Everything you need for life outside the classroom
If you’re studying social work, psychology or mental health counseling, our training programs can help you reach your goals.
Your training will be tailored to your experience, your skills and your needs. Here, you can develop your own individual therapeutic style as you are exposed to a wide variety of theoretical orientations (including cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, interpersonal, developmental, systems, feminist, multicultural, gestalt, humanistic, existential, eclectic and integrative). While we advocate broad exposure to a variety of professional activities, the foundation of our philosophy is a genuine commitment to intensive supervision, and to your personal and professional growth. Here, we seek to create an atmosphere of respect and trust within a multifaceted, service-oriented agency.
The Counseling Services main offices are located on UB’s North Campus, inside the university’s largest residence hall complex (Ellicott Complex). These facilities include office space and group space, as well as technology designed to support our activities. In addition, Counseling Services maintains a second location in Michael Hall — a residence hall on UB’s South Campus.
Counseling Services works closely with other units, departments and programs throughout the university, including areas that deal with student health, wellness and housing.
UB is one of the most diverse universities in the United States, with many traditionally underrepresented groups, as well as a large population of international students. Through our training programs, you will likely have exposure to clients of differing ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, socioeconomic backgrounds, religious backgrounds, ages, genders, abilities and other diversity factors. This diversity is also reflected in the Counseling Services staff. Diversity issues are addressed through the didactic training experiences, as well as in clinical practice. In addition, seminars and workshops throughout the year celebrate diversity throughout the university, address relevant topics, and continually reinforce our commitment and dedication to issues of diversity.
The masters level social work internship is for social work students in the second year of the masters program at UB, or for advanced standing students who are completing their MSW at UB. Students complete 480 internship hours through this advanced practicum placement. Students should have completed their foundational field placement before applying for this internship. This placement will be from Fall to Spring semesters with no summer placements.
Through this internship, you will develop an individual learning contract based on your skill level, areas of expertise and identified learning goals. The potential learning activities include:
You will be expected to be here approximately 16 hours per week for both the fall and spring semesters of the academic year for which you are accepted. Your time will be devoted to a variety of activities — some recurring, and some occurring only once or twice, depending on the needs of Counseling Services and the requirements of your training.
You will be required to attend orientation training the week before the fall semester begins.
You will be required to attend orientation training the week before the fall semester begins.
Contact the practicum education office field education office at the UB School of Social Work to arrange for an interview. Counseling Services can also provide additional information about the social work internship by contacting Social Work Training Coordinator, Alison Smith, at masmith6@buffalo.edu
UB students who are current or former clients of Counseling Services are ineligible for internships, in order to avoid dual relationships.
Student Life
University at Buffalo
120 Richmond Quadrangle, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14261
Phone: 716-645-2720; Fax: 716-645-2175
University at Buffalo
1st Floor Michael Hall, South Campus
Buffalo, NY 14214