Counseling, Research, & Leadership Internships (COUC 999)

• Background Check: You must purchase a background check through CastleBranch within no more than one year before applying for internship.
• Fingerprints: You must purchase and complete your fingerprints before our office can approve you for internship.
• Must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA by the posted application deadline.
• Complete Prerequisites:
  • All Students:
    • Advanced Theory Application and Orientation (COUC 715)
    • Advanced Research Design (COUC 740)
    • Qualifying Exam (COUC 969)
    • Practicum (COUC 998)
  • Leadership Internship: Documentation of qualifications specific to each project.
    • All prerequisite courses are non-negotiable and must be successfully completed prior to the start of internship.

Clinical Counseling Internship (COUC 999): 200 hours:

• Direct Client Contact hours (PDF): 150 hours required
• Individual Supervision hours (PDF): 1 hour required each week (10 hours minimum)
• Group Supervision hours (PDF): 1.5 hours required each week (15 hours minimum)
• Related Activities hours (PDF): Remaining hours to complete the total required hours

Telehealth and In-Person Counseling Policy

In-person clinical counseling is the expected standard in meeting the direct service requirements. However, students and site supervisors are permitted to use telehealth services if the approved site uses telehealth services as a normal delivery of services. If telehealth is used, students and site supervisors are expected to maintain a 50/50 ratio of in-person and telehealth direct client contact hours. This is to ensure students have a well-rounded counseling experience using both modalities.

Please note: There will be no exceptions to this policy unless directed by federal and/or state mandates.

Students will be responsible for the following when telehealth services are used:

• Coordination of a balanced approach in use of telehealth and in-person clinical services
• Completion of the Liberty telehealth training prior to conducting telehealth services
• Midterm and final hours reporting on telehealth services
• No more than 50% of telehealth direct client contact hours permitted

Please direct all questions regarding the Telehealth and In-Person Counseling Policy to the Practicum/Internship Office (phdinternship@liberty.edu). 

Research and Leadership Internships:

200 clock hours internship-related activities that must include:

• Individual Supervision hours (PDF): one hour per week (10 hours minimum)
• Group Supervision hours (PDF): 1.5 hours per week (15 hours minimum)

Semester Requirements:

• Internship officially starts the first day of Liberty’s academic semester.
• Internship is a full-semester commitment.
  • Students are required to earn hours each week of the semester with the approved site and supervisor.
• Internship is an A-Term course:
  • 16-17 weeks during the Fall and Spring semesters
  • 14-15 weeks during the Summer semester

Below is a list of the types of sites that can typically be approved for Clinical Counseling Internships:

• Counseling agency
• Hospital
• Private practice
• University counseling center
• Community services board
• School*
• Church**

*A potential school site must provide mental health services to elementary, middle, and/or high school-aged students. The site must use approved informed consent and maintain records of counseling sessions.

**A potential church site must be an established church counseling center/services that uses approved informed consent and maintains client records of counseling sessions.

Traditional site: A site offering traditional counseling services which address general population counseling needs of individuals, couples, and families. A traditional site is one which is not limited in its scope of practice to a counseling specialization requiring certification standards.

Disclaimer: If a student owns their own private practice, we do not approve non-traditional counseling services (i.e. intensives, adventure, equestrian, alternative therapies, etc.).

Students are allowed a maximum of two supervisors. Discuss the supervisor responsibility list (PDF) with potential supervisors.

• On-Site Supervisor: an individual who is an employed counselor at the site you are applying to complete your internship.
• Off-Site Supervisor: an individual who is not an employed counselor at the site you are applying to complete your internship, but has received approval to come on site and provide supervision.

1. Degree Completion Plan Audit
   • Located on Course Registration
2. CastleBranch Background Check Receipt
   • Students must submit a background check receipt that was purchased no more than one year prior to the date of their application.
   • Only send the receipt that is sent to your email once the purchase of the background check or re-check has been made. Visit the Background Check website for further instructions.
   • The internship office will also verify that you have completed your fingerprints through CastleBranch at the time of your application. If you have not purchased and completed your fingerprints through CastleBranch, these will need to be completed by the time you apply or you will be denied to begin your internship.
3. Supervisor’s License Verification
   • Found on your state counseling board website.
   • Includes name, license number, issue date, expiration date, & current/active
4. Fieldwork Contract
   • On-Site Fieldwork Contract (PDF): an on-site supervisor is an individual who is an employed counselor at the site you are applying to complete your internship.
   • Off-Site Fieldwork Contract (PDF): an off-site supervisor is an individual who is not an employed counselor at the site you are applying to complete your internship, but has received approval to come on site and provide supervision.
   • Signed by student and site supervisor
     • The dates must match Liberty’s A-Term semester dates. Check the Academic Calendar for the semester dates you will be completing internship.
     • Please note: you must only fill out one fieldwork contract per site/supervisor. Students are only required to have one site and supervisor but may have up to two sites and supervisors.
5. Supervisor & Site Information Forms (PDF)
   • Signed by the site director, the supervisor, & the student
6. Digital Photo of Student
   • Professional photo, driver’s license, or student ID
7. Liability Insurance Face Sheet (PDF)
   • Students are required to purchase their own coverage for the duration of practicum and internship.
   • Click on the Liability Insurance Face Sheet link above for more information.
8. Affiliation Agreement (PDF)
   • Extensions will not be granted for Affiliation Agreement negotiations.
   • Cover Page: Completed by a site representative
   • Agreement: Completed and signed only by legal signatory at site
   • Schedule A (Student Addendum): Completed and signed by the student
     • Review guidelines and instructions

