Ph.D. Practicum

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Ph.D. Practicum COUC 998

*Before a Ph.D. student can apply for the Ph.D. Practicum, the Practicum & Internship office must receive official email communication from the student indicating he/she has passed the Qualifying Exam and is ready to apply for practicum.

*Students must submit their completed application by the deadline. We advise that students send the email with their passing Qualifying Examination Feedback Form to phdpracticum@liberty.edu no later than two weeks before the deadline so there will be adequate time to complete their application.

Student will need to include a copy of the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination Feedback Form issued to them once they have passed the exam.
Once the Ph.D. Practicum Office has received this email, they will then send the student instructions on accessing the application portal.

Application Deadlines

Deadlines are non-negotiable.

Please review the upcoming application deadline carefully. The application portal will open and close on the dates listed below. Once the portal closes, applications can no longer be submitted, and no exceptions to these deadlines are permitted.

Spring 2027:
- Application window opens: September 7, 2026
- Application window closes: October 12, 2026

Late applications will not be accepted. Please plan accordingly.

Ph.D. Practicum Manual – COUC 998 (PDF)

Prerequisites

Hour and Semester Requirements

Practicum Sites

Supervisor Information

Application Documents

Review the Practicum Supervisor Information before proceeding

Background Check Order Completion PDF and Fingerprints Completed
- Students must submit their background check order completion PDF from DISA Healthcare Technology (or previously order confirmation page/results summary page from CastleBranch) that is dated no more than one year prior to the date of their application.
- The practicum office will also verify that you have completed your fingerprints through DISA Healthcare Technology (or CastleBranch) at the time of your application. If you have not purchased and completed your fingerprints through DISA Healthcare Technology (or previously through CastleBranch), these will need to be completed by the time you apply or you will be denied approval for practicum.
- Only send the completion document (PDF) that is sent to your email from DISA Healthcare Technology once the processing of the background check or re-check has been made, or if your background check from CastleBranch is not expired and you are using it, please make sure it is either the order confirmation page or page 1 of the results summary page.
- Visit the Background Check website for further instructions on background check or fingerprints.
Supervisor’s License Verification
- Found on your state counseling board website.
- Includes name, license number, issue date, expiration date, & current/active
Liability Insurance Face Sheet (PDF)
- Students are required to purchase their own coverage for the duration of practicum and internship. The coverage requirements are detailed in the link above.
Affiliation Agreement
- 11-Page Cover Sheet and Agreement: Completed and signed by legal signatory at site
- Extensions will not be granted for Affiliation Agreement negotiations

Important Notes:

Please submit all documents as PDF files only. The Affiliation Agreement must be submitted as a single PDF file containing all 11 pages.

All approval documents must be submitted to the Ph. D. Practicum Office through SimCare prior to the deadline listed above. No late documents will be accepted. Submission of the application does not mean automatic acceptance of the proposed site and/or supervisor; they must be approved first. Liberty University must validate that 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.