Internship Opportunities

What is an internship?

An internship is a short-term position within an organization, designed to give the intern direct experience in an occupation of interest. We help undergraduate students majoring in psychology to line up internships with relevant local and national organizations. Although these semester-long internships are usually unpaid, you can receive 1-4 credit hours by enrolling in the “PSY 391 Internship Experience” course. 

Why should you consider an internship?
•    It is not enough to take courses during college, you need other accomplishments on your resume to stand out and be competitive in the job market
•    It can be hard to imagine a potential career path if you have never observed or taken part in the day-to-day aspects of the job. Completing an internship will give you a realistic sense of what a potential job actually involves, to determine whether it is a good fit for you. 
•    Internships expand your career network. You will form relationships with professionals who can write letters of recommendation for you, and help guide and mentor you as you develop your career. 
•    The host organization may offer you a job after a successful internship. 

Organizational Site Partners 

We partner with local and national organizations to provide high quality internship opportunities for our psychology majors. Click on the links below to learn more about our regular site partners. Students are also welcome to identify their own sites for internship, subject to approval by the Internship Coordinator. 

• Beech Brook
• NAMI Greater Cleveland (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

Arranging an internship takes time, so you should submit your internship application no later than June for a fall semester internship, no later than October for a spring semester internship, and no later than March for a summer semester internship.

The PSY 391 Internship Experience Course

The Department of Psychology offers undergraduate course credits for approved internships, via the “PSY 391 Internship Experience” course. These internships can take place in Fall, Spring, or Summer semesters. The details of your internship (e.g., specific duties and activities) will be tailored to each student, based on a proposal that you will craft in collaboration with your host organization. 

Students need to meet each of the following requirements to be eligible for a PSY 391 internship (otherwise you will need special permission from the Internship Coordinator)
•    Enrolled full-time and in good standing as an undergraduate at CSU 
•    Have formally declared a major in psychology
•    Have taken “PSY 200 A Major’s Guide to Psychology” previously, or are currently enrolled in PSY 200
•    GPA of at least 3.0 for the two previous semesters on record

Student can enroll in PSY 391 for 1-4 elective credits in psychology, depending on the hours per week spent interning at the host organization. 
•    1 credit = 3 hours/week, 45 hours total
•    2 credits = 6 hours/week, 90 hours total
•    3 credits = 9 hours/week, 135 hours total
•    4 credits = 12 hours/week, 180 hours total

How do I begin my PSY 391 internship?

If you are interested in pursing a PSY 391 internship, start by filling out the PSY 391 Internship Application form. We will then work with you to establish a match with a host organization (if you have not already identified one). Please fill out your application well in advance of the semester in which you hope to intern, as you will need to have the proposal approved and complete any onboarding procedures required by your host organization (e.g., background checks, immunizations) before the first week of classes. 

Once enrolled, what are the requirements for the PSY 391 course?

Specific activities and duties at the host organization will vary according to the agreement between you and your site supervisor (as described in your proposal). At the end of the semester, you will download & complete the Student Internship Review Form, and your supervisor will complete the Supervisor Review Form, evaluating how the internship went and whether you accomplished your goals.  These review forms will be due before exam week (1st week of December for Fall semesters, or 1st week of May for Spring semesters). The information in these reviews will be used to help determine your pass/fail grade in the PSY 391 course.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about the PSY 391 course and/or internships in general, send an email to the Psychology Internship Coordinator, Dr. Rob Hurley, at r.s.hurley@csuohio.edu