practicum information guide - yorkville...

Practicum Information Guide

Department of Field Training

Yorkville University

Version V

May 2015

YORKVILLE UNIVERSITY PRACTICUM INFORMATION GUIDE: VERSION V

May 2015

Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Setting the Stage for Your Practicum............................................................................................................ 5

PSYC7100 - Orientation to Practicum ........................................................................................................... 7

Course Objectives: .................................................................................................................................... 7

Course Components:................................................................................................................................. 7

PSCY7100 Practicum Orientation Timeline: .............................................................................................. 8

PSYC7106 - Practicum Course ..................................................................................................................... 10

Course Objectives: .................................................................................................................................. 11

Onsite and Course Components: ............................................................................................................ 11

Mandatory Onsite Components: ........................................................................................................ 11

Mandatory Course Components: ........................................................................................................ 11

The Onsite Practicum .................................................................................................................................. 15

Scheduling Onsite Practicum Hours ........................................................................................................ 15

Practicum Start Date ............................................................................................................................... 15

Eligibility for Practicum ........................................................................................................................... 15

Onsite Practicum Requirements ............................................................................................................. 16

Total Required Hours: ......................................................................................................................... 16

Direct Client Contact Hours: ............................................................................................................... 16

Direct Counselling Hours: .................................................................................................................... 16

Group Therapy: ................................................................................................................................... 16

Indirect Client Contact hours: ............................................................................................................. 17

Supervision Hours: .............................................................................................................................. 17

Appropriate Practicum Settings .............................................................................................................. 17

Potential Practicum Sites ........................................................................................................................ 18

Dual Relationships and Supervision ........................................................................................................ 19

Workplace Practicums ............................................................................................................................ 19

Language Requirement ........................................................................................................................... 19

Home Visits ............................................................................................................................................. 19

Liability Insurance ................................................................................................................................... 20

Worker’s Compensation Insurance ......................................................................................................... 20

Immunization .......................................................................................................................................... 20

Criminal Record Check ............................................................................................................................ 21

Safety Plan .............................................................................................................................................. 21

The Practicum Supervisor ........................................................................................................................... 21

Eligibility of Supervisors .......................................................................................................................... 21

Roles and Responsibilities ....................................................................................................................... 21

Practicum Agreement and Documents ............................................................................................... 21

Supervision .......................................................................................................................................... 22

Observing Students ............................................................................................................................. 22


May 2015

Reviewing Process Notes/Case Files ................................................................................................... 22

Evaluations .......................................................................................................................................... 22

Signing off on Practicum Hours ........................................................................................................... 22

Confirming that Consent to Treatment Forms have been Obtained .................................................. 23

Learning Goals .................................................................................................................................... 23

General Practices ................................................................................................................................ 23

Physical Workspace ............................................................................................................................. 23

Vacation and other Absences ............................................................................................................. 23

When there is More than One Approved Supervisor ............................................................................. 24

Onsite Co-supervisors: ........................................................................................................................ 24

Primary and Secondary Supervisors: .................................................................................................. 24

Problem Solving/Conflict Resolution ...................................................................................................... 24

The Student ................................................................................................................................................. 25

Roles and Responsibilities ....................................................................................................................... 25

Student Conduct ................................................................................................................................. 25

Supervision .......................................................................................................................................... 25

Confirmation of Practicum Hours ....................................................................................................... 26

Concurrent Course Work: ................................................................................................................... 26

Problem Solving/Conflict Resolution ...................................................................................................... 26

The Faculty Supervisor ................................................................................................................................ 26

The Practicum Coordinator ......................................................................................................................... 26

Securing a Practicum Site ........................................................................................................................... 26

Practicum Approval Process ................................................................................................................... 27

Practicum Application Deadlines ............................................................................................................ 29

Other Information Students Should Know about Enrolling in the PSYS7106 Practicum Course ............ 29

In Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................... 30


May 2015

Introduction Congratulations on reaching this important milestone in your professional development and embarking on the journey to complete the Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) at Yorkville University. To fulfill the requirements for the MACP, all students must complete an in person onsite practicum, which will occur at the end of the program after you have completed all of the academic courses. Although the practicum begins after the completion of coursework, it is very important that students start thinking about their practicum experience early in the academic program. To help begin this process, we have developed the Practicum Information Guide (PIG), the PSYC7100 Orientation to Practicum course and other practicum resources you will receive access to, under “My Courses” on the Yorkville Campus, as you progress through the MACP program. This guide will provide students with the information needed to become familiar with the practicum preparation process, the onsite practicum requirements and practicum-related course work.


May 2015

Setting the Stage for Your Practicum

Below is a quick summary of some very critical information all students should be aware from the onset,

before they begin planning for practicum. These are important summary points and more detailed

information is provided in the body of this guide.

Students must complete the PSYC7100 Orientation to Practicum course prior to beginning

practicum. As of May 2015 this course will be offered over 4 trimesters.

Securing a practicum placement can take considerable time and work, and students must be

prepared to start their practicum planning early on in the MACP program.

It is very important for students recognize that while they may be able to complete the

coursework and work full-time, completing practicum and working full-time is NOT realistic. As

students move through the MACP program, it will be necessary to take time to reflect on and

plan a schedule which will allow successful completion of the practicum. It is not recommended

that students work full-time, and try to complete the practicum course at the same time.

When scheduling onsite practicum hours (13.5 hours /week), students must ensure they

schedule the time onsite in significant blocks of time, no less than three to four hours at a time,

to optimize their learning experience. Students should be prepared to spend two full days, or

one full day and two half days, or four half days at their practicum site.

Students will find that most counselling agencies offer counselling services during regular

Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm business hours. Some agencies offer counselling service in

the evening, and very few agencies offer counselling services on weekends. Students need to be

prepared to adjust their schedules to be available during the hours that clients are typically

seen.

Completing a practicum in the student’s place of employment is not recommended, but the

Department of Field Training recognized that sometimes it is the only option for a student. If a

student has exhausted all other possibilities in trying to secure a practicum placement

elsewhere, it is possible to apply to complete the practicum in his or her place of employment,

as long as a) the agency/organization meets the necessary criteria, b) the proposed supervisor

meets the necessary criteria, c) and if the student’s employer is agreeable. In such cases, it is

required that the student complete the Workplace Practicum Form in the Practicum

Application Package.

The PSYC7106 Practicum course is two trimesters long and has two components:

o Onsite: Students are expected to be actively engaged in onsite practicum activities for the

full two trimesters. Students are not allowed to complete their practicum in a shorter

time frame by increasing their weekly onsite hours. Student may complete more than the

required 13.5 weekly hours, but they must still remain in practicum for the full two

trimesters of the Practicum Course.


May 2015

o Coursework: During the practicum students will be required to also participate in the

PSYC7106 Practicum course, which includes MANDATORY ATTENDANCE at 12 one-hour

live seminars and four 1.5 to 2 hours faculty supervision sessions, developing and

delivering one live presentation, submitting five reflective journals, and completing four

written assignments. Students should be aware that the PSYC7106 Practicum coursework

will require approximately 10 to 15 hours per week in addition to the time they spend

onsite.

