Today, more than ever, competition is intense for jobs and for entry into graduate school. To be truly competitive you need to have an edge. By participating in internships and volunteer work you will complement your academic experience and gain valuable experience that will advance you toward your academic and professional goals. And, in many cases, you even have the opportunity to earn either Psychology or general U.W. elective credit for your work.

Psych 497 - Field Work Credit. Psychology majors have the opportunity to earn departmental elective credit for their fieldwork in areas related to psychology.   The Psychology Department offers Psych 497, a weekly seminar open to students who are also engaged in volunteer work in the community. Students have the chance to gain valuable training and work experience in the fields of counseling, social services, criminal justice, education and human resources. In conjunction with the field experience, the 497 seminar helps students to further define their educational and career goals by encouraging the exploration of larger academic questions which relate to the work they are doing at the internship site. Psych 497 may be of particular interest to psychology majors in that the credits earned may be applied (in a limited number), toward the 50 or 66 psychology credits required for the B.A. and B.S. in Psychology. An added benefit is the format of Psych 497 which allows students majoring in the same field and working in similar settings to share their experiences. Browse a list of nearly 60 community agencies where psychology majors have successfully found volunteer and internship positions.   Take a look at the agencies' volunteer listings, but also consider contacting them directly to discuss what possibilities they might have for you as a psychology major. Stop by the Psychology Advising Office to register for Psych 497.

Typical Intern/Volunteer Positions

Psychology majors typically find intern and volunteer positions in the fields of counseling, criminal justice, education, social services, health, and human resources.  Below are a list of some typical field positions that former psychology majors have held.  For information about agencies and their current volunteer opportunities, click on the "community agencies" link above.

In the counseling area...

• Mental Health Program Intern, Federal Way Youth & Family Services
• Crisis Intervention Phone Worker, King County Crisis Clinic
• School Psychology Intern, Tacoma School District
• Residential Treatment Counselor, Ryther Child Center
• Shelter Advocate, Eastside Domestic Violence Program

In the education area...

• Youth Peer Educator, Asian Pacific AIDS Council
• Student Support Services Intern, Summit K-12 School
• Assistant Teacher, Union Bay Children's Center
• School Based Program Coordinator, Big Brothers/Big Sisters
• Community Outreach Director, Cascade People's Center

In the social services area...

• At-Risk Youth Advocate, New Start Program
• Community Liaison Intern, Fremont Public Association-Partners in Caring
• Youth Worker, La Ba Te Yah Youth Home
• Case Management Intern, Family Services
• Community Service Volunteer, El Centro de la Raza

In the health related area...

• Research Interviewer, Group Health Center for Health Studies
• Emergency Room Volunteer, Children's Hospital
• Peer Health Educator, Hall Health Center-UW
• Breast Cancer Program Intern, American Cancer Society
• Child Life Specialist Volunteer, Swedish Medical Center

In the human resources area...

• Human Resource Generalist Intern, Consejo Counseling & Referral Services
• Client Relations, Go 2 Net, Inc.
• Human Services Intern, Downtown Human Services
• Assistant Coordinator for Leadership Development, Safeco Insurance Company
• Human Resource Intern, The Prudential

In the criminal justice area...

• Victim Support Team Volunteer, Seattle Police Department
• Paralegal Assistant, King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office
• Conflict Resolution Instructor, Northwest Institute for Restorative Justice
• Youth Chaplain, King County Youth Detention Facility
• Domestic Violence Advocate Assistant, Seattle City Attorney

• Profiles of some local internship/volunteer sites
• Pipeline Project-Volunteer opportunties throughout the Seattle Public Schools
• United Way Volunteer Center
• Edward E. Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center at the U.W.

Tell us about your internship or volunteer experience! If you've already completed, or are currently participating in an internship or volunteer experience that you feel complements your academic studies, the Advising Office would love to hear about it. Please email us with the details.