Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology

These policies are available to all current interns at the start of the training year through UND’s Policy Stat system.

During orientation, the Training Director reviews these policies in detail and interns sign an acknowledgment of receipt and understanding. Copies of relevant policies are also available to prospective applicants upon request from the Training Director. 

The UCC internship program is a participating member of APPIC and adheres fully to APPIC Match policies and procedures. At this time, the program is not accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). Accreditation materials have been prepared and submitted to the APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA), and the program is seeking accreditation.

Our APA program number is 002647 Questions about accreditation status may be directed to the APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation at: 

American Psychological Association 
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation 
750 First Street, NE 
Washington, DC 20002-4242 
Phone: (202) 336.5979 
apaaccred@apa.org 

Clinical and Professional Activities 

• Individual Therapy: 10–15 hours/week 
• Group Therapy: 1–2 hours/week 
• Crisis Intervention: 0–4 hours/week 
• Psychological Assessment: 4–8 hours/week (includes aviation assessments) 
• Outreach & Consultation: Suicide prevention, psychoeducation, etc. 
• Supervision of Practicum Students: 1 hour/week with supervision-of-supervision 
• Research: Time provided based on clinical load 

Supervision & Training Structure 

• Individual Supervision: 2 hours/week with licensed4 psychologists 
• Group Supervision: 2 hours/week focused on case consultation and supervision 
• Didactic Seminars: 2–3 hours/week on topics such as: 
• Counseling in Higher Education 
• Multicultural Competence 
• Substance Use 
• Ethics and Legal Issues 
• Aviation Psychology 
• Mindfulness-Based Interventions 
• Supervision Theory & Practice 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (DEI-SJ) 

The UCC integrates multicultural competence and cultural humility into all aspects of training. Interns engage in: 

• Reflective practice around identity and bias 
• Didactics and experiential training with: 
• BIPOC students 
• LGBTQIA+ students 
• Students with disabilities 
• First-generation and international students 
• Military populations 
• Aviation populations 
• Indigenous populations 

Aim

The UND UCC Doctoral Psychology Internship Program’s aim is to train and develop culturally responsive and competent entry-level psychologists skilled in the profession-wide competences to serve a diverse public in various settings, including and beyond, a university counseling center.

Training Model

Our General Practitioner Training Model rests in an educational philosophy grounded in scientific principles and evidence-based practices supporting profession-wide competencies interns develop and integrate into their professional identity. It is our aim that interns develop a strong professional identity grounded in science, ethical practice, integrity, and a commitment to lifelong learning. The training team is committed to providing flexible, challenging, supportive, developmentally appropriate, and respectful supervision and mentorship.  

Interns gain experience in intervention, assessment, outreach and programming, supervision provision, and consultation while working with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, lifestyles, and identities. The UCC is committed to excellence in providing a range of training activities that scaffold in depth and skill for each intern. Efforts are made to support the individualization of training experiences with respect to the experience and professional goals of the intern.  

Competencies

The Counseling Center is aware that professional growth and personal development are intertwined and consequently is supportive of opportunities for the intern's own personal growth. Upon completion of the internship, the developing professional should have sufficient experience in a university counseling center and general psychology practices to confidently and competently carry out the responsibilities of an entry level health service psychologist in various settings. Our training is focused on the following profession-wide competencies: 

1. Research 
2. Ethical and Legal Standards 
3. Individual and Cultural Diversity 
4. Professional Values and Attitudes 
5. Communication and  Interpersonal Skills 
6. Assessment 
7. Intervention 
8. Supervision 
9. Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills 

Providing interns with on-going formative feedback and evaluation is key to facilitating an intern’s personal and professional growth. Interns receive on-going informal evaluation and feedback throughout the year as well as formal written evaluations based on the profession-wide competencies at the mid-year and year-end points of the training year (i.e., January and June).  

Initial Evaluation

In August, intern’s skill levels and experience to date are informally assessed by the Doctoral Psychology Internship Program Director and senior staff. This initial assessment is to provide a view of the intern’s strengths as well as areas for further development. Interns after familiarization with program aims, goals, and competencies of focus for their training year, will be asked to engage in self-assessment. This is done through discussion and completing a written evaluation based on their estimation of their current knowledge and skill. This discussion will support identifying initial training goals.  

Evaluation & Minimum Levels of Achievement (MLAs)

Interns are evaluated formally at mid-year and end-of-year. Each intern receives written feedback from their primary supervisor using a structured evaluation form based on the  Profession-Wide Competencies (PWCs). 

Evaluation draws from multiple data sources, including: 

• Clinical documentation 
• Supervision discussions 
• Direct observation (e.g., video review or co-facilitation) 
• Feedback from other staff (as appropriate) 

Evaluations are reviewed with each intern in a face-to-face meeting. A copy is shared with the intern's academic Director of Clinical Training (DCT). 

To successfully complete the internship and demonstrate readiness for independent practice, interns must meet the following Minimum Level Achievements (MLAs): 

• Score of 3 or higher (on a 5-point scale) on each learning element within the nine APA Profession-Wide Competencies (PWCs) by the mid- year evaluation. 
• Score of 4 or higher (on a 5-point scale) on each learning element within the nine APA Profession-Wide Competencies (PWCs) by the end of the internship year. 
• No unresolved problematic behaviors that interfere with clinical work, professional conduct, or supervision. 

Progress toward MLAs is monitored throughout the year. Failure to meet these benchmarks may result in formal remediation or non-completion of the internship. 

Intern Feedback

Interns are expected to provide written evaluations of their: 

• Primary and secondary supervisors (at mid-year and end-of-year) 
• Didactic seminars 
• Overall training program 

Maintenance of Training Records

As part of the University of North Dakota’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and professional development, the University Counseling Center (UCC) maintains complete and accurate records of all training activities, evaluations, and intern documentation. These training records include, but are not limited to: 

• Supervision hours 
• Evaluations and feedback forms 
• Training goals and plans 
• Documentation of due process procedures (if applicable) 
• Intern participation in outreach, assessment, and supervision activities 

These records are maintained in a secure, confidential location in accordance with university policy and APA/APPIC standards. Records of training experiences, evaluations, and certificate of completion are retained indefinitely. Interns may request copies of their evaluation forms or supervision documentation for licensure or employment verification at any time, even after internship completion.