It is recommended that students, who have very little (less than two years) or no previous

counselling related experience, immediately begin seeking out volunteer opportunities with

local agencies to gain some counselling experience over the next four trimesters. Having

previous experience will be beneficial when students start applying for practicum placements,

and when beginning the practicum. Volunteer opportunities at distress centers, crisis lines, or

other such services that offer well recognized and structured volunteer training are very good

place to start.

Students who plan to complete their practicum in a school setting MUST set up the practicum to

start in September. A school practicum will not be approved for January and or May practicum

starts.

The Department of Field Training has available to all students a list of potential practicum sites. The list

contains information about currently active practicum sites and sites that have previously hosted YU

practicum students. This is not a list of preapproved practicum sites, but rather a list of potential

practicum sites that students may contact. The list is not exhaustive and students are encouraged to also

research other potential practicum sites in their community. (See section on Potential Practicum Site for

more information.)


May 2015

PSYC7100 - Orientation to Practicum All students are required to complete the self-paced PSYC7100 Orientation to Practicum course. Starting May 2015, for all students in Trimester 2 of the MACP program, the course will span four Trimesters.1 In this required, non-credit course, practicum expectations will be introduced and explored. Students will self-assess their counselling skills against competency frameworks for Canadian counsellors and set specific learning goals for their practicum. They will also engage in mandatory activities to prepare for finding the right site for their practicum, including information sessions, review of narrated PowerPoints, and Question and Answer forums with the Field Training Team from Trimester 2 through to Trimester 5. PSYC7100 will be presented in 4 sections:

• PSYC7100a – To be delivered and completed when students are in Trimester 2; • PSYC7100b – To be delivered and completed when students are in Trimester 3; • PSYC7100c – To be delivered and completed when students are in Trimester 4; and • PSYC7100d – To be delivered and completed when students are in Trimester 5.

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

set specific practicum learning goals informed by benchmarking their current counselling competencies to a standardized framework;

generate suitable practicum leads;

apply for, and successfully secure, a suitable practicum position; and

anticipate work-life balance challenges and develop strategies to minimize stress and role conflicts and maximize value from their practicum experiences.

Course Components:

Students will be provided a series of narrated PowerPoints, mandatory live information sessions (no more than two each trimester), and other resources to assist them with securing a viable practicum and preparing a successful Practicum Application Package.

1 Students in Trimesters 3, 4, and 5 of the MACP program, who have not completed the PSYC7100 Orientation to

Practicum course by the end of April 2015, will be placed in a special section of PSYC7100 which they must

complete during the 2015 Spring/Summer trimester.

Students MUST complete each section of PSYC7100 as prescribed to ensure they will be ready

to begin their practicum course (PSYC7106) on time. Students will not be allowed to defer any

portion of PSYC7100 unless they take one full trimester of coursework off.


May 2015

PSCY7100 Practicum Orientation Timeline:

To ensure that student will successfully secure a practicum on time, the following timeline is provided to give students a full understanding of what practicum related activities they should complete during each trimester as they move forward in the MACP program.

PSCY7100 Practicum Orientation Timeline

PSYC7100a Trimester 2

Review and become very familiar with course site content (Week 1 - ongoing)

Practicum Information Guide (PIG)

Narrated PowerPoints

Sign up for Information Sessions

Attend Information Sessions # 1& #2: 1. Introductions to Practicum (Week 2) 2. Practicum Planning: Self, Site and Supervisor (Week 8)

Complete Quiz # 1: 1. Quiz 1 (Trimester 2 - Week 10)

Activities to work on independently: 1. Prepare practicum specific resume and cover letter

a. Seek help from YU Writing Lab

2. Review Narrated PowerPoints on course site 3. Review online resources 4. Access community resources 5. Begin reflecting on the type of practicum you want to obtain – taking into

consideration level of competency, areas of interest, populations of interest, theoretical orientation, etc.

6. Begin inventory of potential appropriate practicum sites in geographical area using guidelines:

YU Practicum Site List

Online searches or phone listings

Networking with friends, family YU peers, co-workers, neighbours

Take note of those sites that indicate first contact or practicum application is to be made by University

Take note of deadlines for submitting applications to practicum site – some sites require that students apply as much as one year in advance, while other sites may have shorter deadlines such as 6 or 3 months prior to the start of your Practicum course.

7. If you have no previous counselling related experience – search out volunteer opportunities and start volunteering to gain relevant experience


May 2015

PSYC7100b Trimester 3

Review and become very familiar with any new information on course site content (Week 1 - ongoing)

Sign up for Information Session

Attend Information Session # 3: Importance of Professionalism as a Counsellor (Week 4)

Complete Quiz # 2 (Trimester 3 - Week 10)

Activities to work on independently: 1. Complete inventory of potential appropriate practicum sites in geographical area

using guidelines:

YU Practicum Site List

Online searches or phone listings

Networking with friends, family, YU peers, co-workers, neighbors

Take note of those sites that indicate first contact or practicum application is to be made by University

Take note of deadlines for submitting applications to practicum site – some site requires that student apply as much as one year in advance, other site may have shorter deadlines such as 6 or 3 months prior to practicum start date.

2. Begin conducting informational interviews with potential practicum sites - start with the sites that require applications be submitted well in advance

3. Establish an information tracking system for recording notes about each potential practicum site you contact and feedback you receive.

4. Begin sending out applications (cover letter and resume) to potential practicum sites.

5. Continue working on gaining relevant experience.

PSYC7100c Trimester 4

Review and become very familiar with any new information on course site content (Trimester 4 - Week 1 - ongoing)

Receive access to Practicum Application Package

Sign up for Information Session

Attend Information Session # 4: Competency Self-Assessment and Learning Goals Review (Week 6)


Activities to work on independently: 1. Continue conducting informational interviews with potential practicum

sites. 2. Continue sending out applications (cover letter and resume) to potential

practicum sites. 3. Maintain information tracking system for recording notes about each

potential practicum site you contact and feedback you receive. 4. Continue working on gaining relevant experience

** By the end of Trimester 4 you should have identified one or two solid practicum opportunities, or have secured a practicum site.


May 2015

PSYC7100d Trimester 5

Review and become very familiar with any new information on course site content (Trimester 5 - Week 1 - ongoing)

Access to Practicum Application Package and submission upload site.

