University at Buffalo (UB)
Internships
Internships are a valuable learning experience that can set the stage for future career success. Students have the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to the real world, think about their career goals, make important networking contacts, and enhance their resume or curriculum vitae. Get a head start on your career by completing an internship!
Program Benefits
- Gain hands-on, real world experience
- Enhance your resume, portfolio, or curriculum vitae
- Choose an internship from a wide variety of fields such as medicine, health care, human resources, non-profits, law, business, sales, marketing, and many more!
- Earn three elective credits (PSY 496) for 120 hours of internship participation
- Participate in an internship anywhere in the U.S. (e.g., Buffalo, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc.)
- Reflect on your internship experiences to better understand your career plans and the skills you are gaining
Eligibility
Sophomores, juniors, or seniors in good academic standing. You must have completed 30 credits and have earned an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Permission Required Before Starting
You will not earn credit for internships undertaken without the consent of the instructor. Additionally, you cannot earn credit for internships that you have completed in the past. Internship credit cannot be awarded retroactively.
How to Apply
You must plan your internship in conjunction with Professor Joyce Lacy the semester BEFORE enrolling in the PSY 496 class and completing the internship.
- Complete the online form below to express your interest in completing an internship.
- Arrange a meeting with Prof. Lacy to discuss your internship plans.
- BEFORE your meeting with Prof. Lacy, search for potential internships leads. Make a list of potential careers and fields that you are interested in, as well as specific internship possibilities.
- Contact your leads and arrange interviews with interested organizations. During the interview, discuss specific duties and expectations with your internship supervisor. Make sure that the internship consists primarily of professional entry-level work. No more than 10-15% of the internship should include routine tasks such as filing papers, answering phones, or photocopying.
- Begin filling in the details of your student-supervisor contract that you received from Prof. Lacy with your internship supervisor.
- Return your signed and completed contract to Prof. Lacy so that you can be enrolled into PSY 496. You may not begin your work at the internship organization until the contract has been approved.
Strategies for Finding Internships
- Use UB resources like Bullseye powered by Handshake and Career Design Center
- Create a professional profile on LinkedIn and search for internship leads
- Attend job fairs, employer information sessions, and other on-campus events
- Network with friends, family, neighbors, professors, coaches and service professionals
- Ask a non-profit if you can volunteer for them as an intern
- Join a professional organization or student club with a local and national presence, and search their websites
- Contact your desired employer using information provided on their website
