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.
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.
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.
For more information, take a look at the PSY 510 Thesis Guidelines [PDF].
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:
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 Jana Heroman 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 contact Diane Iseminger or Andy Coe in the Internship Office.