Professional Training
Social Work Field Placement
University Counseling Services (UCS) provides clinical training for MSW students in the Department of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University. This is a competitive process and a placement is not guaranteed. The major emphasis of this training is in the area of clinical services. UCS training emphasizes counseling individual students with various clinical presentations and diverse backgrounds, group process observation and co-leadership, crisis intervention, and consultation and outreach. Social Work Interns make a commitment for two consecutive semesters at UCS, which include, but are not limited to participating in USC Orientation, Training Seminar meetings, and attending UCS weekly team meetings.
Average Activity Per Week
Direct Services
| Individual and couples therapy | 7 to 9 hours |
| Group therapy | 2 hours |
Administrative Time
| Clinical team meeting | 1.5 hours |
| Staff meeting | 30 minutes |
Supervision
| Individual supervision | 1.5 hours |
| Supervision of group therapy | 1.5 hours |
Training
| Training seminar | 2 hours |
| Social work meeting | 30 minutes |
It should be noted that these numbers represent weekly averages and that the actual time spent in many activities increases or decreases with the ebb and flow of the academic year.
Evaluation of Social Work Interns involves completion of the evaluation forms utilized by UCS and the department of Social Work. Social Work Interns will be provided verbal feedback about their progress at mid semester and written feedback at the end of both semesters. A copy of the UCS written evaluation will be provided to the department. All evaluation forms will be placed in the Social Work Intern's file.
To avoid dual relationship issues, UCS does not accept individuals for UCS graduate clinical training in our Social Work internship program who have received clinical services at UCS.