If you are considering a Psychology degree or are a current college student majoring in Psychology, you will want to get experience as a Psychologist while you are in school.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for psychologists—not to be confused with psychiatrists —has a steady growth rate of 8 percent through 2030. This means you will need to create a plan that helps you stand out as a well-rounded job candidate throughout your next four years of college.
Students should consider their college journey, not only as a path to their career, but also as an experience that allows them to build their resume. After all, holding a college degree does not guarantee you a job after graduation!
Start looking for internships during the fall of your second year of college. Note the experiences and businesses you would love to try as an intern, and the typical internship application deadlines. You do not want to find your dream Psychology internship your senior year of college, only to learn you have missed out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
While you do not have to have an internship to get a real job, it will set you apart in many ways. Having had at least one internship provides the real-world experience you cannot get in a classroom setting. As an intern, you’ll get a real feel for what your job as a psychologist will entail.
In addition to Psychology career exploration, you will get to apply the Psychology lessons you have learned in the classroom in real settings; not every daily action as a psychologist is a textbook experience! At the end of each internship, you will have a portfolio of unique and transferable skills. Internships add to your resume making you a top candidate.
Remember this: If your internship experience is exceptional, you may wind up securing a future job at that company! Even if you do not secure a job there, you will be ensuring your transition from college student to career professional is smooth.
Community Clinic Intern
Research Assistant
Social Work Intern
School Psychologist Intern
Clinical Research Intern
Child Development Intern
Psychology Teaching Assistant
Sports Psychology Intern
Available to: Graduate Students The GSP Operations Internship is available to graduate students who are pursuing a degree in public policy, public administration, psychology, sociology, child development, child welfare, family relations, criminal justice, education, or related fields. As an intern, you will gain hands-on exposure to social policy research and technical assistance by providing collaborative consultation to support programs and improve service delivery, gain insight into employment options beyond the academic and public sectors, and benefit from the guidance and support of MDRC's staff.
Available to: College Seniors & Graduate Students The Retensa Internship Program is available to college seniors and graduate. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and be majoring in business management, management information systems, marketing, computer science, industrial/organizational psychology, or organizational/human resource development to be eligible to apply. Prior relevant coursework or experience and computing skills are required.
Available to: College Freshmen – Seniors The Crime Victim Services Internship is available to qualified undergraduate or graduate students (criminal justice, psychology, sociology, or other related fields) with an interest in learning about the police department and crime patterns and trends. You must have intermediate level of computer knowledge and experience, ability to utilize word processing and data entry programs, and a positive and supportive attitude toward people of all backgrounds and abilities to be considered for this position. As an intern, you will assist the Crime Victim Services Coordinator with victim/witness contact, referrals, and follow-up and assist victims of violent crime with crime victim's compensation applications.
Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students The Children's Hospital of Michigan Internship is available to students who are independent or affiliated with a college or university pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in child life, child development, human development and family studies, psychology, or a closely related field. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, 100 hours of experience with well children and 100 hours of experience with stressful situations, health care settings, programs designed for children with special needs and three letters of recommendation to be considered for this position. As an intern, you will have an opportunity to briefly shadow each child life specialist to discuss the highlights of their assigned areas.
Available to: Graduate Students The Clinical Internships are available to students currently enrolled in an MSW/MFT/Clinical Psychology graduate program. You must possess strong interpersonal skills, interest in holistic mental health programs and delivery systems, and be detail-oriented, highly organized, and have strong computer skills to be considered for this position. As an intern, you will conduct Biopsychosocial and diagnostic assessments as needed.
Available to: College Juniors & Seniors The Project Assistant Intern is available to students pursuing a degree in business, public health, industrial/organizational psychology, organizational development, human resources management, or other related degrees. You must be enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university during your internship and authorized to work in the U.S. without future visa sponsorship requirements to be considered for this position. As an intern, you will be supporting business partners to implement small to medium projects that support the achievement of simple to complex unit or corporate goals. Projects may be business and/or operational in nature.
Available to: College Juniors & Seniors The Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) Internship is available to college students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be considered for this internship. Internship duties include support, monitor, test and troubleshoot hardware and software problems. Preferred areas of concentration: information technology, information systems, computer science, computer engineering, management information systems, business management, industrial operations and engineering, graphic design, human-computer interaction, human factors or psychology. Use your Fastweb profile to find more internships and scholarships that fit you. If you do not have a Fastweb account, create your free profile to get scholarship and internship matches that fit you!