Sign up for Information Sessions

Attend Information Sessions 5 and 6: 5. Submitting a Successful Practicum Application (Week 1) 6. Achieving Successful Practicum Outcomes (Week 13)


Activities to work on independently: 1. Finalize securing practicum site by end of Week 4 in Trimester 5 2. Work on completing your Practicum Application Package 3. Practicum Application Package submission deadlines as of September

20152:

Practicum in students place of employment and students needing early approval to secure a leave of absence from work: o February 1 for May practicum course starts o June 1 for September practicum course starts o October 1 for January practicum course starts

Regular practicums (not in place of employment): o March 1 for May practicum course starts o July 1 for September practicum course starts o November 1 for January practicum course starts

4. Continue working on gaining relevant counselling experience

PSYC7106 - Practicum Course During the final two trimesters of the MACP program, students will be enrolled in the PSYC7106 Practicum course if they have an approved practicum site. This course is designed to support students during their practicum placement and enrich their learning experience. It also provides an opportunity to formally evaluate counselling competencies of students, ensuring that graduation from the MACP program signifies readiness to work effectively as an entry-to-practice level counsellor. In PSYC7106 there will be a focus on integrating theory with practice; resolving ethical dilemmas; case conceptualization and planning; developing competencies in dealing with cultural issues; embracing diversity; working collaboratively across disciplines; accessing and maximizing the benefits of site supervision, and developing a professional identity as a counsellor. Topics and resources will be closely connected to those previously introduced throughout the program to provide opportunities to synthesize and apply students’ learning. This approach will facilitate a deeper level of experiential learning and retention.

2 The Practicum Application Package submission deadlines for students’ beginning their practicum course in September 2015

ONLY, will be:

June 15, 2015 for students completing their practicum in their place of employment and students needing early approval to secure a leave of absence from work; and

July 15, 2015 for all other applications


May 2015

Course enrollment will be limited to a maximum of 12 students per section. All course sections will have a faculty supervisor and a practicum coordinator to support students through the practicum process.

Course Objectives: integrate theory, research literature, and practice in case conceptualization, planning, and

counselling interventions; demonstrate an acceptable level of proficiency in basic interviewing and counselling skills; reconstruct the counselling process for one or more counselling clients, using case notes and

video/audio tapes; self-evaluate level of counselling competency; formulate self-directed learning goals and strategies for ongoing professional development,

based on analysis of appropriate self-assessment; summarize counselling process and client progress in interim and final reports; synthesize learning from experiences throughout the MACP program to design and develop

practical counselling tools (e.g., a client workbook, group therapy program, or topical facilitators’ guide).

Onsite and Course Components:

The student’s total practicum experience will encompass both the onsite practicum experience and all the coursework. Both of these components of PSYC7106 are interconnected and the total success of the practicum course is dependent on success in both the student’s onsite and course-related performance.

Mandatory Onsite Components:

Counselling Activities: Students will be required to keep a record of all of the practicum activities that they engage in during their practicum. This record-keeping will require students to submit weekly Counselling Activities Record Sheets (CARS) using an automated system called the Practicum Tool.

Onsite Evaluations: Practicum supervisors will complete and submit a formative evaluation at the end of the first trimester and a summative evaluation at the end of the second trimester. Evaluation dates will be set by the University at the beginning of the practicum.

Supervision Process Evaluation: At the end of the practicum, students will be required to complete a supervision process evaluation to provide the Department of Field Training with information about their experiences with the onsite practicum supervision they received during their practicum.

Mandatory Course Components:

Practicum Seminars: Scheduled throughout the practicum course, 12 one-hour interactive web-based seminars will provide opportunities to connect with other students, an MACP faculty supervisor, and a practicum coordinator. Each seminar will have a designated theme, but specific topics for these seminars may reach outside these themes, and will be determined by student needs. Seminars will typically begin with a brief topical student presentation and allow time for group discussions, questions, and sharing of practicum challenges and success stories.


May 2015

Seminars will be in a synchronous format and attendance is MANDATORY. Students must be prepared to adjust their work and personal schedules to ensure attendance of the complete seminar (Arriving late or leaving early is not permitted). While some seminars may be offered during evening hours, most will be offered during daytime hours, and will depend on the availability of faculty.

Reflective Journaling: Reflective journaling at this stage in the students’ career development is a very important part of becoming a competent counsellor. Reflection journals are scheduled to be submitted 5 times during the practicum course. Students will be expected to submit one to two page reflective journals highlighting their learning experiences from their practicum site, participation in the seminars and also faculty supervision. Students will be expected to produce deeply reflective and highly professional and relevant journal reflections. This is a time for students to get to know themselves and how “the self” impacts, and is impacted by, the counselling experience.

Graded Assignments: The graded portion of the course is derived from three assignments and a final resource project as outlined in Table 1 below.

Faculty Supervision: Students will be required to participate in a total of four 1.5 to 2.0 hour faculty supervision sessions over the duration of their practicum - two sessions in each trimester. These sessions will be conducted in small groups of three to four students along with the faculty supervisor.

Over the course of the four supervision sessions, students will be required to present one oral case presentation and two full session videos (45 – 50 minutes) of a live client session.

Some sites may have policies prohibiting the video recording of clients; in such cases the student may present an audio recording. In exceptional circumstances, with the approval of the Director of Training, where video and audio recording is not permitted by the site, the site supervisor must be prepared to assist the student with preparing a video of a simulated client session; preferably of a typical client seen by the student during his or her practicum.

The sharing of the video recording during faculty supervision will occur in a secure online OmniJoin classroom. When sharing videos for faculty supervision, students must use a PC computer due to the incompatibilities with the video sharing features between OmniJoin and MAC computers.

To protect the confidentially of the client when video recording sessions, students must set up the recording equipment so that it is focused on only the counsellor, and not on the client, and the student must take every precaution not to use the client’s full name while recording the sessions. Students are responsible for the security of the recording and must ensure that the recording is kept in a secure location, such as a locked filing cabinet in a locked room, or if it is stored on a computer it must be protected with a password to which only the student has access.

Students need to secure a practicum site that will permit them to record their counselling

sessions.


May 2015

Students are responsible for making arrangements for all necessary recording equipment if the practicum site does not own or have access to such equipment, e.g., a laptop computer. However, every necessary precaution must be taken to ensure the security of these recordings.

Practicum Evaluations: Students will be evaluated on their professional competencies throughout the practicum. This will be informed by the student’s onsite performance and his or her performance during the seminars, and faculty supervision sessions. There are two major evaluation points which students must pass to meet the requirements for graduation.

Formative Evaluation: A formative evaluation will be conducted at the end of the first trimester of Practicum course by the faculty supervisor and the onsite supervisor with the support of the assigned practicum coordinator.

If a student receives a failing grade for Trimester One, a remediation plan may be put in place which must be successfully completed before the student will be allowed to proceed to the second trimester of the practicum course.

Summative Evaluation: A summative evaluation will be conducted at the end of the second trimester of the Practicum course by the faculty supervisor and the onsite supervisor with the support of the assigned practicum coordinator.

In addition to all course assignments in Trimester One, students must complete 40% of the

required direct client contact hours (80 hours) to receive a passing grade and proceed to

Trimester Two of the Practicum course.

Students must pass all components of the Summative Evaluation in Semester Two

in order to meet the requirements of the Practicum course (PSYC7106) and the

MACP program.


