Course Code: PY 489

Title: Independent Internship in Psychology

Credits: 1 - 3

Prepared: October 2000

Catalog Description: Students apply the psychological concepts they have learned in the classroom and laboratory to work-related experiences. Working with the cooperation of the Career Services Office and a faculty sponsor, the student will secure an internship site. On a volunteer basis, students will work 40 hours per credit per term at their internship sites. Students are required to develop learning objectives at the start of their internship, keep a journal of their internship experience throughout their placement, and write a final paper which includes an integrated review of the literature and reports their progress in meeting their learning objectives. Successful completion of this course fulfills the Experiential Education requirement.

Prerequisites: Junior standing, 21 credits completed in psychology, overall GPA of 3.0, approval by Psychology Department.

Faculty Sponsor: Any of the faculty from the Department of Psychology may act as a student's faculty sponsor. Students must secure their own field placements by visiting the Experiential Education webs site (www.monmouth.edu/exed/) or consulting the LCAC's Community Service and Experiential Programs Office. Once a potential site has been identified, students should then apporach a faculty sponsor in the Department. Once a faculty member has agreed to take on the role, the student and sponsor have an initial meeting to fill out and submit the Experiential Education form to register for the placement.

Type of Placement: Students must volunteer for at least 40 hours per credit earned in the course. During the summer students may volunteer full-time for at least 6 weeks or 12 - 15 hours a week for the full summer. Internship sites for psychology majors typically include mental health facilities, daycare centers and schools, human resources departments in businesses, camps, and some types of social service agencies. Note that students who wish to obtain a placement in a mental health facility must arrange it through the Department of Psychology, due to the sensitive nature of work in this area.

Course Objectives: Through a combination of actual on-site supervised exposure, meetings with the professor and library research, enable the advanced psychology student to:

• Apply psychological principles and methods in a professional setting.
• Develop an appreciation for the contributions of psychology within a more broad institutional and societal context.
• Cultivate technical, analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Progress towards greater self-understanding and clarity of professional goals.
• Gain experience that will help in securing professional employment.

• Meeting with the faculty sponsor. The student must meet with the supervising professor a minimum of five times over the course of the semester.

 
• Developing and pursuing Learning Objectives (one Learning Objective required per credit). A learning objective is a clear description of the concrete results you will agree to produce in the area of learning during your internship. This assignment provides an opportunity to define long-term goals clearly, to measure progress toward them, and to demonstrate that you have attained them. Learning objectives should include specific conditions of satisfaction, and must be submitted for department approval by the end of the third week in the semester (or the first week of the summer session). Student's progress toward meeting these learning objectives will be evaluated at the end of the semester in their own Self-Assessment of Present Work-Related Competencies.

 
• Keeping a Reflective Journal. The journal should record your reactions to the work, to the people around you, and to the positive or not so positive experiences that are inseparable from any working environment (keeping in mind that confidentiality must be preserved). A good journal is far more than a chronological listing of events. There is no set length to a journal entry, and one journal entry may not necessarily be consistent with another. Over the course of several weeks, however, a coherent picture emerges in a journal that is thoughtfully and conscientiously written. A journal may also contain any on-the-job dilemmas (politically, philosophically, ethically) or problems and related insights. The journal is due at the end of the semester when the final paper is turned in. It should also be brought to all meetings with the sponsor to facilitate discussion of the placement.

 
• Writing a Comprehensive Paper (minimum 10-15 pages, 10 references). The purpose of the research paper can be: to explore a contemporary issue or trend relating to your particular setting, to study in greater depth particular strategies, methodologies or therapies, or to evaluate the effectiveness of particular psychological principles or methods. Students are expected to consult with their on-site supervisor and professor in clarifying a particular area for further study. Papers will be graded for content, grammar, and adherence to APA style. An annotated bibliography containing at least 5 references must be submitted by the midterm.
 

40% Successful on-going participation and completion of internship placement, as judged by professor (based upon discussions with student and periodic communication with on-site supervisor)

20% Comprehensive Paper

20% Reflective journal that includes student's self-assessment of present work-related competencies

20% Evaluation of work experience by on-site supervisor

Note: Due to the serious nature of representing Monmouth University at internship sites off-campus, an interview with the professor is required before a student is assigned to a field site. In addition, the student will sign an agreement of professional and ethical behavior with the professor and participating site. The student may be dismissed at any time during the course for unprofessional behavior and conduct at the internship site, resulting in a failing grade for the course.

Note: Transportation to internship sites is the student's responsibility. Regular attendance is crucial at your internship site. You will be required to sign an attendance sheet at the internship site. If you cannot make your assigned visit to the site, you will be expected to take responsibility and notify the internship site.