Clinical Practicum in Psychology (PSYC 498)

Course Description

A Clinical practicum (also referred to as field experience and/or internship in psychology) offers an opportunity to directly experience the mental health field by serving in a social service agency for undergraduate course credit. The Practicum is an excellent way to get real life exposure to the people and psychological phenomena which you have studied in your psychology classes. This service learning course allows you to gain valuable experience prior to applying to graduate school or to job first job upon graduation.

Possible placements include hospitals, mainstream schools and special needs facilities, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, prisons, homeless and domestic abuse shelters, and child welfare agencies. It is possible to work with children or adults.

Prerequisites

The following is a list of the prerequisites for Clinical Practicum

  • Juniors and Seniors

  • Successful completion of Personality (PSYC 360), Abnormal (PSYC 370), and Clinical (PSCY 470)

  • Overall Psychology GPA of 2.5 or higher

  • Completion of a formal application (Click here for applications)

  • Consent of the Psychology Department

PSYC 498 Class Requirements

In addition to completing a designated number of hours of training at your site, you will be required to meet with the Practicum Faculty Supervisor on a regular basis throughout the semester. This meeting typically takes the form of a bi-weekly class, in which you will have the opportunity to ask questions, get feedback, and reflect on your clinical experiences with both the Practicum Supervisor and your classmates who are placed at other agencies. When registering for the Practicum course, you must make sure you are available to attend this class. (It is listed in Info Bear.)

Steps to Obtaining Field Work

  • Meet with the Field Work Coordinator in the Psychology Department. This will ensure that you have the necessary requirements to pursue a Practicum, as well as to explore Practicum options. Use the site database that you receive from the Field Work Coordinator to begin your research on Practicum sites. Each individual website will give you specific location(s) and programs offered at the site.

  • You may also create your own Practicum. Some of the best PracticumÂ’s are developed through direct contact to local employers who may have never listed a position with the college. You will need to bring information on the site to your meeting with the Field Work Coordinator. If there is enough time to ascertain that they are an appropriate site, you may intern at the new placement.

  • Make a list of the sites, in order of preference, that you are most interested in pursuing. Narrow down your search to three possible sites for interviews.

  • Contact each employer either by phone or email and tell them you are a BSU student looking for a Practicum opportunity. You may have to be diligent until you receive a response. If they invite you to an interview, make sure it is a site you are truly interested in before accepting.

  • Make an appointment with Career Services to have your resume and/or cover letter critiqued. Career Services drop-in hours for resume critiques are Monday-Thursday, 11 AM – 2 PM (last appointment at 1:30 PM. www.bridgew.edu/careerservices/

  • You will need to join APA (the American Psychological Association) and purchase their liability insurance (covering 1-3 million dollars). The membership cost for undergraduate students is $35. You will need to pay an additional $35 for the insurance. Student affiliation in the APA has many benefits and makes a nice addition to your resume! (Go to the website www.apa.org).

  • When you have decided on a site for your Practicum (and the site has decided on you), return to the Field Work Coordinator to complete the necessary paperwork. Leave plenty of time for this last step as our system will need to verify and approve your practicum choice so that you can receive credit.

Additional Information

Interviewing

  • Remember that a Practicum interview should be treated the same as a job interview.

  • Bring your updated resume and dress professionally when you visit the site. You may bring the Practicum Agreement form, as well as the Practicum Application form that the Site Employer will need to sign. This may help the administrators and supervisor understand your educational needs and school requirements.

Clinical Practicum Credit and Work Hours

      Below is a chart describing the Clinical Practicum credit and work hours.  A Practicum for 3 credits is most typical.

Credits

Hours per week

Total Hours for Semester

3

9

135

6

18

270

9

27

405

12

36

540

15

40

675















Registration

  • You will not be able to register for PSYC 498 on-line during pre-registration.

  • All students who are admitted into the practicum course will be enrolled by the Registrar during Add/Drop week at the start of the semester, based on successful completion of the application forms and approval by the Psychology Department.

  • You may not get paid for your internship. The philosophy of the Practicum is that this is a learning experience, similar to a class. You are receiving academic credit for you work at your site, and your site is expected to provide you with training and education rather than financial compensation. Keep in mind, however, that once you have completed the Practicum, your site may choose to hire you as a paid employee, especially once you have graduated from college.

Field Work Coordinator Contact Information

Fran Barth
Field Work Coordinator
Psychology Department
Hart Hall 329
508-531-2533
fbarth@bridgew.edu

 

Last Modified: April 13, 2012