May 2015

TABLE 1: Onsite and Course Components to be Evaluated

Practicum Evaluation Outcome Due Date

1. Practicum Evaluation (Formative) Pass/Fail End of Trimester 1

2. Practicum Evaluation (Summative) Pass/Fail End of Trimester 2

Graded Course Assignment % of Total

Course Grade

3. Active, Mandatory Participation (Interactive Seminars, Presentations, Shared Resources)

15% Throughout PSYC7106

4. Faculty/Individual Supervision 15% 4 sessions, as scheduled with Supervisor

5. Assignment 1: Case Conceptualization, and Literature review

15% Week 8

6. Assignment 2: Interim Client Progress Report and Plan 15% Week 14

7. Assignment 3: Final Client Progress Report, Plan Resources, and Reflection

15% Week 24

8. Final Project – Counselling Resource 25% Week 32

Total 100%

Additional Practicum Resources

Self-Directed Modules: Although these pre-recorded presentations can be completed in any order, at any time during the practicum course, they are numbered in a sequence that is designed to mirror the seminar themes, which in turn reflect the needs of most students during that phase of their practicum placement. Many modules have study guides containing readings to prepare ahead of time, and activities to stimulate discussion during seminars.

Counselling Resources Wiki: Students can make regular contributions of relevant counselling resources, articles, or book excerpts to a group-edited course wiki set up specifically for this purpose.


May 2015

The Onsite Practicum All students are required to successfully complete an in-person practicum in mental health counselling (minimum 400 hours) as a final requirement before being awarded the Master of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology. The practicum will cover two full trimesters over 7.5 months. Students are not permitted to condense their practicum into a shorter timeframe. Students may wish to complete more than the required 13.5 hours per week, but they will remain in the Practicum course (PSYC7106) for the full two trimesters (7.5 months). Students will be able to record the additional hours, which will be helpful when they apply for membership with a professional association. As mentioned previously, completing the Practicum course requirements and working full-time may not be a realistic plan for many students. It is particularly inadvisable for students who lack counselling experience. Students should carefully reflect on how they will arrange their schedule and manage their responsibilities to have sufficient time and financial resources to complete their PSYC7106.

Students are not permitted to accept new, paid employment at their practicum site at any time during their practicum. To do so will result in the practicum being terminated. If students have an opportunity to be hired by the practicum site, they must wait until the Practicum course is completed.

If students need to relocate to complete PSYC7106, they are responsible for making all of the necessary arrangements to complete their practicum in a different community.

Scheduling Onsite Practicum Hours

Students should be aware that they will be asked to provide an Employment / Practicum / Life Balance Schedule as part of their Practicum Application Package to demonstrate to the University that they have made sufficient arrangements in their weekly schedule to complete their practicum. When scheduling practicum hours, students must ensure they schedule their time onsite in significant blocks of time, no less than three to four hours at a time, to optimize their learning experience. Students should be prepared to spend two full days, or one full day and two half days, or four half days at their practicum site. Students should also keep in mind the PSYC7106 Practicum course will also take approximately 10 to 15 hours per week in addition to the time they will be on site at the counselling agency.

Practicum Start Date

As of May 2013, students must start their practicum at the beginning of the trimester. To maximize integration of course activities with the practicum placement, practicum site activities are expected to start no later than two weeks after the beginning of the trimester.

Eligibility for Practicum

Students will be deemed eligible to begin the practicum after having successfully completed all academic coursework. In addition, students must be in good standing academically with a minimum GPA of 3.0, and in good standing with the University Bursar.

It is not recommended that students work full- time and try to complete the requirements of the

PSYC7106 at the same time.


May 2015

Good standing academically: A grade of C or less is considered a failing grade in the MACP program. If a student has obtained a grade of C or less in any of the MACP courses, the course must be retaken and passed prior to beginning the practicum. Good standing with Bursar: To be in good standing with the Bursar, prior to starting the practicum it is required that any and all outstanding fees owing to the University are paid and the PSYC7106 Practicum course fee be paid in full.

Onsite Practicum Requirements

It is expected that students will conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times while at the practicum site. In addition to this general rule, there are a number of expectations and requirements that must be met while in practicum. These include the following guidelines:

Total Required Hours:

Students are required to successfully complete a practicum of a minimum of 400 hours over two full trimesters (e.g. January to August, May to December, or September to April).

Students are expected to spend approximately 13.5 hours per week at their practicum site. These hours may fluctuate a bit from week to week depending on the needs of clients, the site requirements, and the student’s personal schedule.

Direct Client Contact Hours:

While the division of practicum time depends to some extent on the policies and practices of the placement site, it is expected that at least 200 hours of the practicum will involve dealing with clients directly. This includes activities such as:

o Intake o Screening o Testing and assessments o Individual counselling o Family or couples counselling o Group counselling o Case conferences with the client present o Co-facilitating or co-counselling (one of the above activities) as long as the student is

leading at least 50% of the session and not simply observing

Direct Counselling Hours:

It is expected that at least 60 percent (120 hours) of direct client contact hours will involve direct client counselling in the form of individual counselling or family and/or couples counselling.

Group Therapy:

It is expected that at least 10 percent (20 hours) of direct client contact hours will be in the form of group therapy.

(Please note: Psycho-educational and or support groups do not meet this requirement.)


May 2015

o 10 hours may involve working as a junior co-facilitator with a senior, experienced group leader who can provide supervision, training and feedback.

o 10 hours of group therapy must be as a solo-facilitator or primary co-facilitator.

Indirect Client Contact hours:

Often case management (e.g., preparing for sessions, writing case notes, clinical files, formal report writing, case conferences without the client present) takes as much time as individual sessions, but this time is not considered direct client counselling contact.

All practicum coursework directly related to work with practicum clients can also be counted as indirect client contact hours.

Supervision Hours:

Students are required to have a minimum of 1 hour of individual face-to-face supervision with their approved practicum supervisor each week. (Generally, this equates to an average of one hour of supervision to every five hours of direct client contact.) In the case of an external site supervisor, additional time will be required in order to maintain meaningful contact with the practicum site. For more details, please see the section below regarding the practicum supervisor’s roles and responsibilities.

It is advisable for students to schedule a few more hours per week than required. This will increase the likelihood of obtaining the required number of direct client counselling hours within the two trimester practicum time frame. If a student is not able to meet the required number of hours within the normal two trimester time frame, they can apply for a practicum extension in consultation with the practicum coordinator and the agency.

Appropriate Practicum Settings

The Director of Field Training must approve practicum sites and arrangements before a student can begin the practicum. In general, appropriate practicum settings include any established venue in which mental health counselling services are professionally delivered. Organizations specifically identified as mental health services delivery are acceptable, whether public, private, culturally or religiously affiliated. Other acceptable settings are mental health services delivery systems embedded within a larger context, such as the social work department of a general hospital. Organizations not specifically identified as mental health services delivery systems, but in which mental health issues figure prominently, such as prisons, special schools, and eldercare organizations, may also be judged acceptable by the Director of Field Training. Students who have questions or concerns regarding specific practicum site requirements are encouraged to submit questions to the Question and Answer forums on any of the practicum related sites they have access to (PSYC7100, PSYC7100a, PSYC7110 and or Practicum Documentation).

