Internships in Psychology (PSC 192)

Internships provide students with an opportunity to utilize academic concepts in a real-world setting, build skills, and obtain practical experience. Students who secure an internship may apply to earn PSC 192 credit, which can count toward the Psychology Elective requirement for the major.

What Is an Internship?

Internships can look different depending on the opportunity you find. Generally, internships are short-term experiences designed to help students explore a career field, develop professional skills, and build connections within an industry.

Internships related to psychology may take place in many types of organizations, including mental health services, community programs, schools, healthcare settings, research environments, nonprofits, or government agencies.

Important: The Psychology Department does not place students into internships. Students are responsible for identifying and securing their own internship opportunities. However, the department maintains a list of internship sites that were previously approved for PSC 192 credit.

How to Get Psychology Major Credit for an Internship (PSC 192)

Students may earn PSC 192 credit for internships that are meaningfully related to psychology. Because psychology is a broad field, internships in a wide variety of settings may qualify.

Basic Eligibility

Be a Psychology major
Have upper division standing (have completed 84 units or more)
Secure an internship related to psychology
Obtain approval from the Psychology Internship Coordinator

PSC 192 is intended for students who already have a foundation in psychology. Students are recommended to have completed at least five upper-division psychology courses (including courses taken concurrently with PSC 192) in order to successfully complete the course writing requirements.

Application and Registration Process

Find an internship that is relevant to the field of psychology. Students are responsible for contacting organizations and securing their own internships.
Complete the PSC 192 Application Form with your internship site supervisor.
Submit the completed form to the Psychology Internship Coordinator at [email protected]
If your application is approved, the Coordinator will provide you with the CRN needed to register for PSC 192.
Register for the course using the CRN is Schedule Builder

PSC 192 Unit Limitations

Students can enroll in a maximum of six PSC 192 units per quarter. The units you are eligible for depend on the cumulative hours you complete for the quarter.

Units per Quarter	Average Hours per Week	Total Hours for the Quarter
1	3	30
2	6	60
3	9	90
4	12	120
5	15	150
6	18	180

You can use a maximum for 12 units of internship courses (92, 192) towards your degree
There is a limit on how many special study units overall (092, 097T, 097TC, 099, 192, 194H, 197T, 197TC, 199 and similar courses) can be applied to your degree. Please check with your college advisor to make sure are not exceeding this limit.
PSC 192 may be taken multiple times, but no more than twice per internship site.
A maximum of 6 units of PSC 192 may be applied to the Psychology Electives Requirement for the major.

Pre-Approved PSC 192 Internship Sites

PSC 192 Application

Deadlines

Plan ahead! After you secure your internship offer, submit your application as soon as possible
Applications can be approved and CRNs issued before Pass One registration
The PSC 192 Application form must be submitted by the 10th day of instruction of the quarter in which you will be working at your internship site

Frequently Asked Questions

When is PSC 192 offered?
PSC 192 is offered during Fall, Winter, and Spring quarter. It is not currently offered for Summer Session.
Is PSC 192 letter graded or P/NP?
PSC 192 is P/NP grading
What is the structure of PSC 192?
In addition to the hours at your internship site, you will independently locate and read scientific articles. You will write six papers integrating your work experience with the scientific literature.
Can I get PSC 192 units for an internship I did previously?
No. PSC 192 is designed to promote iterative learning by integrating your work experience with the scientific literature. Your work experience should drive your academic curiosity, and the scientific findings should be incorporated into your work. You must complete the internship work and the academic work concurrently.
What happens if I can't complete all the hours?
Students are expected to complete at least 90% of the total hours planned for the quarter.

Still have questions?

Please email the Psychology Internship Coordinator at [email protected]