JUMP TO PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIPS
When to Start Looking for Psychology Internships
Strive to have had at least two psychology internships during college. It is not too early to begin looking for internships during your sophomore year of college! Many Psychology internships require students to have started and/or completed core Psychology courses, but it does not hurt to start researching.The Benefits of a Psychology Internship
There are many benefits of a psychology internship. Consider each internship as a way to explore the psychology field. There are many types of Psychology jobs available. Psychology is not just part of one industry. In a way, an internship is an opportunity for you to explore the many areas of a Psychology career to figure out what suits you best. Use your life in the office to meet new people. Use your lunch break to chat with an experienced Psychology colleague to find out what areas they have worked in Psychology. Find out why they chose the current role they are in. You may discover another area you would like to try out as a Psychology intern! These conversations help you to build a robust network of connections and find mentors within the Psychology profession.Types of Psychology Internships
There are a variety of types of psychology internships to pick from. As a student learning the ropes of a psychology career, the array of Psychology internships college students have to choose from provides plenty of chances to find out what you like best. If you are asking, What kind of internships should a psychology student do?, the best answer is a mix! Below is a list of the most common types of psychology internships:What do psychology interns do?
The type of psychology business, school, or clinic you intern at sets the pace for your day-to-day tasks. So, what can you expect from a psychology internship? Expect to take an active part in many roles, from applying scientific study during clinic sessions to helping your supervisor review thought processes. You will apply classroom theories related to social psychology, developmental psychology, and connect them with empathy, listening, communication, and analytical skills, according to Pscyology.org.Psychology Internships for College Students
GSP Operations Internship
Deadline: 2/27/23Available to: Graduate Students The GSP Operations Internship is available to graduate students who are pursuing a degree in public policy, public administration, psychology, sociology, child development, child welfare, family relations, criminal justice, education, or related fields. As an intern, you will gain hands-on exposure to social policy research and technical assistance by providing collaborative consultation to support programs and improve service delivery, gain insight into employment options beyond the academic and public sectors, and benefit from the guidance and support of MDRC's staff.
Retensa Internship Program
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: College Seniors & Graduate Students The Retensa Internship Program is available to college seniors and graduate. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and be majoring in business management, management information systems, marketing, computer science, industrial/organizational psychology, or organizational/human resource development to be eligible to apply. Prior relevant coursework or experience and computing skills are required.
Crime Victim Services Internship
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: College Freshmen – Seniors The Crime Victim Services Internship is available to qualified undergraduate or graduate students (criminal justice, psychology, sociology, or other related fields) with an interest in learning about the police department and crime patterns and trends. You must have intermediate level of computer knowledge and experience, ability to utilize word processing and data entry programs, and a positive and supportive attitude toward people of all backgrounds and abilities to be considered for this position. As an intern, you will assist the Crime Victim Services Coordinator with victim/witness contact, referrals, and follow-up and assist victims of violent crime with crime victim's compensation applications.
Children's Hospital of Michigan Internship
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students The Children's Hospital of Michigan Internship is available to students who are independent or affiliated with a college or university pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in child life, child development, human development and family studies, psychology, or a closely related field. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, 100 hours of experience with well children and 100 hours of experience with stressful situations, health care settings, programs designed for children with special needs and three letters of recommendation to be considered for this position. As an intern, you will have an opportunity to briefly shadow each child life specialist to discuss the highlights of their assigned areas.
Downtown Women's Center Clinical Internship
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: Graduate Students The Clinical Internships are available to students currently enrolled in an MSW/MFT/Clinical Psychology graduate program. You must possess strong interpersonal skills, interest in holistic mental health programs and delivery systems, and be detail-oriented, highly organized, and have strong computer skills to be considered for this position. As an intern, you will conduct Biopsychosocial and diagnostic assessments as needed.
Anthem, Inc. Project Assistant Intern
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: College Juniors & Seniors The Project Assistant Intern is available to students pursuing a degree in business, public health, industrial/organizational psychology, organizational development, human resources management, or other related degrees. You must be enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university during your internship and authorized to work in the U.S. without future visa sponsorship requirements to be considered for this position. As an intern, you will be supporting business partners to implement small to medium projects that support the achievement of simple to complex unit or corporate goals. Projects may be business and/or operational in nature.
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. Internship
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: College Juniors & Seniors The Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) Internship is available to college students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be considered for this internship. Internship duties include support, monitor, test and troubleshoot hardware and software problems. Preferred areas of concentration: information technology, information systems, computer science, computer engineering, management information systems, business management, industrial operations and engineering, graphic design, human-computer interaction, human factors or psychology. Use your Fastweb profile to find more internships and scholarships that fit you. If you do not have a Fastweb account, create your free profile to get scholarship and internship matches that fit you!
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Shawna Newman
Managing Editor, Contributing Writer
Shawna Newman is the Managing Editor and a writer at Fastweb. She has over 10 years of experience in higher education. Her direct work with college admissions teams, financial aid officers, college deans, ...