Agencies that provide exclusive services such assessments, Applied Behavioural Analyse (ABA), career counselling, academic counselling, work rehabilitation counselling, and or HR services are not considered good options for the MACP practicum.

Students are not permitted to complete PSYC7106 required hours concurrently at two different sites. If a student requires a second site, the student must complete hours in the first site before starting at a second practicum site. If the student is considering this kind of arrangement, he or she must discuss this with a pre-practicum coordinator and have all documentation for both sites submitted for approval before he or she will be allowed to start a practicum.


May 2015

Students who plan to complete their practicum in a school setting must start in September to have sufficient time to complete PSYC7106 over a continuous 7.5 month period.

Potential Practicum Sites

The Department of Field Training has available to all students a list of potential practicum sites. The list contains information about currently active practicum sites and sites that have previously hosted YU practicum students. It is possible that some of these sites are not in a position to offer Yorkville students placements at a particular time, and having their name on our list does not obligate them to accept Yorkville students. It simply means that they have hosted one of our students in the past and they may be willing to do so again if the conditions are right.

All proposed practicum sites and supervisors presented in a student’s Practicum Application Package must undergo a formal approval process to determine appropriate fit for the student. It is very important for students not to assume that any site on the YU Site List will be suitable for them or that a site has been pre-approved. It is students’ responsibility to do their due diligence by conducting informational interviews with the site and potential supervisor to ensure that the match is a good fit for them. While we work hard to provide you with the most recent and up-to-date contact information for the sites on the YU Site List, we also recognize that site information and the site’s ability to accept a student does change from time to time without our knowledge. If you encounter evidence of this, please send an email to [email protected] as soon as possible so that we can update the contact information immediately. The YU Site List is very easy to use and students will be able to filter their search by city, province and country. The search results will provide a list of sites in the defined area, including a direct link to the site’s website (if available), the site address, and contact information. In some cases the contact person identified is a supervisor and in other cases it is the person or department responsible for receiving practicum applications. We encourage students to do their own research beyond the sites that are listed on the YU Site List, as this is not an exhaustive list of potential practicum sites. Access to the YU Site List can be found on Campus, under Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, or on any of the practicum related sites listed under as student’s “My Courses”.

Students can only attend one practicum site at a time. Concurrent practicum sites are not

permitted.

School practicums will not be approved for January or May practicum starts.

mailto:[email protected]


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Dual Relationships and Supervision

Dual relationships between supervisor and practicum student must be avoided. As in relationships between clients and colleagues, there must be proper boundaries in the relationship between supervisor and student. This is necessary so that the student cannot be exploited or harmed by an inappropriate dual relationship. Because supervisors employ a form of authority over practicum students, this imbalance of power can potentially lead to exploitation or harm to the student. Students cannot be supervised by their former or current therapist or by anyone who serves as an employment manager, supervisor, or who has any direct reporting alignment at the student’s place of employment. In some isolated or smaller communities avoiding a dual relationship between supervisor and student may be challenging, as both may be members of the same community organizations, such as service clubs, religious organizations, and or be casual acquaintances. If a dual relationship is present this must be discussed with a pre-practicum coordinator prior to setting up the practicum.

Workplace Practicums If a student has exhausted all other possibilities in trying to secure a practicum placement elsewhere, it is possible to apply to complete the practicum in his or her place of employment, as long as the agency/organization and proposed supervisor meet the necessary criteria, and if the employer is agreeable. In such cases, it is required that the student complete the Workplace Practicum Form in the Practicum Application Package. On this form, the student must demonstrate that he or she will be completing the practicum in a different department or unit from where he or she currently works and with a different supervisor than the current workplace supervisor. All parties must be satisfied that this relationship will not jeopardize the treatment of clients, the objectivity of student evaluation, or the integrity of the work of the organization.

Language Requirement

Yorkville University offers its programs in the English language, and faculty must be able to evaluate students’ counselling competencies in the English language. For students who will be completing a practicum at a site where English is not the first language, they must ensure:

the site supervisor can speak English in order to engage in both the formative and summative evaluation processes;

at least 50% of the counselling sessions with clients will conducted in the English language; and

any video or audio recordings required for faculty group supervision will be conducted in the English language, with both the student and client speaking in English.

Home Visits

Due to safety concerns, Yorkville University practicum students are not permitted to provide any services via home visits on their own. Home visits can be permitted under exceptional circumstances, with a client who is unable to leave the home, provided the appropriate safety precautions are put in place. If the site supervisor would like to assign the student a client who requires home visits, he or she must contact the practicum coordinator to discuss what safety precautions are required to be put in place. Offering services through home visits must be an exception, not a regular part of the student’s practicum experience.


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Liability Insurance

All Yorkville University students in Canada are covered by the University's liability insurance plan for the duration of the practicum. A copy of the insurance certificate can be obtained by contacting the Department of Field Training at [email protected].

Worker’s Compensation Insurance Students are advised that Yorkville University requires that they carry Worker’s Compensation or similar workplace accident insurance while in the practicum.

Yorkville University is not eligible to obtain Worker’s Compensation coverage for our students in some provinces, therefore, we require our students who are not covered by a provincial plan to obtain their own comparable workplace accident insurance coverage. If the student is covered through PROVINCIAL WORKER’S COMPENSATION INSURANCE by the site, confirmation of registration must be provided by the site in the form of a letter to the University or a copy of the registration record. A copy of the confirmation document must be uploaded to the Practicum Documentation site. If the student is not covered through PROVINCIAL WORKER’S COMPENSATION INSURANCE, the student must make his or her own arrangements to obtain the required coverage. A copy of the confirmation document must be uploaded to the Practicum Documentation site.

For information about obtaining private workplace accident insurance, you may consult the following website: http://www.workplaceins.ca/

If you have questions about the insurance, please contact Bill Donohoe at [email protected]

This information on insurance availability is provided only as a service to students. Yorkville University makes no warrantee as to the suitability of this insurance or any other insurance.

Students must provide the University and the practicum placement site with confirmation of coverage before they are permitted to begin their practicum.

Immunization All students must check with their proposed practicum site regarding whether any immunizations are required prior to beginning their practicum. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain any and all required immunizations and certificates. Copies of immunization certificates must be uploaded to the Practicum Documentation site.

If students purchase workplace accident insurance from the above mentioned provider, and their practicum is

not approved, a full refund will be issued as long as the provider receives notice prior to the commencement of

the month the practicum starts.

For Example:

If the practicum starts May 5th

and notice received April 30th

by email, the student will receive a full refund.

If the practicum starts May 5th

and notice received May 1st by email the student will receive a limited refund.

The first two months will be held as an administration fee.


http://www.workplaceins.ca/



May 2015

Criminal Record Check All students must check with his or her proposed practicum site regarding whether a Criminal Record Check is required prior to beginning his or her practicum. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain the Criminal Record Check. A copy of the Criminal Record Check documentation(s) must be uploaded to the Practicum Documentation site.