The informed consent and how the site maintains records will need to be submitted with a copy of the Fieldwork Contract for potential school or church sites.

• All approval documents must be submitted to the Ph.D. Internship office through the SharePoint submission portal prior to the deadline listed at the top of this page. No late documents will be accepted without the permission of the Director of Clinical Training. Submission of these forms does not mean automatic acceptance of the proposed site and/or supervisor; they must be approved first. Liberty University must validate the student’s proposed site will provide a good educational experience and that it has adequate oversight and safeguards built in to ensure an appropriate clinical environment.
• Due to the potential time required in locating a site and supervisor, students are encouraged to begin looking for a site and supervisor three to four months prior to the application submission deadline.
• Submit all the required approval paperwork through the online submission portal by the application deadline.
• After your documents have been approved, you will receive an official approval email with your approved start date for earning hours. Upon approval, the Internship Office will manually register you for the course.

Students are allowed to switch site(s)/supervisor(s), add an additional site/supervisor, or drop a site/supervisor during their Practicum/Internship. Review our policy below.

Site/Supervisor Switch Policies

1. Students may only earn hours once a site/supervisor has been approved by the Practicum/Internship office. Hours worked prior to the official approval date given by the Practicum/Internship office may not be counted.
2. It is the student’s responsibility to immediately let the Practicum/Internship Office and faculty supervisor know about any changes to the site and/or supervisor for the Practicum/Internship.
3. All required paperwork must be submitted (correctly) within two weeks of switching a site/supervisor at your site, dropping a site/supervisor, or adding a site/supervisor.
4. Barring any extenuating circumstances, no paperwork will be accepted the last two weeks of the semester.

*Students may email the Practicum/Internship Office with any questions regarding the policy. Students are also encouraged to review the information in the Practicum/Internship manuals regarding this policy.

Site/Supervisor Switch Documents

To request to change/add a new site or supervisor or drop a site/supervisor, you must submit all the following required documents via email to the Practicum/Internship Office:

• Students applying to change the supervisor at their current site must submit:
  • A typed and signed brief statement from the site director or approved supervisor outlining the student’s transition to a new supervisor
  • Assessments to be completed by the supervisor the student is terminating with:
    • Counseling Competencies Scale-R (CCS-R)
    • Final Hours Report
  • Documents for new supervisor:
    • Supervisor’s License Verification
    • Fieldwork Contract
    • Supervisor Information Form
• Students applying to change their site and supervisor must submit:
  • Termination letter from site director on the site’s letterhead outlining departure
  • Assessments to be completed by the supervisor the student is terminating with:
    • Counseling Competencies Scale-R (CCS-R)
    • Final Hours Report
  • Documents for new site and supervisor:
    • Supervisor’s License Verification
    • Fieldwork Contract
    • Supervisor & Site Information Forms
    • Affiliation Agreement and Student Addendum
• Students dropping a site/supervisor
  • Termination letter from site director on the site’s letterhead outlining departure
  • Assessments to be completed by the supervisor the student is terminating with:
    • Counseling Competencies Scale-R (CCS-R)
    • Final Hours Report
• Students adding a 2nd supervisor must submit:
  • Supervisor’s License Verification
  • Fieldwork Contract for new supervisor
  • Supervisor Information Form for new supervisor
• Students adding a 2nd site and keeping current supervisor must submit:
  • Fieldwork Contract for new site with current supervisor
  • Supervisor & Site Information Forms
  • Affiliation Agreement and Student Addendum
• Students adding a 2nd site and a 2nd supervisor must submit:
  • Supervisor’s License Verification
  • Fieldwork Contract for new site with new supervisor
  • Supervisor & Site Information Forms
  • Affiliation Agreement and Student Addendum

Doctoral students who are licensed clinicians have the option to register for a Research Internship or Leadership Internship. You will submit your request to apply for these internships using the submission portal by the application deadline. You will need the following paperwork:

• Copy of your current license to verify eligibility
• Liability Insurance Face Sheet
• Proposed Faculty Supervisor
• Proposed Focus of Internship

Once you have completed the necessary steps, you will receive an email from phdinternship@liberty.edu to indicate that your request has been received.

Approved Supervisors for Research or Leadership Internships

• Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision (from an accredited university)
• Ph.D. in a Counseling or Research related discipline