Course Syllabus
Course: PSY 1997
Division: Social and Behavioral ScienceDepartment: Behavioral Science
Title: Psychology Internship I
Semester Approved: Fall 2019
Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2024
End Semester: Summer 2025
Catalog Description: Psychology internships are designed to help students link theory with real life practice and/or research. Students can also gain valuable resume experience, network with professionals, and understand the intricacies of their chosen discipline. Some students will choose to continue with an original research project in much greater depth and broader scope. Other students may volunteer with a business, organization, or government agency and are individually arranged by the student in collaboration with psychology faculty and a supervisor at the workplace. This course is repeatable for up to 6 credits, with no more than 3 credits per semester. Each credit requires 45 clock hours of internship experience. Internships are typically pass/fail credits. Students desiring a grade will need to negotiate a contract with significant academic work beyond the actual work experience.
Semesters Offered: TBA
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 1-3; Lecture: 1-3; Lab: 0
Prerequisites: Psychology 1010
Justification: An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate them.” (NACE Definition, NACEweb.org)
As such, internships provide students opportunities to explore career options through an engaged setting, they help students apply academic materials and skill to practical work situations, they provide valuable professional experience, and they develop interpersonal skills.
Students who participate in internship opportunities secure work more quickly and are promoted more rapidly than students who do not. Often internships work well as capstone courses. All USHE institutions offer internship opportunities to their students.
Students at Snow can enroll in up to 3 internship credits in an academic semester. No more than 6 credits can count toward the associate’s degree. Duplicate experience for additional credit is not allowed.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will understand and apply classroom material to a professional work situation. Students will demonstrate that connection through a reflection paper, their journal entries, and in conversation with faculty mentor and work supervisor.
Develop interpersonal skills by negotiating with faculty and supervisors as they design an internship contract. Student evaluation is based on completion of the internship contract.
Students will develop professionalism by developing self-initiative, time management skills, effect communication skills, punctuality, and professional conduct. Students will be assessed through periodic reviews.
Students will draw more meaningful connections between classroom content and either research or internship experience. Students will demonstrate connections between their chosen experiences and the greater discipline of psychology in their journals, reflections, and in conversation with their faculty mentors.
Students will acquire either a) a greater understanding of the ins-and-outs of the research and publication process or b) a greater understanding of how psychology is employed in a professional setting. For a research project, assessment will take place via the actual research project, potential manuscripts, and/or through journals and reflections. For service in a professional setting, assessment will take place via their journal entries, which will demonstrate the connections between education and practical experience in psychology.
Content:
In collaboration with the faculty member and possible external supervisor, students will develop an internship contract for their unique research or internship experiences. The internship contract uses a student’s academic and professional interests to serve as the intellectual starting points for developing a semester-long project. Said project or experience will meet the following criteria:1) Aligns with the student’s academic program, 2) Offers the student an opportunity to significantly expand their current knowledge and skill set; and 3) Aligns with the student’s professional pursuits. To qualify for an internship, a student must be in good academic standing (2.0 GPA); have completed 30 semester hours or have instructor permission; and ideally have completed coursework that relates to the work experience.
Key Performance Indicators:
To receive credit for an internship, a student needs to work in the profession at least 45 hours for each credit. Students will also have either an original research project prepared for submission or external supervisor evaluations.
Research Project or Provider Evaluations 20 to 50%
Learning Logs or Journals 20 to 40%
Reflection Essays 20 to 40%
Progress Binders 10 to 25%
Representative Text and/or Supplies:
N/A
Pedagogy Statement:
The course is delivered through experiential learning experiences where students apply analytical, oral, written processes and procedures learned through academic classes to business and employment. The faculty mentor's role is to mentor the student, evaluate these key performance indicators, and assign a course grade.
Instructional Mediums:
Internship
Maximum Class Size: 1
Optimum Class Size: 1