Safety Plan

Although incidents of assault and violence are rare, it is important to consider safety plans in the counselling profession. All students are required to write a safety plan for their practicum. Students must demonstrate their understanding of the site’s safety plan by completing a safety plan as part of the Practicum Agreement. All students are required to write a safety plan before their practicum will be approved.

The Practicum Supervisor All supervisors and practicum sites must be approved by the Department of Field Training prior to students beginning the practicum. During the practicum, students may work with a number of different people within an agency, but the approved supervisor is primarily responsible for the professional development of the student. While students may observe and/or work with other members of the practicum site staff who do not possess the formal requirements for supervision, it is the University approved supervisor who is responsible for directing or assigning practicum activities, completing evaluations, and signing off on the confirmation of practicum hours. The student is responsible to pay any stipends and/or fees that are required by the supervisor or the practicum site.

Eligibility of Supervisors

Supervisors must possess a minimum of a master’s degree and at least one full year of post-graduation counselling experience in one of the counselling professions, and professional licensure or registration appropriate to the positions they hold at the proposed practicum organization. In cases where licensure doesn’t apply, the practitioner’s Curriculum Vitae (CV) or résumé would be expected to show relevant experience and membership in appropriate professional societies. In cases where the University is unable to verify academic credentials, the potential supervisor will be asked to submit to the Department of Field Training a copy of his or her academic transcript. The provision of counselling services constitutes a significant element of the training and practice of a number of different professions. Therefore, supervisors may be counsellors, psychologists, social workers, or other mental health professionals approved by the Director of Field Training. All potential supervisors are asked to provide a CV or résumé to be reviewed and approved by the Director of Field Training.

Roles and Responsibilities

By becoming a practicum supervisor for a Yorkville University student, supervisors accept the following roles and responsibilities:

Practicum Agreement and Documents: All practicum supervisors must complete and sign off on all necessary sections of the Practicum Agreement before a student’s practicum arrangement can be approved. New site supervisors will also be required to provide a copy of an up to date


May 2015

résumé, and any other documents required by the University to verify the proposed supervisor’s credentials. Supervision: Students are required to have a minimum of 1 hour of individual face-to-face supervision with their approved practicum supervisor each week. (Generally, this equates to an average of one hour of supervision for every five hours of direct client contact.) In the case of an external site supervisor, the supervisor must be prepared to devote two to three hours per week to overseeing the student’s practicum. In addition to providing one hour per week of face to face supervision to the student, he or she must take the time necessary to familiarize himself or herself with the practicum site and ensure regular weekly or semi-weekly contact with a designated person on site (e.g. executive director) to review the student’s onsite performance. External supervisors must also conduct at least three site visits over the duration of the practicum; once at the beginning of the practicum, and once at both the formative and

the summative evaluation stages. These site visits may also include direct observation of the student with a client. Supervision includes:

discussing the student’s counselling performance that the supervisor has observed either live, or through video or audio recordings;

discussing client cases that the student orally presents to the supervisor for the purpose of case conceptualization;

debriefing sessions and exploring the student’s reactions to client sessions;

reviewing treatment plans;

reviewing process notes/case files;

discussing the student’s basic work performance;

completing required evaluations; and

reviewing evaluations with the student.

Observing Students: It is our expectation that students will require more direct supervision at the beginning of their practicum than later on, and it is expected that practicum supervisors will take this into consideration when scheduling supervision. However, the University does require that supervisors directly observe and provide feedback on a minimum of three one-hour individual, family or couples sessions during the student’s practicum; preferably one at the beginning, middle and end, but these can also be conducted at times seen as appropriate by the site supervisor. The observation may be completed within the same room, through a viewing window, or by reviewing a video and/or audio recording of a live session. Students are responsible for making arrangements for all necessary recording equipment if the practicum site does not own or have access to such equipment.

Reviewing Process Notes/Case Files: It is expected that process notes and/ or case files will be reviewed prior to each evaluation of the student.

Evaluations: Practicum supervisors will complete and submit a formative evaluation at the end of the first trimester, and a summative evaluation at the end of the second trimester. Evaluation dates will be set by the University at the beginning of the practicum.

Signing off on Practicum Hours: Prior to each evaluation, students will provide their supervisors with a log of their practicum hours to date. The student will ask the supervisor to verify his or her hours by signing the log and submitting it along with the evaluation.


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Confirming that Consent to Treatment Forms have been Obtained: In addition to verifying student hours for each evaluation period, students will also ask supervisors to confirm that consent to treatment forms have been obtained from all clients seen by the practicum student.

If the site has its own consent forms, these may be used in place of the form provided by Yorkville University.

Learning Goals: Students are required to develop learning goals and corresponding learning activities prior to beginning their practicum, and may require the supervisor’s support and assistance in ensuring that the goals and activities are attainable and relevant to the services offered at the practicum site.

General Practices: The Department of Field Training recognizes that the physical facilities and counselling opportunities at practicum sites will vary depending upon the site resources. However, some general practices include: • orientation to the practicum site, policies and procedures, and file maintenance system; • approximately 13.5 practicum hours of work per week for two trimesters; • opportunity for the student to carry a small caseload of his or her own (minimum of 4

clients); • opportunity for the student to facilitate or co-facilitate group therapy if this is a service that

the site normally provides or would like to provide; • primary focus on therapeutic counselling, including assessment, case conceptualization, case

plan implementation and closing. Career, vocational, and educational/academic counselling will not be accepted for direct counselling credit;

• opportunity for the student to observe some sessions conducted by supervisor, or another qualified site professional (with permission of client);

• opportunity for the student to co-facilitate some sessions with supervisor, or another qualified site professional;

• opportunity to have the supervisor observe sessions conducted by the student (in room, viewing window, video or audio recording); and

• opportunities for professional development workshops/seminars if available (internally and/or externally).

Physical Workspace: It is expected that the student will be provided with:

• a safe and healthy work environment;

• a private meeting space to see clients; and • adequate workspace for completing notes, reports, and other related activities.

Vacation and other Absences: When a supervisor takes vacation time or is absent from the practicum site for more than one week during the student’s practicum, it is up to the supervisor and/or site to determine if the student will be allowed to engage in practicum activities in the supervisor’s absence. If it is determined that the student will not be allowed to engage in practicum activities while the supervisor is away, then the student will also take a break from the practicum. If it is determined that the student can engage in practicum activities while the supervisor is away, then the supervisor must appoint another qualified professional to act on the supervisor’s behalf and provide the student with the necessary support and supervision during the supervisor’s absence. It is expected that the alternate supervisor will report on the supervision activities to the supervisor upon the supervisor’s return.


May 2015

When there is More than One Approved Supervisor

In some cases, students may apply to have two approved supervisors at the practicum site. In such cases, it is very important to the University, and for the student, that the roles of each of the supervisors are clarified at the beginning of the practicum. It is important to note that having more than one practicum supervisor can be challenging for students, and depending on the working relationship of the two supervisors, the student can become confused about who he or she must answer to if the roles and responsibilities are not clear. The University asks that a joint meeting of the supervisors and the student be held either before the practicum begins, or on the very first day of practicum to outline and clarify the roles and responsibilities of each of the supervisors and the student. In addition, below are some guidelines developed to assist with this, based on the common multiple supervisor arrangements our students have encountered.

