Field Experiences/Internships
Internship or Field Experiences:
There are many benefits to students who participate in a field experience such as an internship or working as a volunteer in the community. Field experiences give students opportunities to network with professionals in the community and gain valuable skills that can be highlighted on graduate school applications and resumes/CVs. Students also can gain career-related experiences that can help supplement and extend the knowledge and skills developed in the classroom. Some organizations may have formal internships, but others may need volunteers for shorter time periods or a one-time basis. Most of these opportunities will be unpaid. During the summer, students can reach out to organizations in hometowns that might need volunteers or interns for a summer session.
The Career Center has the following to say about the importance of field experiences such as internships: Internships – Texas A&M Career Center
How Do I Find a Field Experience or Volunteer Experience? Students will need to find their own field experiences and volunteer opportunities. The Psychological and Brain Sciences Department does not have a formal internship program. However, local organizations sometimes do reach out and want to connect with undergraduate psychology and neuroscience majors. Below are links to various opportunities located both at TAMU and in the community. Some are in-person; others are remote. Some are a one-time basis and others are longer term. Students should try to find those opportunities that best fit their interests and time availability.
2024 Summer and Fall Internship Opportunities: located in the B/CS community and other parts of Texas
General Volunteer and Experience Opportunities (range from several hours commitment to semester-long)
Miscellaneous (Medical, Mental Health and Non-profits) Volunteer Opportunities
Course Credit for Field Experiences (PBSI 484):
The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences offers students an opportunity to earn course credit by participating in field internship experiences. The foundation of the internship is work completed in an approved mental health, school, industrial, or experimental setting. Finding appropriate field experiences is the responsibility of the student. Field experiences can include volunteer experiences or paid employment.
What will a PBSI 484 require?
Course description: Participation in an approved mental health, mental retardation, school, industrial, or other approved setting; field experiences supervised by an appropriate professor within an area of student interest; course requirements vary with the setting, the supervising professor, and the needs of the individual student. (Note: This course may NOT be repeated with same field experience).
Prerequisites: PBSI 301 and 302 (can be waived with approval); 12 hours of psychology; GPR of 2.5 or better in all psychology courses; approval of instructor; major in psychology.
Learning outcomes: By the end of this course, a successful student should be able to:
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Apply psychology knowledge and concepts in real world situations
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Demonstrate skills and competencies required in the workplace
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Summarize self-directed learning experiences
Grading policies: PBSI 484 is graded S/U. To earn a satisfactory grade in the course, the student must at least:
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Receive a satisfactory attendance report from the internship site supervisor
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Complete the learning agreement with the internship site supervisor and turn it into the instructor
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Conduct mid-term and final self-evaluations as well as mid-term and final evaluations with the supervisor
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Receive satisfactory report at final evaluation from the internship site supervisor
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Complete a work log
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Complete the required number of self-reflection assignments and turn them in to the instructor
Number of Course Hours (can be 0 – 4):
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Students must complete at least 40 hours of internship work PER CREDIT. For example, students who take this course for three credits are expected to complete at least 120 hours of contact time at the internship (i.e., on site, engaged in the internship work) in the semester. Students taking the internship for ZERO (0) credits must complete at least 40 hours of internship work.
How Do I Find a Field Experience that can be used for a PBSI 484?
Field experiences can be paid employment or volunteer work. Students can create field experiences or “internships” by reaching out to organizations (see links above) and inquiring about volunteer work opportunities.
How Do I Get Approval for a Field Experience to be used for a PBSI 484?
In order to register for PBSI 484, students must seek approval from a work supervisor before being approved by the instructor of record (Dr. Edens). Set up an appointment with Dr. Edens to discuss the appropriateness of your field experiences for 484 credit. Sign up below:
One-on-One Consultations with Dr. Edens (via Zoom)
To schedule a 20-minute consultation with Dr. Edens to discuss your individual needs, please fill out the following form prior to your consultation and sign up using the following link. Also, please be courteous and let Dr. Edens know by emailing (pamedens@tamu.edu) if you need to cancel your appointment.
What do I need to do after I get approval from the PBSI 484
Participation in these experiences requires that you and the instructor (Dr. Edens) complete a contract that details the expectations for working on the project. These forms are below.
Once the contract is completed and signed by the faculty member, you will email it to the Advising office (see the advising site for details).