The office of Counseling & Psychological Services is typically approved for one or two graduate assistants (GA's) each academic year. The graduate assistantship provides an excellent opportunity for a Kutztown University counseling graduate student to gain hands-on experience in the major. The assistantship is essentially a supervised clinical position in which the student is afforded experience working with undergraduate student-clients presenting with an array of concerns similar to those the student will encounter in the field of counseling after graduation. As such, the GA will gain invaluable relevant experiences that will considerably augment his/her coursework.
The graduate assistant will be assigned to a faculty counselor supervisor who will meet with the GA on a weekly basis in order to monitor clinical cases and to help develop counseling skills that will be needed for later employment in the field. In addition, the GA will participate in weekly training sessions designed to foster professional growth in the field, with topics that include clinical issues, ethics and laws governing the profession, and employment preparation. Faculty supervisors from the department work directly with faculty in the Department of Counseling and Human Services to assess and foster the graduate assistant's professional growth.
GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP REQUIREMENTS:
• 20 hours/week on-site, scheduled over a minimum of three days
• Attendance at a weekly group training/supervision meeting
• Active participation in case presentations and discussions
• Individual clinical supervision (1 hour/week minimum)
• Participation in psycho-educational presentations/workshops
• Adherence to the ethical principles of the American Psychological Association and/or the American Counseling Association
• Current liability insurance coverage
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GRADUATE ASSISTANT:
• Involvement in research and presentations conducted by counseling center faculty
• Supervised experience in co-leading therapy groups
• Experience with administration, scoring, and interpretation of selected psychological tests
• Exposure to a diverse client population and a wide range of clinical problems
ASSISTANTSHIP APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
Counseling & Psychological Services accepts applications from interested graduate students in the Spring semester for the next academic year. Applications should be submittedby hard copy at 122 Beck Hall. No applications will be considered without the required accompanying documentation.
Graduate assistant applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Selected applicants are notified in February regarding meeting with faculty counselors for an interview.
This position is for 20 hours/week of work (300 hours for the fall and spring semester), and it provides a tuition waiver for 9 graduate credits plus a stipend of $3,750 per semester. Please contact Matt Shollenberger for additional information if needed at mshollen@kutztown.edu.