Onsite Co-supervisors: This arrangement involves two fully qualified supervisors at the practicum site who are willing to share the responsibility for supervision of the student. In this case, both supervisors are expected to collaborate, and work closely together to ensure the student is receiving consistent and compatible supervision. Both supervisors are expected to collaborate and submit one joint evaluation for each the formative and the summative evaluations, and participate in the formative and summative evaluation conference call meetings with the faculty supervisor at the end of each trimester.

Primary and Secondary Supervisors: This arrangement generally involves a site where there is no qualified supervisor on site, but there is a professional on site with a bachelor’s degree in one of the counselling professions, with many valuable years of experience along with considerable professional development, and there is also a qualified professional external to the site who is willing to oversee the practicum. The external supervisor would then be considered the primary supervisor and the Onsite professional would be the secondary supervisor.

In this case, both supervisors are expected to collaborate, and work closely together to ensure the student is receiving consistent and compatible supervision, and the primary supervisor is responsible for completing and submitting the formative and summative evaluations, in consultation with the secondary supervisor. Both supervisors may participate in the formative and summative evaluation conference call meetings with the faculty supervisor at the end of each trimester, but the primary supervisor is required to participate in the evaluation conference call meetings.

The primary supervisor must be prepared to devote an average of two to three hours per week to overseeing the student’s practicum. In addition to providing one hour per week of face to face supervision with the student, he or she must take the time necessary to familiarize himself or herself with the practicum site and ensure regular weekly or semi-weekly contact with the secondary supervisor to review the student’s onsite performance. He or she must also conduct at least three site visits over the duration of the practicum; once at the beginning of the practicum, and once at both the formative and the summative evaluation stages. These site visits may also include direct observation of the student with a client.

Problem Solving/Conflict Resolution

Although it is not very common, sometimes problems and/or conflict can arise during the practicum. If any concerns are identified by the student, supervisor, or agency during the practicum placement, it is important to resolve them as early as possible:

The first step in resolving the issue is for the person who has a concern to speak with the appropriate party. For example, if the supervisor thinks there is an issue with the student, the supervisor should first talk to the student about this issue and they should try to solve it


May 2015

together. If a concern is identified by another member of the agency, that individual should discuss this concern with the supervisor following which the supervisor will speak with the student, either alone or jointly with the individual who raised the concern.

If the issue is not able to be resolved between the student and the supervisor, either the student or the supervisor should approach the practicum coordinator for assistance.

If the above steps do not result in the resolution, then the Director or Associate Director of Field Training will be consulted and one of the following options will result:

o a solution is found and the student continues with the present placement; or o the student will find an alternative placement following any remediation that is required

of the student by the Department of Field Training.

The Student It is expected that the student will be involved in tasks that are typical of entry level counsellors, in addition to maintaining a counselling caseload (minimum of 4 clients). This includes such activities as: observing, facilitating and/or co-facilitating individual, family and/or group therapy sessions; conducting intake, screening and testing/ assessments as needed; completing related client paperwork (i.e., maintaining process notes/client files and writing formal reports); attending agency meetings; participating in group supervision or team meetings; and completing other general tasks that counselling staff are expected to complete.

Roles and Responsibilities Students are responsible for finding and setting up their own practicum arrangements using the guidelines and approval process set by the Department of Field Training.

Student Conduct: The student is expected to behave in a professional and ethical manner at all times by:

following the code of ethics under which the agency operates or the professional code of conduct set out by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association;

following all of the policies and procedures of the practicum agency;

honouring his or her contract or practicum agreement with the agency;

treating clients and staff with respect;

following directions given by the supervisor;

seeking support and advice from his or her supervisor when needed; and

adhereing to the agency’s dress code and other basic work requirements.

Supervision: The student is responsible for:

ensuring that they receive the required amount of supervision, by making arrangements with the supervisor for individual face-to-face supervision meetings and making themselves available for supervision at a time that is convenient for the supervisor;

making sure that they arrive at supervision meetings with a prepared agenda that includes such things as case(s) to present, issues that have arisen during or after client sessions, files to review, and questions about treatment planning, as well as questions about the agency’s policies and procedures; and

being willing to discuss and address any issues or concerns that the supervisor may have regarding the student’s performance during the practicum.


May 2015

Confirmation of Practicum Hours: Prior to each evaluation, the student will provide the supervisor with a log of his or her practicum hours to date. The supervisor is asked to verify these hours by signing the log and submitting it along with the student’s evaluation.

Concurrent Course Work: All practicum students are required to engage in course work concurrently with the Onsite practicum. See previous Mandatory Course Components section.

Problem Solving/Conflict Resolution

Students are expected to follow the same procedures for resolving conflict as previously outlined in the Practicum Supervisor section. However, students who feel that they require some additional support in determining how they should best raise the issue with their supervisor should contact their practicum coordinator and discuss the matter. The Practicum Coordinator will normally act as a “sounding board” only and support and encourage the student to address the issue directly with the supervisor. Students are expected to do their upmost to ensure that they develop a collegial and respectful relationship with their faculty and site supervisors, their assigned practicum coordinator and their site coworkers.

The Faculty Supervisor The role of the faculty supervisor is to provide instruction through seminars and individual supervision through faculty supervision sessions. Faculty supervisors will also evaluate and grade all written assignments, and will conduct the formative and summative evaluations with the Onsite practicum supervisors. Faculty supervisors also determine the student’s final grade, which is informed by the student’s academic course work and the formative and summative evaluations.

The Practicum Coordinator The role of the practicum coordinator is to assist faculty supervisors with monitoring students’ practicum progress, to provide students with support regarding the logistics of their practicum, and to liaise with the practicum supervisor regarding the coordination of arrangements for formative and summative evaluations, and other matters as needed.

Securing a Practicum Site Finding an appropriate practicum site that meets the MACP program requirements, while at the same time fulfilling the interests and needs of the student, can be a challenge depending on geographical areas and the resources available in home communities. It is very important that students the process of securing a practicum early. Students who live in large urban areas should not assume that it will be easy to find a practicum site because there are many opportunities. It can be challenging to find practicum placements in some of the larger cities because there is considerable competition from other university programs. In rural or small communities, it can be challenging to find a supervisor who practices in the professional area in which the student might be interested, or who has a sufficient client base to provide a practicum placement. Regardless of the geographical area or local culture, there may be challenges that students did not anticipate. Therefore, it is best to start this process early in order to identify and deal with any challenges that could be encountered.


May 2015

Students are encouraged to search the local telephone directory Yellow Pages, check the Canada 411 website or conduct a general web search for potential practicum sites in their area. Friends, colleagues, other professionals, etc., can be valuable resources and a source of names of contacts who might be able to provide assistance.

