Psychology Internships
The department requires psychology majors to complete 3 credits of Individualized Engagement prior to graduation, with an internship being one option within this area. Neuroscience majors can also complete internships as part of their degree requirements, although this experience is an elective within their curriculum.
Our internship program serves students with junior or senior standing who are interested in gaining experience that bridges the gap between academic course work and the challenges of working in the fields of psychology or neuroscience; approximately 70% of psychology majors meet their capstone requirement via this option. Students completing an internship are able to relate their academic knowledge of psychology to actual career situations and responsibilities in one or more professional settings.
How to Register for an Internship
Before registering for an internship, students must receive departmental approval. If the student chooses an internship site that is not a commonly used site, a member of the department will investigate the site to ensure its suitability before approval.
The department’s internship program is coordinated by Dr. Jenna Marx, assistant professor of psychology. For review and approval of the internship site and to obtain copies of the required Internship Registration Form and Learning Agreement, contact Dr. Marx at 717-867-6196 or marx@lvc.edu.
For a copy of the full department handbook with additional information, email Dr. Lou Manza at manza@lvc.edu.
Internship Placements
The psychology department has developed a professional relationship with a variety of agencies that allow students to gain real-world experiences that relate to their career interests, and a list of these agencies is available to all students through the department. Students interested in pursuing unique internship experiences are encouraged to explore possible internship settings that will offer personalized experiences that are consistent with students’ long-term goals. Placements of former interns include psychiatric hospitals, school psychology departments, zoos, veterinary clinics, crisis intervention agencies, research hospitals, human resource agencies, hospice programs, and counseling centers.
LVC psychology majors have completed internships at these sites in these and other areas:
Previous Internship Locations by Area
Harrisburg State Hospital, Philhaven Hospital, Camp Hill Prison Diagnostic Center
Lebanon County Commission on Drugs & Alcohol, Pinnacle Health
Vista School, Milton Hershey School, Annville-Cleona School District
Lebanon City School District, Northern Lebanon School District
Lebanon County Children & Youth, Lebanon County Juvenile Probation, Philhaven Hospital, Adams County Youth Detention Center
Domestic Violence Intervention, Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling
Compeer Program of Lebanon County, Community Services Group, Lebanon Bureau Disability
Hope Springs Farm, Quittie Glen Center for Mental Health, Supportive Concept for Families
Kindred Place
Hershey Medical Center
- Field Placement: Students are required to complete 45 clock-hours at their respective agency for each academic credit earned. Before beginning the field placement, the person responsible for providing supervision is given a letter detailing departmental guidelines and expectations for the intern. A comprehensive evaluation form is also provided which must be completed before the end of the internship. Requirements for successful completion of the field performance include a satisfactory evaluation and submitting a daily log of activities to the psychology department after completing the field experience.
- Seminar (PSY 400): In addition to the field placement, students are required to attend an internship seminar that meets weekly. During seminar, students currently involved in a field placement engage in round-table discussions about issues related to their internship experience. In addition, students are required to read a series of articles that deal directly with internship issues. These articles include issues related to ethics, clinical writing, stress, assault risk, and self-care. Students also learn basic skills related to intern/client interactions via role-playing exercises.
- Evaluation: After approval, students are permitted to take up to 12 credits of internship, no more than 9 of which may be at one particular site. Generally, students complete 3 and 6 credits of internship. Requirements for successful completion of the internship seminar include class attendance and the completion of a paper detailing the internship experience. Upon successful completion of both primary components of the internship (field placement and seminar) students are given a grade of “P” for the number of credits taken.
Psychology Major Studies Whales in Hawaii
Morgan Ernst ’21 completed an incredible internship as a research assistant studying Hawaiian humpback whales in Kihei, on the island of Maui, in Hawaii.