Clinical Practicum

Clinical Psychology Program

All students, including those with previous practicum experience, must successfully complete practicum experiences in the second and third year of study. Students enter practicum training if they are making satisfactory progress in the program and receive approval of the Program Director, Director of Training, and the Academic Review Committee. Practicum is a field experience at an off-campus clinical training site that can span either the academic or calendar year. Practicum training is completed at numerous hospitals, agencies, and organizations throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. The specific clinical focus of the experience varies according to the student's needs, interests, services provided at the training site, and availability of practicum sites. Students complete a minimum of six quarters of practicum. Students typically work approximately 16 to 20 hours per week in a clinical setting (3 credit hours per quarter). The practicum experiences in psychodiagnostics and psychotherapy total approximately 1,000 hours over two years. Typically, the student completes a diagnostic practicum in the second year of study and a therapy practicum in the third year. Practicum placements may require work in the summer months, over holiday periods, and during breaks in the academic calendar. Advanced practicum training requiring an additional year of clinical experience is strongly recommended and may be elected in preparation for the internship. In general, the time to complete appropriate practica experiences may influence the total time needed to complete the program. The Director of Training assists students in the application process for practicum placements to facilitate an appropriate match between training site characteristics and students' interests.