Special Education MA classroom
Counseling Psychology, Marriage & Family Therapy Concentration, MA

Clinical Fieldwork

Counseling Psychology, Marriage & Family Therapy Concentration, MA
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In the last year of the program, you'll pursue your clinical fieldwork (i.e., traineeship) requirements in a USF program-approved mental health traineeship clinical placement. You'll complete your placements during 9-12 months in your last academic year in the program.

Consistent with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) fieldwork requirements, you'll complete a minimum of 425 traineeship hours, from which 225 are direct clinical hours for MFT students, and/or 280 direct client contact hours if you want to also pursue Professional Clinical Counseling (PCC) eligibility.

There are diverse traineeship opportunities across our five campuses in a variety of settings.

    • Non-Profit Agencies: Support diverse clinical roles addressing community needs.
    • School-Based Programs: Elementary, middle, and high schools offer direct service opportunities.
    • County Behavioral Health Programs: Offer a wide range of public behavioral health services.
    • Community-Based Agencies: Serve underserved populations in mental health, social services, and advocacy roles.
    • Recovery Programs: Focus on addiction recovery and support services.
    • Hospital Programs: Provide clinical and healthcare experience opportunities.
    • Higher Education Institutions: Community colleges and universities.
    • Hospice Programs: Offer end-of-life care and support.
    • Jail Behavioral Health Programs: Provide mental health services within correctional facilities.
    • Outpatient Clinics: Deliver clinical care and therapeutic services.
    • Law Enforcement Agencies: These include police departments and victim services, which offer crisis response, clinical support, and wrap-around services.

  • Traineeship Forum: This is a mandatory informational meeting on the traineeship application process where requirements are provided to all traineeship applicants. This is held in November, during the Fall Semester before the Traineeship Year starts (November/December)

    Students begin preparing their traineeship application materials independently (For example, Resume, Cover Letter, and requests for Letter of Recommendations)

    Traineeship Fair: This is an on-campus event where USF students applying for traineeship can connect with local placement sites. The Traineeship Fair is typically held at the end of January before the Traineeship Year starts.

    Students apply for traineeship placements and participate in traineeship interviews. Students secure their placements in spring semester by March/April.

    April 1st (year before traineeship placement begins): Last day to submit a request to USF for a new Affiliation Agreement for Placement if creating a new placement site. The placement should be approved prior by the fieldwork coordinator. For new placements there is no guarantee that it will be approved before the traineeship is scheduled to begin.

    Traineeship begins in August or September of the final year of the program.

    Before graduation: Exit forum is hosted about post-degree and associate number application process (April)

    Associateship Fair: April/May of Spring Semester before graduation. This is an opportunity for graduating students to meet with potential employers and learn about AMFT/APCC and employment opportunities post graduation.

    Last Day to Collect Hours as a Trainee: Graduation day (typically mid May) is the last day to collect the required 425 hours of traineeship for graduation. If you do not have the required hours by graduation day, you will need to extend to Summer or Fall traineeship courses to complete your hours.

  • Students should expect to apply to a minimum of 10 traineeship sites throughout the Bay Area. Students who do not have private transportation will need to utilize public transportation.

    • Students will be provided a list of sites throughout the Bay Area to apply
    • Student may only accept 1 traineeship contract/site
    • Students are responsible for securing and submitting and uploading all traineeship paper work including acceptance of contract with the site.
    • Students must be enrolled in Traineeship I, II or III to accrue traineeship hours (exceptions for early August start dates and intersession/school breaks).
    • Traineeships are typically 15-20 hours per week, most offer traineeship opportunities M-F during normal business hours.
    • Expect to be at your site 2 to 3 days a week depending on the site requirements.
    • Academic courses have priority. Classes are T,W,Th 3:45-6:15 or 7:20-9:50pm. Please do not accept offers if this conflicts with course schedules.
    • Once you have accepted an offer, you must complete the full contract for training.
    • It is not reasonable to expect to work full time and complete the 15-20 hour per week traineeship. Some students manage part-time employment if their job is very flexible.