Internships

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
• LinkedIn
• 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?

Learn more and apply here.

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.

Resources 

• Career Service Network – Advisors  
• Career Service Network – Electronic Resume Review
• Career Service Network – Career Fairs & Events
• Career Service Network – MSU Career Handbook