Graduate Internship Opportunities

Overview

Thank you for your interest in the unpaid graduate internship program within Counseling and Career Development at Santiago Canyon College. This one- to two-semester internship is designed for students currently enrolled in a counseling, human services, social work, psychology, or related graduate program who want to explore careers and specialized fields within community college counseling.

We accept interns for both the Fall and Spring semesters. Please complete the form below to submit your interest.

Candidate Requirements

To be eligible for this program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Education: Currently enrolled and in good academic standing in a qualifying Master’s degree program and part of an internship course (e.g., counseling, rehabilitation counseling, clinical/counseling psychology, guidance/educational counseling, social work, career development, or MFT/MFCC).
Skills: Possess excellent written and oral communication skills, alongside strong technical competency.
Dedication: Demonstrate a strong desire to work with community college students.
Commitment: Willing to commit to a consistent weekly schedule (up to 20 hours per week) for the entire academic semester or academic year.
Clearance: Upon selection, interns must successfully complete a TB test and a Livescan background check.
Application timeline: Apply April-May for the following academic year.

Please Note:

Selection for this internship does not guarantee future employment within the Rancho Santiago Community College District.
Selected interns are responsible for all costs associated with the TB test and Livescan fingerprinting.

Selection Process & Next Steps

Faculty Mentor Review: Graduate internship applications are shared with the counseling department faculty upon submission. The decision to accept and mentor an intern rest with individual faculty members based on interest and capacity.
Candidate Notification: Selected interns will receive an official notification via email, which will include critical training dates, parking information, a Volunteer Hold Harmless form, and their assigned counselor's contact information.
Required Documentation: Final placement is contingent upon completing the Student Internship Agreement, a TB test, and a Livescan background check. All costs for the TB test and Livescan fingerprinting are the responsibility of the intern.
Scheduling: Selected interns must coordinate directly with their assigned counselor to determine their specific days and hours of commitment for the upcoming semester.
Professional Development: To support growth in the field, various optional, unpaid training sessions will be available to interns throughout the semester.