Supervision Internship (COUC 980)

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 14, 2026
  • Application window closes: October 19, 2026

Late applications will not be accepted. Please plan accordingly and submit all required materials by the stated deadlines and as instructed below under Supervision Internship Approval Process & Instructions.

Purpose: The doctoral internships provide students with supervised experiences and activities of a regularly employed professional in the field of counselor education. Under the guidance of faculty, the primary focus of the Supervision Internship is to help doctoral students develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for ethical and competent practice as supervisors in the field of counselor education.

Prerequisites: To be adequately prepared for this course, the student must have completed Advanced Theory Application and Orientation (COUC 715), Advanced Research Design (COUC 740), and Practicum (COUC 998) with a B or above and passed the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (COUC 969). In addition, students must have completed Supervision & Consultation (COUC 714).

Prerequisite courses are non-negotiable and must be completed prior to the start of the internship.

• Students should review the CES Doctoral Fieldwork Manual (PDF) for detailed information.

Supervision Internship Approval Process & Instructions

Doctoral students interested in registering for a Supervision Internship will submit their request using the submission portal by the application deadline. You will need the following paperwork:

• Liability Insurance Face Sheet (PDF)

Application Instructions: Students will apply through SimCare.

1. Create or Sign in to your SimCare Account – If you have not already done so, create a SimCare Account. Students must first create a SimCare account using their Liberty University email address to access the application.

• You can create or sign in to your account here: SimCare Sign In

2. Begin the Application – After creating/signing in to your account, you may begin the SimCare application.

• Review the How to Begin LU SimCare Application Video
• Complete all required sections of the application.
• Add your site supervisor when prompted.
  • After adding a site supervisor, select the Submit & Notify Signers button.
  • Please note: Selecting Submit & Notify Signers does not submit the application to the Fieldwork Office. This action sends an email from SimCare to the site supervisor requesting that they complete their portion of the application and provide their signature.
  • Please provide your site supervisor with the SimCare Site Supervisor Onboarding Guide (PDF) to assist them with the process.

3. Monitor your Application Status – Students are responsible for monitoring the progress of their application.

• You will not receive a notification when your site supervisor reviews and signs their portion of the application.
• Regularly check your SimCare account to verify that all required signatures and documentation have been completed.
• Allow sufficient time for your site supervisor to review and sign the application before the application deadline. If it has been longer than one week and you have not received a signature, please check with your site supervisor to ensure that they have received the SimCare email and give them a gentle reminder that their signature is needed.

4. Submit your Application to the Fieldwork Office – Once your site supervisor has completed and signed their portion of the application:

• Return to the application.
• Carefully review all information for completion and accuracy.
• Select Submit Application to send your application to the Fieldwork Office for review.

Important Deadline Information

The application must be completed and submitted before the application deadline listed above. Applications submitted after the deadline will be denied.

Students are responsible for:

• Monitoring the status of their application.
• Ensuring all required documentation is completed.
• Verifying that all signatures have been obtained.
• Submitting the application before the deadline.

Failure to finalize and submit the application before the application window closes will prevent submission, and students will need to wait until the following semester to apply.

Understanding Application Status Messages

“Complete Paperwork (PDF)”

• This status indicates that your application is incomplete and has not been submitted.
• You may be missing information, documentation, signatures, or final submission steps.
• In some cases, you may still be waiting for your site supervisor to complete and sign their portion of the application. If it is close to the deadline, or you find that you are still waiting for signatures for more than one week, please check with your site supervisor to ensure that they have received the SimCare email and give them a gentle reminder that their signature is needed.

“Clearance Tasks are submitted for review (PDF)”

• This status confirms that your application has been successfully submitted to the Fieldwork Office and is pending review.

We encourage you to begin preparing early, monitor your progress carefully, and submit your application well before the deadline to avoid any last-minute issues.

If you have any questions regarding applications or requirements, please contact the appropriate Fieldwork Office below:

• For questions about the application, application materials, or potential sites, please email the Ph.D. internship office at phdinternship@liberty.edu.
• For questions about the affiliation agreement, please email counagreements@liberty.edu.
• For questions about background checks or fingerprints, please email counbackground@liberty.edu.

During the application season, we kindly ask that you maintain professionalism in all communication with the Fieldwork Office. Please allow 48-72 business hours for a response to your inquiry. During periods of high volume, response times may be extended. Additionally, the Fieldwork Office is closed on weekends and holidays, so please keep this in mind when anticipating a response.

To help us serve all students as efficiently as possible, please send one email regarding your question or concern and allow adequate time for a response before following up. Sending multiple emails about the same matter can slow response times and create delays in processing requests.