Pastoral Counseling Internship – PACO 699

CG • Section 16WK • 11/10/2019 to 04/18/2020 • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

This course offers student participation in a pastoral counseling experience under supervision in an approved setting along with supervision by a university faculty member.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

This internship course involves participation in a planned ministry-based experience through an approved organization or other setting under an approved supervisor. During the Internship experience, students are actively engaged in the field of pastoral counseling and they contribute to the cooperating ministry context by assisting its staff in carrying out many of the daily activities of that organization. The purpose of the counseling internship is to provide a supervised, field-based, experience for students.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Syllabus, Course Schedule, Guidelines & Expectations Student Expectations , and subscribing to the Question and Answer Center, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (8)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, as a means of demonstrating reflection in the milieu of ministry, the student is required to provide a thread in response to each discussion prompt. Each thread must be at least 400 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge (i.e., cite/reference). In addition to the thread, the student is required to substantively reply to 1 other classmate’s threads. Each reply must noticeably (i.e., cite/reference) add insight from course resources and be at least 100 words. Assertions/affirmations must be supported primarily with pertinent research, literature; when appropriate, the Scriptures may serve as a secondary source. All posts must be written in substantive manner, without spelling and grammar errors, and must adhere to Student Expectations.

Subject Matter Conversation Assignments (3)

Subject Matter Conversation Assignments secure and support the student's computer-mediated classroom experience. Participation in the Initial, Mid-Term and Concluding SMCs will help the student acclimate in the opening modules of the student's course as well as advance with confidence. The student must take careful notes as he/she digs deep and digs up many insights to employ in subsequent learning activities.

There will be two ways the student can gain the information necessary to complete both Subject Matter Conversation Assignments:

1. Attend the Subject Matter Conversation meetings presented by the student's faculty member. Meeting invitations for each meeting will be sent to the student at the start of the term, so that the student can save the dates.

2. Review the Subject Matter Conversation PowerPoints located in the Learn sections of the assigned modules.

Supervised Training

The student must complete 225 total hours in a supervised training experience, with a minimum of 50 hours spent in collaborative services (face-to-face contact). Collaborative services may include working with site supervisor and/or an assigned staff member in the following areas: spiritual direction, discipleship, lay counseling, life-coaching, individual, couple, and family counseling, group counseling, and conducting intakes. The remaining 175 hours are dedicated to supervision and related activities. Supervision (S) includes at least 1 hour per week of individual and/or triadic supervision (i.e., at least 14 hours). Related Activities (RA) may include additional collaboration in the above activities and/or observation/participation in staff meetings, counseling/discipleship-related administrative work, writing progress notes, filing counseling-related files/documents, and telephone calls. RA may also include state licensure investigation, and required Webex sessions as scheduled by student’s professor and/or the Director of MAPC program. Cumulative hours are to be reported through the Mid-term and Final Student Evaluations. In the event that the student fails to earn the required 225 hours, then he/she may register for a second semester with the approval of the director of the MAPC. Review the Internship Fieldwork Manual for additional requirements.

Self-Reflection Assignments (2)

The student will complete a mid-term and final self-reflection paper.

The midterm self-reflection is intended to engage the student in the process of reflective learning while demonstrating self-awareness, self-evaluation, and the ability to develop a specific action plan that will aid the student in improving his/her knowledge and understanding of the pastoral counseling profession and his/her own personal counselor identity. The paper should remain noticeably connected to course materials and student’s MAPC learning journey (i.e., citations/References). The required length of the midterm reflection is within the scope of 4 pages.

The final self-reflection is intended to engage the student in the process of reflective learning while demonstrating self-awareness, self-evaluation, and the ability to develop a specific action plan that will aid him/her in improving his/her counseling skills. The paper should remain noticeably connected to course materials and student’s MAPC learning journey. The required length of the final reflection is within the scope of 5 pages.

What’s Best Next Reflective Journal Entry Assignments (5)

The reflective journal is a learning activity submitted five times within the course. The student must write a non-reflective summation on each “Part” in What’s Best Next (i.e., Parts 1–7).  A 3-part journal entry will be written from each “Part” and placed after the related summation. Each summation should be within the scope of 150 words; cite accordingly. Each journal entry must have at least 1 in-text citation and be within the scope of 200 words. Journal should be consistent with current APA Guidelines.

Quizzes: Internship Student Evaluation Form (2)

The student’s supervisor(s) will complete a midterm evaluation and final evaluation. The student will download the evaluation forms located with the assignment instructions. The student must give the forms to the student's supervisor(s) to complete. Once the supervisor has completed the evaluations, the student must scan and submit the evaluations in Canvas. If the student does not receive passing evaluations during the course, he/she will work with the supervisor and  faculty to develop a plan to correct any deficits. This quiz will contain 1 file upload, and will have no time limit.

Quiz: Site and Supervisor Evaluation

The student will evaluate his or her site and supervisor near the conclusion of the course, using the form provided with the assignment instructions. This quiz will contain 1 file upload question, and will have a no time limit. 

Quiz: Liability Insurance FaceSheet

The student must submit a copy of liability insurance in order to prove that liability insurance has remained current throughout the Internship. This quiz contains 1 file upload question, and will have a no time limit.