CNSL 690 is the supervised pre-internship experience in UMGC's M.S. in Clinical Professional Counseling, where you start building individual and group counseling skills with real clients.
UMGC's description requires a minimum of 100 clock hours of counseling and related services, 40 of which must be direct client contact, plus individual or triadic and group supervision by faculty. The experience takes place in an approved agency, educational or clinical setting.
Practicum is often the most anxious point in the program. You move from studying techniques to using them, while also meeting site rules, logging hours and receiving feedback on recorded or observed work.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) |
| Course code | CNSL 690 |
| Credits | 3 (graduate) |
| Hours | Minimum 100 clock hours, including 40 direct client contact |
| Prerequisites | CNSL 606, 624 and 626; departmental approval; professional liability insurance |
| Next course | CNSL 691 Internship 1 |
Before You Start
- Prerequisite courses: CNSL 606 (Legal, Ethical and Professional Practices), CNSL 624 (Psychopathology and Diagnosis) and CNSL 626 (Group Counseling).
- Departmental approval and an approved site.
- Proof of individual professional counseling liability insurance.
- Background check: UMGC's program page says a criminal background check must be completed within the first 120 days of enrollment and forms part of site approval.
Start the site search early. Sites have their own onboarding steps, and delays there are a common reason students lose time.
Understanding the Hours
Of the 100 hours, at least 40 are direct service: time spent counseling clients individually or in groups. The rest are related services such as supervision, documentation, case consultation, training and preparation.
Example: A student logs 42 direct hours (individual and co-led group sessions), 18 hours of supervision and 45 hours of notes, intake preparation and staff meetings. That totals 105 hours with the direct minimum met. Logging weekly, with supervisor signatures where required, avoids a scramble at term end.
Getting the Most from Supervision
Supervision is a core part of CNSL 690, not an add-on. UMGC lists individual or triadic and group supervision by faculty, and your site will usually provide its own supervision as well.
Each format offers something different: individual or triadic sessions allow close review of your skills, while group supervision exposes you to other students' cases and approaches.
Students who gain most arrive prepared. Bring a short, de-identified summary of one case, a specific question (for example, how to respond when a client goes silent), and, where your site allows recording, a segment you want feedback on. Afterwards, note one change you will try in your next session and report back on it.
Group Counseling in Practicum
The description stresses both individual and group skills, which is why CNSL 626 Group Counseling is a prerequisite. Co-leading a group is often a good way to build direct hours while learning from an experienced facilitator. Reflections on group work should comment on group stage, member roles and how you handled the process, not just the content discussed.
Ethics in the Field
CNSL 606 Legal, Ethical and Professional Practices is a prerequisite because practicum puts ethics into action: informed consent, confidentiality and its limits, boundaries and working within your competence.
Assignments often ask you to reflect on an ethical question that arose at your site; describe it in general terms and show how you consulted and decided.
Typical Written Work and How to Approach It
| Work type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Reflective journal | Self-awareness and growth | Describe a moment, your reaction, what you learned and what you will try next |
| Case presentation | Conceptualization skills | De-identify fully; cover presenting concern, theory, goals and questions for supervision |
| Session review | Skill use | Name the skills you used, rate their effect and plan alternatives |
| Theory of practice paper | Integration of theory | Link your chosen theory to examples from your work |
Recording and Observation
Many practicum courses review recorded or observed sessions. Where recording is allowed, consent and secure handling follow site and program rules. When writing about a recording, quote short exchanges with all identifiers removed and focus on your skills rather than the client's story.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Low direct hours. Ask your site early about group co-facilitation and intake opportunities.
- Confidentiality slips. Remove names, dates, locations and any identifying detail from written work.
- Defensive reactions to feedback. Supervision is where most learning happens; bring specific questions.
- Thin reflections. Generic statements do not show growth; use concrete moments.
Tips for CNSL 690
- Keep your hours log current every week.
- Prepare one question for each supervision session.
- Review basic skills from CNSL 622 before your first sessions.
- Plan self-care: practicum is emotionally demanding.
How We Help with CNSL 690
We support the written side of practicum only: structuring reflective journals, case presentation formats using fictional or fully de-identified material, theory of practice papers and APA editing. Send the prompt, template and rubric.
We never complete hours, logs, clinical notes or site paperwork, and we never need or accept identifying client information. GradeEssays is independent of the University of Maryland Global Campus; reflections and clinical work must be your own under UMGC's academic integrity policy and your site's confidentiality rules.
Keep Your Practicum Writing on Track
Share the assignment, template and feedback. We help you organize reflections, case presentations and papers without client details.
Start My Practicum HelpFree revisions · Full refund if late · Written from scratch for your order
Frequently Asked Questions
UMGC requires a minimum of 100 clock hours, 40 of which must be direct client contact.
CNSL 606, CNSL 624 and CNSL 626, departmental approval and proof of individual professional counseling liability insurance.
UMGC's program page says a criminal background check must be completed within the first 120 days of enrollment, as part of site approval.
UMGC describes individual or triadic and group supervision by faculty.
CNSL 691 Internship 1, which requires CNSL 690.
No. Clinical documentation must be written by you under supervision. We help only with academic assignments using de-identified material.