Acadia University School of Education

Master of Education (Counselling)

Practicum Guidelines

Practicum Setting Requirements

1. Practicum settings should have training as a major function, and have a philosophy that is consistent with the Program’s Mandate and should provide an opportunity for the student to develop program-appropriate audio and/or videos of the student's interactions with clients for use in supervision.

2. The practicum setting should provide students with a range of counselling experiences, including exposure to diverse theoretical approaches and populations.

3. Supervision will normally be provided by master’s level counsellors who have a minimum of 5 years of professional counselling experience.

4. Students have the opportunity to evaluate the quality of their practicum experience and the adequacy of supervision.

5. The practicum setting must demonstrate an understanding of and respect for human diversity which includes but is not limited to variability in culture, religion, race, nationality, sexual orientation, physical ability, lifestyle, and gender.

6. A considerable portion of the student’s time should be spent in direct contact with clients, so that the student receives maximum exposure to practicum cases and counselling skill development. At least half of the hours of the practicum should involve direct contact with clients through interviewing, assessment or intervention processes.