MA Clinical Training

Supervised clinical training is an integral part of graduate education at MSP. Clinical training complements classroom education by facilitating students’ application of theoretical knowledge while providing opportunities to acquire clinical skills and the self-awareness needed to become effective and caring practitioners. Furthermore, students grow under the supervision of competent, appropriately qualified, and credentialed clinicians in diverse settings. Training activities are structured to provide developmentally sequenced experiences that are graded in complexity and cumulative in scope. Thus, during their clinical training, students work toward developing profession wide competencies and cultivating their professional identity. 

When does the practicum occur?

Consistent with MSP’s practitioner-scholar model philosophy, many students complete their practicum experience during year two of enrollment. Some students may complete practicum during a later year of the program, depending on their chosen enrollment sequence. To maximize learning and skill development, the practicum may not be condensed into a shorter timeframe than one academic year. 

How many hours are completed?

The MA practicum requires students to complete 500 clock hours of psychological training experience over the academic year, with at least 125 of those hours involving direct, face-to-face contact with clients. Typically, students spend two to three days, totaling approximately 13 to 15 hours per week, at their practicum site.

What about supervision?

Michigan law requires that practicum students receive two (2) hours of supervision per week from a fully licensed psychologist (LP). The program ensures compliance with Michigan law by assigning each student a faculty supervisor, who is an LP and who provides weekly supervision.

What kinds of sites are available?

A variety of organized health care settings are vetted and approved for practicum, including community-based clinics, residential facilities, substance abuse settings, schools, and outpatient psychiatric clinics. As defined by Michigan law, an organized health care setting is an organized governmental entity; nonprofit organization; or private agency, institution, or organization engaged in the delivery of health care services.  

How are sites obtained?

In order to become an approved training site, the training site must be an organized health care setting and possess resources of reasonable quality and sufficiency to support students in achieving training goals and requirements. The DCT or an assigned Clinical Training Coordinator meets with each potential practicum site to assess the site’s ability to provide experiences that align with MSP Training Requirements. Once approved, the site is added to our site list and students receive the list of practicum sites to apply to for the academic year.  Students can only apply to and complete training at sites that have been approved and contracted for their level of training.

Handbooks and additional information may be found in the Student Resource area, available to current MSP students.  Questions related to clinical training should be directed to the Director of Clinical Training, Clinical Training Coordinator, or faculty supervisor.

Are there any additional clinical training opportunities?

Students are provided with the opportunity to complete a second 500-hour practicum. Interested individuals should discuss this with the registrar and clinical training staff to learn more.