Many human service organizations have internship positions available for psychology majors. These organizations include group homes, social service agencies, mental health facilities, crisis hotlines, educational intervention programs, domestic violence and homeless shelters. Students may obtain course credit by working for a human service organization during one semester of the academic year and simultaneously enrolling in an academic course that includes weekly meetings, reading, and writing assignments, along with student-created learning plans and an independent project. In-class meetings involve group discussion of assigned readings and related internship experiences, and learning activities on professional development topics (e.g., Getting to know your internship agency; Becoming a helper; Taking care of yourself; Career development; Clinical and communication skills; Cultural competence; Ethical and professional issues in human services). For more information about this opportunity, students should talk directly with the department's internship coordinator (psyc-internship@luc.edu).

PSYC 390 is one of several capstone experiences for psychology majors: a senior-level course allowing students to use skills developed in their psychology major in an applied setting.

 

Prerequisites for PSYC 390 are:

 

• PSYC 304. Statistics

Please see the PSYC 390 Application Instructions.  Students must apply for PSYC 390 the semester before they plan to take it.  Application includes completing an application and submitting two faculty letters of recommendation, typically by the end of the 7th week of the semester before (dates are advertised each year in the Psychology Undergraduate Student Newsletter). In addition, Students must make arrangements for their internship placement by 2 weeks prior to the semester’s start. Questions about the application procedure should be addressed to the Internship Coordinator (psyc-internship@luc.edu).

 

PSYC 390 students are expected to attend weekly classes and complete weekly assignments, and to work as an intern for a minimum of 100 hours during the semester in a social service agency. The internship coordinator will provide students with a list of possible site placements prior to enrolling in PSYC 390. The Center for Experiential Learning offers additional resources for helping students find placements. 

 

As representatives of the Loyola community, students are expected to perform in a manner that brings credit to their institution. Interested students should discuss the PSYC 390 internship experience with the internship coordinator early in the semester before enrolling in the course.