Doctoral Psychology Internship Application
Application
We appreciate your interest in the UNC Counseling and Psychological Services Doctoral Internship Program. We will offer four full-time positions for the 2020-2021 internship year, each carrying a stipend of $30,688 with vacation, professional development, and sick time provided. You will find information about the application process below. For further information about our site and application process, please read our APPIC directory profile. Please feel free to contact us regarding any questions you may have.
Requirements
By the application date, applicants will be expected to have completed two practicum experiences with a minimum of 450 minimum number of AAPI intervention hours. Typically, we require students to have 500 hours or higher. If you have less than 500 hours, it would be helpful for our site to have a better understanding about this, such as your practicum experience ending sooner than expected due to the pandemic, etc.
All formal academic coursework, accepted dissertation proposal and practicum training requirements should be completed prior to beginning the internship. Passing a criminal background check, having essential vaccines/inoculations and signature of the agency confidentiality policy are required by Campus Health for matched interns to work at Counseling and Psychological Services. Applicants who match to our program but do not successfully pass the background check may be dismissed from the internship (See APPIC Match Policy 8B https://appic.org/Internships/Match/Match-Policies). For further information about background checks at UNC, please see the following link https://hr.unc.edu/managers/hiring/background/ .
Interns receive ongoing comprehensive evaluative feedback from supervisors throughout the training year. This includes ongoing informal feedback in supervision and formal evaluations at the middle and end of the training year. These evaluations are based on APA guidelines and customized to our program. At the end of each semester, the Coordinator of Training sends the graduate program Director of Clinical Training a copy of the intern’s evaluation as well as a letter summarizing the intern's performance. CAPS staff do not complete training contracts and/or evaluations that may be specific to a doctoral program. If you are enrolled in a doctoral program that requires additional contracts or evaluations beyond those used at UNC CAPS, you are strongly encouraged to consult with your Director of Clinical Training to see if you will be eligible to apply for the UNC CAPS internship. (Adapted with permission from Towson University’s counseling center)
Application Deadline
Thursday, November 5, 2020 11:59 PM EST
Application Process
To apply electronically, please follow instructions for the AAPI Online. Please make sure that your AAPI Online includes the following:
- Information about your interests and how our program fits with your experience, training goals and longer term plans
- A completed APPIC application packet
- Vita detailing educational, training, practicum, and employment experiences
- Official transcripts of graduate coursework
- Three letters of recommendation, two of which must be from persons familiar with your recent clinical/counseling work.
- Academic Program's Verification of Internship Eligibility and Readiness
Interview Process
Zoom video interviews will occur starting Friday, December 4 through Friday, December 18, 2020. Interviews typically range between 30-45 minutes in length and are conducted with members of the training committee. Applicants will be notified of invitation for interviews via email on Monday, November 30th in the afternoon and asked to sign up for interviews through an on-line scheduling program. Given the pandemic, we will not be able to have optional visits to our center this year.
INTERN SELECTION PROCEDURES
General Criteria
The CAPS intern selection process is designed to choose interns who are well suited to the training opportunities we offer and who evidence interest in and/or potential for development in the area emphasized by our program. In our selection procedures we are attempting to seek out those applicants who evidence the following characteristics:
1) Show particular interest through their past experience and/or future career goals in working in a counseling center setting.
2) Are well-trained in the field of psychology and able to expand their knowledge base (including scholarly thinking and evidence-based practice) and apply their knowledge to their clinical practice.
3) Value diversity and have sought experiences that evidence a commitment to becoming multiculturally competent, and have a strong interest in developing in this area during internship year.
4) Are committed to understanding the ethical guidelines of our field and applying them to ethical practice and have sufficiently good judgment to behave in an ethical and professional manner.
5) Demonstrate ability for self-reflection and openness to feedback to learn and grow.
6) Have the interpersonal skills to successfully relate to clients and other staff.
7) Have demonstrated a past history of success in their academic and practicum experiences.
8) Possess clinical skills indicating readiness for internship.
9) Can grow and develop from, actively engage in, and take initiative in their own training.
Practica and Academic Preparation Requirements
All formal academic coursework, accepted dissertation proposal, and practicum training requirements should be completed prior to the beginning of internship. Applicants are expected to have participated in at least one practicum experience in a counseling center or which in some way indicates interest in areas consistent with the work and goals of our center and/or our training program. Furthermore, there should be evidence in the strength of the application, nature and sophistication of responses to interview questions, and qualities alluded to in recommendations that the applicant has benefited and developed as a result of their experiences and coursework (in addition to accumulated the hours and course credits).
Process for Application Review and Interviews
Applications are reviewed by the training committee and other staff therapists, using a standardized rating form to consider applicants’ experiences, strengths, and fit with CAPS’ training program. Based on this review, the training committee meets to determine which applicants will be invited for Zoom interviews. Zoom interviews will occur early to mid-December. Zoom interviews typically range between 30-45 minutes in length and are conducted with members of the training committee. Interviews will utilize a standard set of interview questions, although training committee members may modify these or ask additional questions as appropriate. Applicants are notified of invitation for an interview via email and are asked to sign up through an on-line scheduling program. Due to the pandemic, we will not be hosting optional visits to our center. Ranking decisions are made using the application materials as well as information gathered during the interview process.
Participation in APPIC Match
As an APPIC member, we participate in the APPIC Internship Matching Program for selection. You must be enrolled in the APPIC Internship Matching Program and use the APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI) in order to apply. The APPIC website has complete instructions for using the on-line APPI application. If you have not requested an application agreement form and materials describing the Internship Matching Program, please contact:
National Matching Service, Inc.
595 Bay Street
Suite 301, Box 29
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G2C2
Phone: (416) 977-3432
Fax: (416) 977-5020
The UNC Chapel Hill Counseling and Psychological Services Program Code Number for the APPIC Match is 206311. We follow all APPIC Guidelines, and uphold the policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any rank related information from any intern applicant in our selection process.
Contact Information:
For questions about our Internship Program, please contact Dr. Ilana Krakauer, Interim Assistant Director for Psychology Training via e-mail at krakauer@email.unc.edu.
Counseling and Psychological Services
CB# 7470
UNC-Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7470
The Doctoral Psychology Internship Program at CAPS is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association. For more information, you may contact the APA Office of Consultation and Accreditation.
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5979 / E-mail apaaccred@apa.org
Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation