Contact information

For additional information, please contact:

Patrick Galligan, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Director of Training
University Counseling Service
3223 Westlawn S.
patrick-galligan@uiowa.edu
319-335-7294

Practicum opportunities entail a commitment to fall and spring semesters. There may be limited opportunities for students to continue through the following summer. Each semester, several doctoral students in Counseling Psychology and related fields complete practica at University Counseling Service (UCS). Additionally, UCS provides training to students enrolled in the University of Iowa M.S.W. program.

Qualifying for practicum

To qualify for practicum, a student must be enrolled in a University of Iowa practicum course within their academic department.

Practicum opportunities:

Training and competencies

We train in a manner consistent with the University of Iowa Human Rights Policy. Our training program will provide the opportunity and requirement for trainees to acquire and/or deepen their competence to work with people who represent a full range of diverse identities, including the range of sexual orientations and gender identities.

All of our trainees are required to engage in learning about the range of multicultural competencies, and trainees must demonstrate willingness to serve people who represent the full range of identities. Refusal to engage in these efforts, or in the case of internship, failure to reach the exit criteria identified for the competencies, may result in dismissal from the program.

Beginning practicum for counseling psychology doctoral students

Many doctoral students from the University of Iowa's Counseling Psychology PhD Program participate in two semesters of practicum.

Commitment and caseload

These students invest 16 hours per week. During the Fall Semester, they carry a caseload of six individual clients and receive an hour of individual supervision, their practicum course, which includes group supervision, is housed within University Counseling Service. During spring semester, the students carry a caseload of eight individual clients, and they receive an hour and a half of individual supervision weekly. They have some opportunities to participate in outreach services.

Advanced practicum for doctoral students

Students who are enrolled in doctoral programs in mental health-related fields are eligible to apply for advanced practicum at University Counseling Service.

Selection process and caseload

The selection process occurs during mid-spring, for the following academic year. Students carry a caseload of eight individual clients, and they receive an hour of weekly, individual supervision. If there are two or more, they meet for a one-hour weekly case conference. They typically process observe or co-facilitate an interpersonal process therapy group, and receive a half-hour of weekly supervision from their group co-therapist.

Interview process and areas of focus

Students are encouraged to identify their hopes for their training experience during the interview process, which occurs during mid-spring. UCS strives to provide training that enables the advanced student to deepen their learning, by working under supervisors who carry expertise related to the students’ interests. Areas of focus include particular theoretical orientations and/or expertise with particular mental health conditions and/or client identities.

University of Iowa M.S.W. Practicum

UCS collaborates with the the University of Iowa School of Social Work to provide a student with a two-semester, 22 hour per week practicum experience. The Social Work program has a website portal, through which students can access additional information about the selection process, requirements, and training experiences available to the student. The selection process for this experience occurs during mid-spring.