University of Richmond

Experiential Learning

Four walls can’t contain an entire education. That’s why, at Richmond, most students extend their educations by participating in experiential learning opportunities.  They’re the chance to take what you’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to the real world, either via research, an internship or studying abroad.

Internships

Each spring, students in the psychology department compete for internships with area psychologists—both on and off campus. The experience introduces students to clinical and research environments and helps them decide whether they are interested in pursuing the study of psychology at the graduate level.  Supervisors are direct and honest in appraising job performance and students leave the experience with a much better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.

Students typically choose to intern in either a clinical/mental health setting, such as a drug intervention program, treatment center for children or program for the homeless, a health/development setting, such as a nursing home, Red Cross office or Planned Parenthood program, or an industrial/organizational psychology setting, such as a human resources or selection and training entity.

To receive credit for an internship, students must enroll in Psychology 388.  Internships generally require nine hours of work per week, and students who complete the program successfully earn three credit hours after having met the following course objectives:

  • Apply psychological theories to a field setting of relevance to psychological science
  • Preview experiences associated with potential career paths in psychological science
  • Consider and behave appropriately with regard to the APA and APS ethical standards for psychologists
  • Enhance skills in scientific writing

Over the last decade, the Department of Psychology has placed students in internships both in the city of Richmond and beyond.

In addition to completing a spring semester internship, many students choose to apply for summer internships, either in the City of Richmond or their hometown. The Career Development Center

can help identify internships that would be beneficial for students studying psychology.

Student Employment

Psychology students who are seeking employment during the academic year should consider working for the Department of Psychology. Jobs include serving as a teaching fellow for an Introduction to Psychology laboratory, serving as a technology fellow, working as a student assistant in the department’s office and working as a laboratory assistant in professors’ research labs. Visit the Student Employment Center for job descriptions and application details.

Study Abroad

Rated the “Hottest College for International Studies” by Newsweek magazine, the University of Richmond takes study abroad seriously. The Department of Psychology encourages students to experience another culture through spending a semester in another country. The key to having an incredible experience abroad and still graduating in four years is to speak to your major advisor early and to plan your coursework carefully. Because of the way the psychology curriculum is designed, students usually prefer to spend their final three semesters on campus taking upper-level coursework. Therefore, the best times to study abroad are the spring semester of your sophomore year, the fall semester of your junior year or during a summer.

For information on studying abroad, visit the Office of International Education.