Clinical Practica

Two practica courses are required for the Ed.S. degree that provide students with supervised experiences to meet the objectives of acquiring expertise, learning job expectations, and observing assessment and interventions. Practica courses are distinct from and prior to Internship. The Practicum I (SPS 6946) and Practicum II classes are each taken for 3 hours of credit during the first and second semester of the second year. Students are required to schedule a meeting with their advisor, ensure that the annual advisor evaluation is completed, and receive advisor approval before beginning their practica experiences (see evaluation form on subsequent page).

Practicum Placement

Students are placed in their practica by the course instructor. Students may be placed in one of several Central Florida school districts. Please be aware every effort was made to assign students to a desired location, but each placement is made in light of the limited number of available sites. Practicum placement procedures vary from site to site. Students must abide by the differing guidelines. All sites should require students to complete a security clearance, which may include, but not be limited to a background screening and fingerprinting.

Practica Supervision

All practica experiences are conducted under the careful supervision of, and are systematically evaluated by, the Program faculty members and site supervisors. Practica experiences are conducted in a manner consistent with the legal and ethical guidelines of NASP. Practica experiences are conducted in settings supportive of the Program objectives, including local education agencies, university clinics and teaching hospitals. Other experiences may be available to students such as the Counselor Education Clinic, the Creative School for Children on campus, the Communicative Disorders Clinic, and centers in the Orlando area serving special needs children.