On the home page of the YU Campus, under “My Courses” click on “Faculty of Behavioural Sciences”, then click on “Practicum” and there is a link to the YU Practicum Site List. The list contains information about currently active practicum sites and sites that have previously hosted YU practicum students and have indicated that they are willing to have their name listed on our potential practicum site list for future students. It is possible that some of these sites will not be in a position to offer Yorkville University students placements at particular times, and having their name on the list does not obligate them to accept our students. It simply means they have hosted a Yorkville University student in the past and may be willing to do so again if the conditions are right.

If a student has exhausted all other possibilities in trying to secure a practicum placement elsewhere, it is possible to apply to complete the practicum in his or her place of employment, as long as the agency/organization and proposed supervisor meet criteria and if the employer is agreeable. In such cases, it is required that the student submit complete the Workplace Practicum Form in the Practicum Application Package. On this application, the student must demonstrate that he or she will be completing the practicum in a different department or unit from where they currently work and with a different supervisor than the current work place supervisor. All parties must be satisfied that this relationship will not jeopardize the treatment of clients, the objectivity of student evaluation, or the integrity of the work of the organization.

Practicum Approval Process

All practicum must be officially approved by the University the trimester prior to the student beginning the practicum. As of May 2015 to receive approval for their practicum plan, students must submit a complete Practicum Application Package to the Department of Field Training by the deadline. All students will receive access to the Practicum Application Package document in Trimester 4 of the MACP program. Access to the Practicum Application Package submission port will be given to students in Trimester 5 (PSYC7100d) of the MACP program. 3 See PSCY7100 Practicum Orientation Timeline section above. The required Practicum Application Package will contain many documents; some required by the student and others required by the proposed site supervisor. All of the following documents are required to be submitted in one complete package:

3 Students in trimesters 3, 4, who will be completing PSYC7100 in the 2015 Spring/Summer trimester; upon completion of

PSYC7100 will be given access to the PSYC7110 Practicum Preparation site 2015, where they will receive access to the

Practicum Application Package document. In Trimester 5 students will receive access to the Practicum Documentation site

which will also provide access to the Practicum Application Package and location to submission the completed package. All

completed Practicum Application Packages for this group of students must be submitted through the Practicum

Documentation site.

Students who have already completed PSYC7100 already have access to the PSYC7110 Practicum Preparation site where they

can access to the Practicum Application Package document. In Trimester 5 of the MACP they will be given access to the

Practicum Documentation site which also will provide access the Practicum Application Package and the location to submission

the completed package. All completed Practicum Application Packages for this group of students must be submitted through

the Practicum Documentation site.


May 2015

Student Sections:

Cover Sheet

Practicum Student Information Form

Work / Practicum / Life Balance Schedule

Workplace Practicum Form (complete ONLY if your practicum is in your place of employment)

Practicum Terms of Agreement (For Student)

Ethical guidelines

Pledge of Confidentiality

Learning Goals and Learning Activities Form (Must, consultation and, be signed by practicum supervisor)

Safety Plan (Must, in consolation, be signed by practicum supervisor) Supervisor Sections: o Practicum Supervisor Information Form o Terms of Agreement (For Supervisor) If more than one supervisor, each one must

complete this page. o Practicum Agency / Site Information

Other Documents Required:

Workplace accident insurance certificate OR letter of confirmation from site if student is covered by site under the provincial plan (e.g., WCB, Work Safe, etc.)

Criminal Record Check (CRC), ONLY if required by site

Record of Immunization, ONLY if required by site Once the student has submitted their complete package the approval process is as follows:

Students will receive an Auto-Reply message from the Practicum Documentation site when the application has been successfully uploaded.

Students will be sent an email within 10 business days to confirm the application has been received and is complete.

Once the application package is deemed complete, it will be assigned to a practicum coordinator for a full review.

Following a successful review by the coordinator, the application will be reviewed by the Director of Field Training, who must approve the package before the student can begin practicum.

A formal approval letter will then be sent to the practicum supervisor(s), and copied to the student.

Practicum Application Packages submitted without all required documents will not be

reviewed, which will delay the student’s practicum start. It is the student’s responsibility to

ensure the application is complete upon submission. No exceptions will be made.


May 2015

Practicum Application Deadlines

For students who are beginning their practicum in September 2015 only, the application deadlines are:

June 15, 2015 - Practicum in students place of employment and students needing early approval to secure a leave of absence from work:

July 15, 2015 - Regular practicums (not in place of employment):

As of September 2015 application deadlines are:

Practicum in students place of employment and students needing early approval to secure a leave of absence from work: o February 1 for May practicum course starts o June 1 for September practicum course starts o October 1 for January practicum course starts

Regular practicums (not in place of employment): o March 1 for May practicum course starts o July 1 for September practicum course starts o November 1 for January practicum course starts

Other Information Students Should Know about Enrolling in the PSYS7106 Practicum Course

Seminars and supervision sessions

Prior to the PSYC7106 Practicum course beginning, students will be asked to sign-up for a specific section of practicum. The PSYC7106 Practicum has two major components: the Onsite practicum placement and the accompanying practicum course. In the practicum course, there will be number sections of nine or ten students. Each section will be assigned a faculty supervisor and a practicum coordinator. Attendance and participation in 12 live online seminars and 4 faculty supervision sessions is a mandatory part of the practicum course. The dates and times of the seminars and the faculty supervision session are determined by the availability of faculty. Student will be sent a list of the available section which will includes the name of the faculty supervisor, and the dates and times of the seminars and the faculty supervision sessions.

Please note: Seminars are generally held during weeks 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 17, 19, 21, 24, 27 & 30.This may vary slightly depending on statutory holidays and the faculty schedules. Please make sure that the seminar and faculty supervision times fit in your life schedule. Make arrangements to ensure attendance (i.e. arrange for child care, or with your practicum site or employer for time off). There are also two OmniJoin Training sessions in weeks 1 and 11 during your seminar time.

Individual/Faculty Supervision sessions are generally held during weeks 5, 13, 20 & 28. This may vary slightly depending on statutory holidays and the faculty schedules.

Attendance at all faculty supervision and seminars is mandatory. Students must

attend the full session, arrive on time and remain until the conclusion of the class.


May 2015

Students will be given access to a sign-up sheet at a specified time and will asked sign up for a section that will fit their schedule. This will be done on a first come first serve basis. Students will need to be prepared to have 2 or 3 options in mind before gaining access to the sign-up sheet, in case their first choice is full by the time they are able to sign-up. Because attendance at the seminars and faculty supervision sessions are mandatory, students will need to be prepared to adjust their schedules to accommodate the seminars and faculty supervision session in which ever section they are able to sign up for.

Course fees

Students should contact the University Bursar to obtain information about making payment for this unique course in order to be eligible to begin practicum on time. It differs from other courses.

Conclusion It is hoped that this Practicum Information Guide has been helpful and informative. If there is one important message that we hope we have communicated, it is this: do not put off looking for a practicum site until the last minute. Plan ahead and take action now. If there are any further questions, please post them to the “Ask Questions about the Course” forum on any of the practicum related sites listed under your “My Courses” on the Yorkville Campus.