FAQs - Clinical
Clinical
- What is practicum?
- How many clinical hours are required for graduation?
- How many supervision hours are required for graduation?
What is practicum?
Practicum is the clinical portion of your Master’s degree. Students are required to complete 4 practicums, and each of them lasts approximately 7 to 10 months. Part-time students typically do one practicum per year in years 3 to 6 in the program, and full-time students typically do two practicums at a time in years 2 and 3. For part-time students who are interested in accelerating their program, it is sometimes possible to apply to complete 2 practicums simultaneously in an academic year, but this is a significant workload and space in additional practicums are dependent on seniority and space available.
There are two parts to practicum – client work and supervision. In each practicum, students are expected to conduct 100 to 145 hours of therapy with families, couples or individual clients. Typically, students carry a caseload of 6 to 8 clients at any time and see 3 to 5 hours of clients per week. Students are required to meet with a supervisor and a few other students (typically a group of 3 to 6) once per week for 3 hours. During this time, students discuss their client work, watch video-recorded sessions, and participate in live sessions. Supervision is not only focused on students’ clinical work but also on their self-of-the-therapist development. Outside of clinical hours and supervision, there are also assignments, readings, reflections and clinical paperwork. Each practicum involves approximately 12 to 15 hours of work per week.
How many clinical hours are required for graduation?
Students are required to complete 500 therapy hours prior to graduation. Of the 500, 360 hours need to be direct client contact, and 200 need to be with families or couples.
How many supervision hours are required for graduation?
Students are well supervised in our program and typically do more than the minimums required. Prior to graduation, students are required to have received a minimum of 200 hours of supervision, and need to have 12.5 hours of supervision per practicum based on observable data – i.e. performing live therapy in front of your supervisor and group or showing video tape of sessions.
Where can I do my practicum?
The Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) program arranges practicums for students and has a network of agencies/institutions that it partners with in Winnipeg and the surrounding communities to provide access to practicum spots. The MFT program also has a partnership with the at the University of Winnipeg which is the principle practicum site for the MFT program.
Do I get paid?
No. There are no paid internships or practicums.