The Counseling program meets all standards of the Council of Applied Masters Programs in Psychology (CAMPP) and the Masters of Psychology Accreditation Council (MPAC).

Practicum-Internship

For their required practicum and internship activities, our students successfully secure training positions in a variety of mental health agencies in the Pensacola area. The range of opportunities allows each student to obtain experience with a broad range of clinical services, settings, and populations, while also pursuing their specialty interests.

In the practicum and internship setting, the student is directly supervised by a mental health professional on-site, as well as a faculty member who oversees the student's training experience. During the course of the practicum/internship experience, the student participates in clinical and administrative activities, as a member of the professional mental health staff. As a result of their successful completion of internship, our students are sometimes offered positions to join the agency in which they do their training, where they can obtain the two years of post-masters supervised experience required for licensure.

Some of the settings available for placement include:

• University of West Florida Counseling Center
• Lakeview Center Inc., the community mental health center for Escambia County
• Avalon Center, a mental health clinic in Milton, Santa Rosa County
• C.O.P.E./Beachside Counseling, Defuniak Springs and Destin
• Bridgeway Center Inc., the community mental health center for Okaloosa County
• Catholic Charities Family Counseling Center, Pensacola and Ft. Walton Beach
• Federal Bureau of Prisons, Pensacola
• Lutheran Services Florida, Youth and Family Services
• The Friary, substance abuse treatment center
• Veteran's Administration Outpatient Clinic, Pensacola

Research Opportunities

We have an active faculty conducting a wide range of both basic and applied research. Their current research interests include topics such as: Child and Adolescent Assessment, Women’s Health, Domestic Violence, PTSD and Trauma, Geropsychology, and HIV/AIDs Prevention and Intervention.

Students are consistently involved in faculty research and encouraged to pursue their own research interests. Their work is frequently presented at national and regional conferences and in some cases their work results in publications in refereed journals.

Why choose Psychology at UWF?

1. The education and development of the individual student is our primary concern.

2. We value teaching as much as research. Most classes are small, and students have easy access to faculty.

3. Most classes are taught by our doctoral-level faculty. In addition, courses are taught by experienced local researchers and practitioners, as adjunct professors.

4. Students interested in research may become involved in a wide range of existing research programs or pursue topics of particular interest or value to them.

5. Many graduate students become authors on publications while at UWF, often as senior author. Publications greatly help students get into doctoral programs, attain desired employment and receive research funds.

6. Many UWF students go on to doctoral programs or degree-related employment. By maintaining a quality program at UWF, we have facilitated our graduate students’ admission to doctoral programs and meaningful employment.