Internship Opportunities

The psychology internship program provides students with the opportunity to apply psychology to our local community, while earning course credits. A wide variety of internship opportunities are available including: providing advocacy to survivors of sexual assault, counseling middle school students, running alternative groups sessions for those with diverse mental health needs, working with the homeless, and engaging in advocacy work to reduce stigmas surrounding mental health, homophobia, racism, sexism, or violence on campus, as well as within our community.

To see a breakdown of course credits and hours see the chart below:

Steps to Securing an Internship and Course Credit

1. Research: To see a full list and description of potential internship sites, please  look at this spreadsheet (Google Sheet)

   The internship course requires that you attend bi-monthly 50-minute class meetings and complete the accompanying course readings. Make sure the class and course requirements fit with your anticipated semester schedule.

2. Reach Out: Personally contact the organization with which you would like to volunteer, and set-up a meeting to learn about the organization, internship responsibilities, and scheduling demands. Make sure the tasks, hours, and requirements are feasible.

3. Contract: Fill out the internship contract (PDF) with your site supervisor.

   Children & Vulnerable Populations: If, as an intern, you will be offering direct services to “vulnerable populations” (i.e. children under 18, senior citizens over 65, persons with comprised immune systems, etc.) you may be required to turn in additional documents. You are responsible for acquiring these documents. Your agency will inform you if the following documents are required:

   1. Certification of Negative TB Test Result ( Available at the Student Health Center).
   2. Arrest & Conviction History form   There are a number of places in Chico that offer live scan services including:
      • Butte County Sheriff’s office
      • Chico PD
      • Blue Oak Mobile Livescan

4. Turn in Contract: To complete the process, carefully follow these steps:

   1. Work with the site supervisor to fill in all information requested on the contract.
   2. Once you and the site supervisor agree about the contract, ask your supervisor to send you an email stating that they approve of the contract. Below is a template you can provide to the site supervisor for this.
   3. Send an email to the internship coordinator, Allee Harris ( akharris1@csuchico.edu), making sure to attach both the complete contract and the forwarded approval email from the site supervisor. Do not send the contract and approval email separately, but wait to have both completed and send them together in a single email.

   Approval email template for site supervisors

   I have worked with [student name] to complete a contract for an internship position at [site location]. By sending this email I assume responsibility for ensuring that the above student has the opportunity to complete the training and duties outlined in the contract. I agree to keep track of this student intern’s hours and to complete an evaluation of the student’s performance at the end of the semester.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How do I find an internship?
  A: Refer to the google excel sheet (visit the link provided above) for a list of internship types, requirements, and website links.

• Q: How do I start the internship application process?
  A: Refer to the google excel sheet (visit the link provided above), follow-up with contact number, or email address associated with your internship of interest. Introduce yourself, explain your interest in the organization (refer to personal experience, or future aspirations), and ask to set-up a meeting. Bring your resume to that meeting.

  For tips on resume writing, check out the resources at the Career Center.

• Q: Does my internship have to be in Butte County?
  A: It depends. You may have an internship outside of Chico, as long as Chico State has a contract with the organization. Please be sure to verify this by emailing Allee Harris directly ( akharris1@csuchico.edu) prior to agreeing to intern outside of Butte County.

• Q: Can I have an internship not listed on the spreadsheet?
  A: Maybe. Please check the google excel sheet first to see if any of the organizations listed interest you. If none of those organizations are of interest, please contact Allee Harris ( akharris1@csuchico.edu).

• Q: What if I can’t make the in-class meetings? Can I still do an internship?
  A: No. You are required to attend the in-class meetings. Chico State values providing high quality partnerships and service to our local community. In-class meetings allow for in-person faculty supervision, exploration of critical texts and dialogue, and group problem solving.

• Q: What if I don’t finish my internship hours?
  A: If you don’t complete your internship hours you will receive an incomplete for the course. This can affect financial aid, as well as Chico State’s ability to provide quality service to our community.

* After reading this website, if you have any additional questions or need further support, please contact Allee Harris: akharris1@csuchico.edu.