Academic Programs

Education – School Counseling (MA) – Field Placement

Campbellsville University students in the School Counseling program receive assistance with their field placement through the School Counseling Department; however, the department encourages each student to take an active role in finding the school that is best suited to their training and geographic needs. Campbellsville University must approve each school site and develop an affiliation agreement with the school in order for students to complete field experience hours at that site.

Students begin the practicum/field experience process in the second semester to meet the state accreditation requirements. This process requires 100 hours of experience observing a school counselor in a school setting and participation in an Internship in School Counseling class throughout the entire field placement experience. Upon completion of the practicum experience, students may begin collecting the additional 600 hours of field experience. Students also enroll in course SGC 670/675 where they are supervised by School Counseling faculty. Students must attend an orientation with the School Counseling Director of Field Placement for in-depth instruction about field experience requirements.

In the field experience, students must demonstrate knowledge and skill in the areas of educational assessment, personal and social counseling, academic and career counseling, program development and coordination, supervision, and legal and professional ethics. Students receive a Practicum/Field Experience Handbook in SGC 500 Counseling Theory and Practice I class. This handbook provides specific guidelines for the field experience process. Students must have taken and preferably passed the California Basic Education Skills Test (CBEST) prior to beginning any field work, including the practicum experience. A Live Scan Service (fingerprint) form must be completed and cleared by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) prior to any field placement in a school setting. A current tuberculosis skin test is also required within six months of beginning the field placement hours. Curriculum and/or field placement requirements are subject to change to meet state mandates and may occur without prior notice. Students must have a current teaching credential and/or complete their application with the CCTC for a certificate of clearance before beginning field placement.

The School Counseling Internship Program is accredited by the CCTC, which means that students from Campbellsville University who are enrolled in the School Counseling/PPS program can be hired by California Public School Districts as employees while completing the required courses and intern hours. Presently, Campbellsville is affiliated with thirty four (34) school districts in California. Completion of SGC 500 and SGC 514/515, which include 100 hours of fieldwork, must be completed prior to consideration for internship status. Candidates must apply for an Internship Credential in School Counseling before being hired by a school district. This application is done through the Credential Analyst Office here at Campbellsville University. An internship handbook is also given to new interns and a supervisor from Campbellsville University is assigned to each intern. This supervisor meets with the school-site supervisor and coordinates all agreements and plans for the internship experience.