Engaged learning opportunities are a critical part of what we do. We believe that research and internship opportunities enable students to creatively apply what they have learned in the classroom and spark intellectual curiosity.
Research & Internship
Research
Psychology majors are strongly encouraged to conduct research, regardless of their intended careers. Research opportunities are a great way to help students develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are necessary for future careers or graduate school. If you decide to get involved with research you will work directly with a faculty member who will mentor you through the research process.
What opportunities are available?
- Time commitment is agreed upon by you and faculty member
- Can be during the academic year or summer
- 2-credit hours (5 hours/week minimum)
- 4-credit hours (10 hours/week minimum)
- Read the Supervised Research Guidelines [PDF]
- Credits do not count toward the major
- Available during the school year
- Should be discussed with faculty member at least one semester in advance of taking the credit
To learn more, check out the PSY 509 Supervised Research Guidelines [PDF]. To sign up for the course, complete the Individualized Instruction Form [PDF] and the PSY 509 Supervised Research Contract [PDF] with your supervising faculty member.
- Independent research project with faculty mentor providing guidance
- Takes full year (starting during the summer before senior year is strongly encouraged)
- Sign up for 2-credit PSY 509 for fall semester and 4-credit PSY 510 for spring semester
For more information, take a look at the PSY 510 Thesis Guidelines [PDF].
- This is an 8-10 week commitment to full-time on-campus research
- Typically completed from June through the end of July/early August, but timing is determined by you and your research mentor
- Many students receive funding through the Summer Research Fellows Program
- Summer Research Fellows receive stipends of $3500 for on-campus summer research.
- Fellows can also apply for a reduced housing rate of $500 for the summer. Students must apply directly to the Office of Residential Life and Housing for this special rate.
- Students who conduct research full time in the summer (at least 320 hours) can also enroll in a zero credit Summer Research Course (TFA 002). Requirements include completing a pre and post assessment as well as a reflection.
- To qualify for a fellowship, you must have a faculty member who will sponsor you in their lab. It is best to meet with faculty members in mid-to-late Fall to discuss this opportunity.
- This process is competitive! Applications are due in early February each year.
- Information about the application process and the application forms are available on the Office of Undergraduate Research website.
- Students may also apply for external funding sources to support on-campus summer research
- SCICU
- PsiChi
- This is an 8-10 week commitment to full-time research at another institution
- Visit this site to explore off-campus research opportunities: https://studentopportunitycenter.com/
- Alternatively, email a researcher at another institution with whom you are interested in working. Include a cover letter and resume. We encourage you to ask a faculty member to review your email/cover letter before sending.
- Typically completed from June through the end of July/early August.
- Many students receive funding through the Summer Internship Fellows Program
- To qualify for a fellowship, you must have a commitment from a faculty member at another institution to support your research internship for the summer and he/she must complete an application. You must also have a Furman faculty member complete a document of support for your research experience. It is best to begin this process in mid-to-late Fall.
- This process is competitive! Applications are due in early March each year.
- Information about the application process and the application forms are available on the “>Summer Internship Fellows website.
Internships
Internships provide the opportunity to explore career possibilities, gain practical work experience, apply your academic knowledge, and learn more about yourself while making a contribution to society. We have created a number of unique internships through organizations in Greenville and throughout the Southeast including domestic violence centers, after-school programs, counseling clinics, suicide crisis line, and an addictions recovery unit. You also have the opportunity to create your own internship.
Follow the instructions below to generate a list of psychology internships you may be interested in.
1. Go to the Internships website.
2. Select 3-5 sites that you may be interested in. Consider the following aspects of an internship:
- Who would you like to work with (e.g., age, disability)?
- Where would you like to work (e.g., hospital, non-profit, school, etc.)?
- What career are you interested in learning more about (e.g., school counseling, neuropsychology, speech-language pathology, etc.)?
3. Prepare your resume and a cover letter for each site and take them to career services for review.
4. Once you have a polished resume and cover letter, email both to the contact person listed for your internship. (If you are interested in an internship that requires approval from Dr. Blomquist, email her to schedule a meeting to discuss. Make sure to bring your resume to the meeting.)
5. Internships in a medical setting (e.g., at GHS) require an additional meeting with the Health Careers Internship Coordinator in IACH to determine the availability of the internship and complete the necessary paperwork.
6. Interview at the sites that respond to your inquiry, unless no interview is necessary.
7. When you have heard back from the internships who would like to take you on as an intern, consider which setting is of most interest to you and let the internship know that you would like to do an internship with them.
8. If you wish to earn academic credit for the internship during the fall or spring semester, email Dr. Blomquist your internship setting and your intention to take PSY 505. To prevent any mishaps with internships falling through resulting in only 3 courses in your schedule, make sure to sign up for 4 regular courses. Then, at the beginning of the next semester, you’ll drop one course and add the Group Internship course.
9. If you wish to do an internship for the summer, we encourage you to apply for the Furman Advantage Summer Fellowship by March. If you wish to earn academic credit during the summer, you will need to ask a psychology faculty (not Dr. Blomquist) if they would be willing to supervise your internship course. Note that you would need to enroll in (and pay for) a summer course to do this. For other questions about summer internships and funding, please make an appointment with Katie Maxwell or Andy Coe in the Internship Office.