Review and Selection Process

The Student Counseling & Psychological Services training committee is intentional about selecting applicants who are a good fit based on their academic training and clinical experiences, as well as what the candidates seek in an internship site and what SCPS can offer. Below is the SCPS review and selection process.

The Training Director reviews application materials to confirm that candidates meet the minimum requirements. Specifically, the Training Director confirms that the applicant has

• submitted all requested documentation,
• an academic program that is APA-accredited,
• completed a required minimum of at least 500 direct hours in which at least 400 of those hours are doctoral hours of intervention (excluding assessment),
• passed comprehensive exams,
• not had significant problems with professional conduct or personal behaviors.

The candidates who meet the minimum requirements are forwarded to the rest of the SCPS professional staff for a more extensive review of the application materials. During that review process, the SCPS professional staff note the following to help ensure goodness of fit:

• degree of fit between the applicant’s stated training goals and what the SCPS program offers and needs;
• the quality of essays, including how the content fits with the SCPS internship training program;
• demonstrated awareness and investment in diversity;
• experience with specific domains within the field of psychology: individual therapy, outreach presentations, group therapy, provision of supervision, and assessment;
• previous university or college counseling center experience;
• ability to work collaboratively and be part of a team;
• strength of letters of recommendation with consideration of the fit to SCPS internship training program; and
• expected contributions to the training program.

The following is not required but would allow for a more depthful internship experience:

• completion of at least one graduate-level diversity course;
• completion of a supervision class, preferably that included an experiential component of actually providing supervision;
• completion of a group counseling class, preferably that included an experiential component of co-leading a group;
• proposal of dissertation by the interview date.

After review of all materials, candidates who seem the best fit with SCPS are offered Zoom interviews. During the interview, the SCPS professional further assesses potential goodness of fit between the applicant and the agency based upon standard questions and the applicant responses.

Applicant strengths, growth areas, and weaknesses are noted for consideration. All of the information gathered about each candidate is discussed and a determination is made which candidates seem most appropriate to rank.

This internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.

Background Check Information

Candidates are required to consent to background check(s) to be considered for employment or volunteer activity at Auburn University. Any candidate who refuses to consent to a background check, refused to provide information necessary to conduct a background check, or provides false or misleading information in connection with a background check, may be removed from consideration for the position for which they applied or for which they intent to volunteer.  Evidence of criminal conviction(s) or other adverse information revealed by a consumer report will not automatically disqualify candidates from consideration or subject an employee to disciplinary action. Rather, the relevance of this information will be assessed with consideration given to job duties, the date of the offense(s) or information, and the nature of the offense(s) or information. Employment decisions made based upon information contained in a consumer report will be job-related, consistent with business necessity, and made in accordance with applicable federal and state law.