What are internships?
An internship is a hands-on work experience in a field of interest.
You’ll work with an organization (like a nonprofit, hospital, business, or government agency) and take on real responsibilities that help you build skills and explore a potential career path.
Internships can be:
- Paid or unpaid.
- For academic credit or just for experience.
If you choose to earn credit, your internship can count toward the College of Social Science Experiential Learning Requirement.
What will I gain from this experience?
Internships help you:
- Build real-world skills (communication, teamwork, problem-solving).
- Learn how workplaces actually function.
- Gain experience in different settings and roles.
- Connect with professionals and grow your network.
- Try out career paths before committing.
Many students walk away with something just as important as experience: a clearer sense of direction.
Is this experience for me?
Short answer: yes. Internships are valuable for every student, but they’re especially helpful if you:
- Plan to enter the workforce after graduation.
- Want hands-on, people-facing experience.
- Are still exploring career options.
- Want to build professional skills employers are looking for.
Through internships, students develop key competencies like communication, teamwork, professionalism, leadership, and critical thinking – all things that translate across careers.
If you want to earn course credit, you have a few different options. The biggest difference between them is how you find your internship.
- PSY 382: General PSY Internship
- Credits: 3 to 12
- Semesters: Fall or Spring or Summer
- You take the lead in finding your internship.
- Best if you’re independent, proactive, or already have something lined up.
- PSY 381+382: Human Services PSY Internship
- Credits: 6-12
- Semesters: Spring and Summer
- We help you find your placement by giving you tools and connections.
- Best if you want a structured, hands-on experience in helping professions with built-in support additional support while searching for internships.
- SSC 493: International Internship
- Credits: Variable
- Semesters: Typically Summer (varies by program)
- Apply to an existing program.
- Best for: students interested in gaining global experience.
- Important: we must be able to communicate directly with your site supervisor in English.
How do I participate in the General PSY Internship?
Getting started might feel overwhelming, but it’s really just a few steps.
Step 1: Credit or no credit?
First, decide what you want this experience to do for you.
- Want to meet your Experiential Learning requirement? Go for credit.
- Just want to build experience (paid or volunteer)? No credit needed.
Both options are great. It just depends on your goals.
Step 2: Get ready
Before you apply, take some time to reflect and get organized.
Start with your goals:
- What kind of work sounds interesting to me?
- What skills do I want to build?
- What populations or communities do you want to work with? Youth? Refugees? LGBTQ+ community?
- What types of organizations do you want to try? For-profit or non-profit? Governmental organizations? Fortune 500 companies? Small business?
Then, get your materials ready:
- Draft or update your resume and tailor it to roles of interest.
- Write a flexible cover letter you can adapt for applications.
- Use Career Services Network resources (resume guides, workshops, advising).
- Meet with a College of Social Science Career Advisor for feedback.
Build your professional online presence:
- Update or create your LinkedIn profile.
- Set up and complete your Handshake profile.
- It’s a good idea to make your personal social media accounts private or make sure you’re comfortable with potential employers viewing your public posts.
Step 3: Search for opportunities (and get creative)
Finding internships in psychology can take a little creativity. Many internships won’t be labeled “psychology internship," and those that do are often geared toward graduate students.
Instead of searching by major, search by:
- Population (e.g., children, older adults, refugees, patients).
- Setting (e.g., hospital, nonprofit, school, business).
- Skills (e.g., communication, data collection, outreach, case management).
Try this approach:
- Look at job postings you like and borrow keywords from them.
- Use tools (including AI) to generate alternative search terms.
Where to search:
- MSU Handshake
- State of Michigan Jobs
- Michigan Volunteers
- Michigan Talent Connect
- Indeed
- ZipRecruiter
- Organization websites (careers, internships, or volunteer pages)
Use your network:
- Talk to professors, advisors, friends, and family.
- Attend career fairs, panels, and student organization events.
- Check for opportunities in our biweekly newsletter.
Step 4: reach out and apply
If you find a posting that aligns with your goals, apply! But don’t stop there.
Take initiative by:
- Emailing or calling organizations you’re interested in.
- Introducing yourself and sharing your interests.
- Asking about internship or volunteer opportunities.
- Requesting a job shadow to learn more.
Not all internships are posted. You can create your own opportunity.
Step 5: apply for credit (if applicable)
Learn more and apply here.
How do I participate in the Human Service Internship?
How do I participate in an International Internship?
Learn more and apply on the College of Social Science website.
Important Note
The "12/12/20 Rule" applies:
- You may apply up to 12 independent study credits, 12 internship/practicum credits/field experience credits, and no more than 20 total combined to your degree.
- PSY 371/372 and PSY 381 do not count toward this limit.