Master of Social Work Internship
Student Counseling Services offers a 10-month Master of Social Work (MSW) Internship beginning in August and ending in May. This internship is designed as a second field placement opportunity for students currently enrolled in a master’s level social work program with at least one year of prior clinical experience.
Our focus is to provide a strong comprehensive clinical experience for our trainees that integrates development of clinical competence and ethical practice with professional growth and development in a supportive environment. Interns will have exposure to a full range of services, therapeutic perspectives, and interdisciplinary skills found within a University Counseling Center.
Clinical Experience
Individual Therapy: Interns will provide bi-weekly therapy services to a diverse population of college students utilizing our short-term therapy model. It is expected that interns will carry 8-10 clients per week.
Triage Assessments: Interns will be trained to conduct triage assessments in the fall and will provide one hour of triage (2 30-minute appointments) per week in the spring semester. Triage appointments entail assessing presenting concerns, risk, and level of care and making a referral to an appropriate service, whether internal or external to Student Counseling Services.
Group Therapy: Interns will engage in our robust interpersonal process groups through process observation their first semester, with the possibility of co-facilitating a process group with a staff member their second semester. Groups meet weekly.
Case Management: Interns will learn case management skills, including referrals and collaboration with university and community partners.
Supervision and Training
Individual Supervision: Interns will receive two hours per week of individual supervision with a focus on social justice, inclusion, and diversity. At least one supervisor will be with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Didactic Seminar: Interns will attend didactic seminars addressing special populations, treatment issues, diversity concerns, and areas of focus within Student Counseling Services.
Outreach/Prevention
Outreach/Prevention- Interns will be invited to participate with the Multicultural Outreach Team (MCOT) and/or other outreach initiatives coordinated within the department or in collaboration with other departments on campus.
Sample Time Allocation
Interns spend, on average, between 22-25 hours per week in activities related to internship. The time commitment will vary depending on the precise mix of activities, the interest of the intern, and the needs of the agency.
The general time commitment per week would be described as following:
| Service Delivery/Experiential Learning | Hours per week |
|---|---|
| Individual counseling | 8-10 |
| Triage Assessment | 1 |
| Group Counseling | 1.5 |
| Case Management | 2 |
| Outreach/Prevention | Hours per week |
|---|---|
| MCOT or Other Committee | 2 |
| Supervision and Training Time | Hours per week |
|---|---|
| Individual Supervision | 2 |
| Didactic Seminar | 1 |
| Consultation with Psychiatrist (if intern is on-site this day) | .25 |
| Administrative Area | Hours per week |
|---|---|
| Clinical paperwork, weekly logs, preparation for supervision | 4-5 |
| Staff meeting (if intern is on site this day) | 1 |
| Diversity, equity, inclusion meetings (if intern is on site this day) | 1 |
TOTAL: 22-25 hours
Application Process
Applicants who are interested in the field placement at Student Counseling Services must be currently enrolled in an accredited Master of Social Work program. Applicants must have prior clinical experience and have completed at least one field placement experience.
Applicants are selected on the basis of previous clinical experience, recommendations of faculty from their home program and personal interviews with the Student Counseling Services staff.
The following submissions are required:
- Cover letter explaining interest and goals for Internship program
- Current vita or resume
- Unofficial Transcripts
- 3 letters of reference
Please submit application materials via email to Nicole Andersen, MSW, LCSW at neander@IllinoisState.edu
Internship questions can also be directed to Danielle Beasley via email or telephone at (309) 438-3756. Interviews will be conducted during the spring semester and will be on site.
The MSW Internship at Illinois State University is a security-sensitive position that requires a background check to verify that candidates have no criminal record that would preclude placement at Student Counseling Services. A background check is conducted following the formal offer and the outcome has the potential to preclude placement at our site. For more information regarding the criminal background investigation policy, please see Criminal Background Investigation Policy.