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Clinical Social Work Training

Eligibility

Field placement opportunities are  available for students in the Master’s of Social Work program.  Second year MSW students who have a primary  interest in clinical social work are encouraged  to apply.  Students must have successfully completed all foundational course & field requirements and be prepared to enter into their advanced year of study. Students must also  be in good standing in the Master's of Social Work program at UNC Charlotte.

The second-year MSW field placement training experience is a 16 hour per week training experience that can include the following weekly activities:

  • One initial consultation session per week
  • Four to five individual counseling sessions per week
  • Co-leadership of a weekly structured group or workshop 
  • Approximately one hour Referral Coordination responsibilities per week
  • One hour of individual face-to-face supervision
  • One and a half hours of weekly group supervision
  • Monthly full staff meetings and quarterly staff-wide training on diversity and inclusion (as schedules permit)
  • Additional activities as determined in coordination with the supervisor

Students are to follow the application procedures for field education placement as determined by the Director of Field Education within the UNC Charlotte School of Social Work.  The application process will begin in early spring for the following fall semester and will include both a written application and an on site interview with the Field Instructor and another staff member. The written application will then be forwarded to CAPS for further review and an on-site interview will be required with the Assistant Director of Training, Dr. Elizabeth Malone and the Licensed Clinical Social Work Field Instructor. Interviews will be conducted in March and April for placement in the fall semester. Students will be expected to participate in two consecutive semesters of practicum beginning in fall and continuing through the spring. 

If you are a student interested in becoming a trainee at Counseling & Psychological Services, it is important to consider some ethical issues related to the potential for dual roles. Prospective trainees who seek counseling at CAPS should be aware that they will limit who would be available to supervise them and coordinate their training experiences.  Due to the importance of avoiding multiple relationships, a student in the Master’s in Social Work program who would like to be a trainee at this Center will not be able to have counseling with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker as a trainee, Practicum Coordinator, or Training Director. For the same reason, students are not eligible to receive counseling at CAPS while they are trainees here.