Internships for Psychology Majors

Psychology coursework exposes students to theories and concepts related to human behavior. Most programs offer specializations, such as childhood development and forensic psychology. In addition to classroom learning, many psychology programs feature internship opportunities. Semester-long or summer internships provide valuable on-site experiences, allowing students to gain insights into what real psychology jobs look like.

A psychology degree prepares students for careers inside and outside of the psychology field. Although some psychology occupations require a graduate degree and license, graduates with a bachelor’s can pursue many career paths. People with psychology backgrounds can work in human resources, marketing, or education. Individuals can also earn a graduate degree to work in counseling, therapy, or social work.

Students can use an internship to test their interest in a career path. Carrying out duties can help interns determine how well the occupation matches their skills and professional goals.

Undergraduate psychology internships can also prepare students considering graduate degrees for advanced study. Some program admission requirements include work experience, depending on the specialization.

College internships in psychology include experiences that familiarize students with their chosen specialty. Although exact duties vary by job, most interns can expect to engage in writing and team-based problem-solving. They might also help conduct research and give presentations.

School psychologists help educators and administrators identify and analyze students’ learning and behavioral concerns. Their work supports pupils in the classroom and other educational settings. These internships typically help students pursuing a master’s in school counseling or a similar degree develop communication, research, and analytical skills. Some colleges host school psychology internship programs, including the University of Houston-Victoria.

These internships enlist bachelor’s and master’s students pursuing degrees in child development, children and adolescent psychology, and similar areas. As part of their curricular requirements, students might need to participate in semester-long practica to acquire on-site skills and accumulate work hours. As an example, the University of South Florida’s child and adolescent behavioral health program works with community partners to provide field experience to students.

Community clinic internships typically accept students majoring in areas like clinical or preclinical psychology. Many of these interns work in health centers or clinics that serve the community. Interns may help staff identify community-wide mental health needs, educate the public, and implement programs. People looking for internships in community health might contact local or state health departments.

Sports psychology interns should be interested in athletics and have a basic understanding of sports performance. These students might assist with research on topics like sports nutrition or endurance. Interns might help create personalized training programs, monitor athletic performance, or conduct training and demonstrations for clients. Students can go to the American Board of Sport Psychology’s website to search for internship postings.

Many behavioral psychology graduate programs feature internships that provide research experience. An intern’s duties often include clinical activities, lab work, and simulations. Some interns work in behavioral health settings observing therapy sessions, attending patient rounds, and receiving supervised training. Undergraduates pursuing a bachelor’s in behavioral psychology can seek internships to gain an advantage when applying to graduate school.

Students who aren’t as interested in spending time in a clinical lab can gain field experience as correctional facility psychology interns. These individuals engage in problem-solving and assist with developing and improving various programs and educational curricula. As described by the American Psychological Association, popular internship programs are hosted by the Ethan Allen School in Wales, Wisconsin; the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, California; and the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina.

Students in an undergraduate forensic psychology program can find internships related to psychology, law, and criminal justice. Interns gain field, lab, and administrative experience while learning about the factors contributing to criminal behavior. Interns pursuing a master’s in forensic psychology may also engage in significant amounts of writing and conduct research. Forensic psychology interns work in law firms, correctional facilities, government agencies, rehabilitation centers, and research institutes.

Most psychology programs offer teaching assistantships to graduate students interested in higher education. Some teaching assistants (TAs) start by assisting professors with grading, proctoring exams, and other duties. TAs accumulating more experience might get their own course sections or labs to teach.

Environmental psychologists study how humans interact with the outdoors, workplaces, social settings, and buildings. Interns might get involved with market research analysis, climate psychology, or environmental planning. These individuals’ duties can include supporting data collection, writing research reports, or planning workshops.

The occurrence of depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions among veterans drives the demand for military psychologists. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is one of the largest providers of psychological training for this population. Interns can gain experience in diagnosis, case assessment, and consultation. Training may include writing reports, presenting research findings, making clinical observations, and engaging in supervised counseling. The VA provides a list of internship opportunities available throughout the U.S.

Fellowships help individuals pay for school by providing tuition and a monthly stipend. Unlike assistantships, most fellowships do not come with work requirements. Fellowships are typically awarded to graduate students, although some undergraduate opportunities exist.

A co-op program doesn’t usually offer course credits, but it does provide financial compensation. A co-op allows a student to work full time in a professional setting for a semester or longer, taking on a significant amount of responsibility. Because of the time commitment, many students pause their studies to complete a co-op, often extending their time in school.

Strong candidates for most psychology internships start the application process early. They allow plenty of time before submission deadlines to become familiar with the internship requirements, gather their application materials, and talk to people who might be supervising or mentoring them.

These applicants also have clear academic and career goals and target internship opportunities that match their interests. Another thing strong applicants do is maintain a detailed, updated resume or CV.

No matter their specialty, psychology students should seek internships that can lead to solid recommendation letters, boost their resumes, and potentially become full-time jobs.

Also, the best internships teach skills like communication, empathy, and the ability to work with diverse groups of people. Popular internships for psychology majors can be found in social work, education, sports psychology, and corrections.

When looking for opportunities with pay, a student should find out all the benefits an organization offers in exchange for the work. For example, in addition to a stipend, some internships come with college credit, paid time off, and/or overtime pay.

Aspiring interns should also thoroughly look for opportunities with competitive compensation. Internships in psychology and other disciplines increasingly include stipends, although unpaid internships are still common.