ABOUT THE ASSISTANTSHIP

The office of University Counseling Services is typically approved for one or two graduate assistants each academic year. The graduate assistantship provides an excellent opportunity for a graduate student to gain hands-on experience in the major. The assistantship is essentially a supervised clinical position in which the student is afforded experience working with undergraduate student-clients presenting an array of concerns similar to those the student will encounter in the field of counseling after graduation. As such, the student will gain invaluable relevant experiences that will considerably augment his/her coursework. The Graduate Assistant will be assigned to a faculty psychologist who will meet with the student on a weekly basis to monitor clinical cases, and who will work closely with the student in the development of sound counseling skills that will be needed for later employment in the field. In addition, the student will participate in weekly training sessions designed to foster professional growth in the field, with topics that include clinical issues, ethics and laws governing the profession, and resumé/employment preparation. Faculty supervisors from the department work directly with faculty in the department of Counseling and Human Services to assess and foster the graduate assistant’s professional growth.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP REQUIREMENTS

• 20 hours/week on site, scheduled over a minimum of three days
• attendance at a weekly group training/supervision meeting
• participation in case presentations and discussions
• individual clinical supervision (1 hour/week minimum)
• psycho-educational presentations/workshops
• adherence to the ethical principles of the American Psychological Association and/or the American Counseling Association
• current liability insurance coverage

OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GRADUATE ASSISTANT

• involvement in research and presentations conducted by counseling center faculty
• supervised experience in co-leading therapy groups
• experience with administration, scoring, and interpretation of selected psychological tests
• exposure to a diverse client population and a wide range of clinical problems

ASSISTANTSHIP APPLICATION PROCEDURES

UCS accepts applications from interested graduate students beginning each January for the next academic year. Applications should be submitted by hard copy.  No applications will be considered without the required accompanying documentation.

Selected applicants are notified by late February regarding meeting with the professional staff in early March for an interview. All applicants are notified of the selection results by late March.

Application for the graduate assistantship at University Counseling Services can be found here.

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