complete all Mastery Competency Portfolio requirements, including a self-evaluation of readiness for admission to internship. The self-evaluation should include both strengths and growth edges, and respond to all advising feedback and growth goals identified in the student-advisor portfolio review process.
Admission to Internship Letter of Readiness
3. The student gives their practicum site supervisor the Counselor Assessment Scale to complete, following the process and timetable detailed in the practicum syllabus. The student then returns the completed CAS to their practicum group supervisor and puts a copy in their Mastery Competency Portfolio.
4. The student’s advisor will lead the faculty in reviewing the student’s academic performance, practicum assessment, advising history, Mastery Competency Portfolio, and any other materials deemed pertinent to admission to internship. The faculty will 1) move to admit to internship provisional on satisfactory completion of requirements, 2) require further work or documentation of work prior to admission to internship, or 3) advise the student of potential denial of admission to internship.
5. The student will be notified in writing by the program director of action taken.
6. In case of a deferred decision or potential denial of admission to internship, the faculty will devise further review and decision processes as appropriate, and the student will be advised by the director, in writing, of such processes. Upon completion of the required work, a final letter of admission to internship, or denial of admission to internship, will be written by the program director.
Exceptions to these procedures must be approved by action of the faculty, with alternate procedures, and their rationale recorded in the students records.