PSY 399/PSY 499 - Internship in Psychology

(Any Concentration)

Prerequisites

Minimum GPA of 2.5
Sophomore status
Sponsorship by a Psychology Department faculty member
Approval of a TCNJ Psychology Internship Form by the Psychology Department ELOPsy (Experiential Learning Opportunities in Psychology) Committee.

Restrictions

PSY399 and PSY499 are ELOPsy courses; ELOPsy restrictions apply to Psychology Majors. In line with those restrictions, Psychology Majors may count multiple internships (PSY399 and/or PSY499) toward the major. Psychology Minors may count only one internship (PSY399 or PSY499) toward the minor.

Frequently Asked Questions about Internships in Psychology

Course Description

Students enrolled in Internship in Psychology engage in an extensive real-world learning experiences in an organizational context relevant to Psychology. Placements include positions in such areas as human resources, marketing, education, and social services. Students increase their mastery of specific areas of Psychology by using theories and practices in these applied settings. The opportunity to work in a professional setting helps students develop appropriate professional work standards, explore career options, and build mentor and other network relationships in the workplace.

Learning Objectives Associated with this Course

This course is designed to contribute to the following Program Learning Objectives:

Psychological Knowledge
Critical Thinking in Psychology
Effective Communication
Applying Psychology
Career Preparation

Course Specific Learning Objectives

Experience the importance and relevance of psychology concepts and issues in practice.
Gain exposure to professional settings.
Learn to work effectively as a contributing member of a work group or team.
Enjoy mentoring and networking relationships with professionals in the field of Psychology.
Develop competency working in diverse settings and with diverse populations.
Experience a sense of accomplishment when contributing to an organization.
Share new perspectives with current and future students at TCNJ.
Gain valuable experience for graduate school and employment.

Learning Activities/Pedagogy

In this upper level course, the student works side-by-side with professionals in an applied setting. While some placements require formal training programs and required readings, much of the learning is hands-on at the worksite. The learning goals will vary for each internship, but always include specific learning objectives, relevant readings assigned by the on-site supervisor and/or the faculty sponsor, weekly communication with the faculty sponsor, and evaluation of the learning goals by the on-site supervisor and the faculty sponsor.

For All Internships (PSY399 and PSY499): Students meet regularly with both their faculty sponsor and their on-site supervisor; keep a daily journal of their experiences at the placement; and email the journal to their faculty sponsor each week.

For PSY399: Students write a 12-15 page paper that integrates relevant sources from the professional psychology literature with the experiential learning of their placements. It is recommended that papers have a minimum of 12 scholarly references from the last 10 years.

For PSY499: Students take greater responsibility in the applied setting and develop self-directed learning skills. Students write a 20-25 page paper in multiple revisions, incorporating feedback from their faculty sponsor. The paper integrates relevant sources from the professional psychology literature with the experiential learning of the placement. Students also make an oral presentation based on their applied work to an appropriate audience.

Faculty Responsibilities

The faculty member will:

Assist the student with completion of the Internship Form.
Read the student’s daily journal on a regular basis and comment as needed; weekly communication between student and faculty sponsor is recommended.
Meet with the student on a regular basis, at least monthly, to discuss the student’s placement experiences. Weekly meetings are recommended, particularly for internships at clinical placements. If this is not possible, email and/or phone may be alternative means of communication.
Discuss with both student and on-site supervisor the student’s progress towards the learning objectives delineated in the Internship Form.
Provide written and oral feedback on student progress toward the learning objectives.
Evaluate the student’s work in accordance with the assessment plan outlined in the Internship Form and assign the student’s final grade.

Student Assessment:

Student learning will be assessed through the achievement of the academic learning objectives as well as professional conduct on the job. An individualized assessment plan is included in the student’s Internship Form.

Syllabus

TCNJ Psychology Internship Form with Learning Objectives and Supervisor's On-Site Evaluation form serves in lieu of a course syllabus.

TCNJ Psychology Internship Form is submitted toward the end of the semester prior to the semester in which the student will enroll in PSY399 or PSY499. The proposal is reviewed by the ELOPsy committee, composed of three full-time Psychology faculty members, to certify that the proposed internship (including specified learning objectives) meets the course requirements.

The Student Intern Performance Appraisal Form is a tool used to assess the student's performance at the internship site. The remaining portion of the student’s grade is associated with the individualized learning objectives developed for the student’s internship.