SOC-OFE Masters Students - Field Experience Manual:

SOC-OFE Application Review

You must receive written approval (via email) from the SOC-OFE for enrollment in each field experience course. The SOC-OFE application review process includes multiple layers of review (academic and operations). Applications can be returned to you throughout the review process to allow for revision, with the intent of approving all viable applications. You must monitor your Walden email account closely during the application review period (from the time you submit your application for field experience through the start of enrollment) to ensure that you are able to respond to requests for additional information during the time frames provided.

Field experience operations coordinators complete the operations review of field experience applications, including:

• Field experience documentation (e.g., professional liability insurance certificate),
• Affiliation agreements,
• Onboarding requirements,
• Eligibility audits, and
• Group supervision scheduling and course registration.

You can view the status of your application at any time throughout the process in Meditrek®. See the Meditrek® Student Guide for instructions.

School of Counseling faculty on the field experience committee complete the academic review of field experience applications, including:

• Quality of field experience to ensure it meets program and accreditation requirements,
• Site supervisor credentials and qualifications,
• Academic quality of field experience, and
• Site appropriateness for your program.

Operations coordinators complete eligibility audits for each student within the Meditrek® field experience application at multiple points during the application process to make sure all field prerequisite requirements have been successfully completed. The eligibility audit includes the following elements:

• Course Audit
  • Prerequisite coursework
  • Residencies and/or pre-practica
  • Counseling Work Sample
• Student Support Plan Audit
  • Skills plans
  • Development plans
  • Academic integrity plans
• Additional Requirements
  • State education specialization approval
  • Site onboarding requirements
  • Other requirements

Operations staff will review and mark items that apply to you and your field experience. If any required items in your eligibility audit are not complete by 2 weeks prior to the start of field experience, the field experience will be delayed to a later quarter. Your prerequisite coursework should be satisfactorily completed 2 weeks prior to the start of field experience, and this will be verified by operations coordinators during the week prior to the term start (eligibility audits are updated manually by SOC-OFE staff; they are not updated automatically when faculty members submit course grades). You can monitor the status of your eligibility audit within your Meditrek® Application Checklist.

A fully executed affiliation agreement is required for approval of all field experience applications (see Affiliation Agreements). You can monitor the status of the affiliation agreement with your proposed field site within your Meditrek® Application Checklist.