Course Description
The Psychology Undergraduate Fieldwork Program offers our students the opportunity to earn 4 units of upper-division course credit while interning (paid OR non-paid) in community organizations and agencies where they can see real-world applications of what they are learning in the classroom. The program is designed to address the goals of students seeking exposure to, and experience in, fields they are considering for future careers, especially in the areas of health, mental health, education, social work, and counseling. The undergraduate fieldwork program also builds community partnerships and helps to integrate UCLA into Los Angeles communities. Currently, this program is only offered during all quarters of the academic school year but not during the summer.
The program is comprised of two complementary courses that must be taken at the same time: Psych 195A, the internship course, and Psych 194A, the seminar course.
Course Forms and Deadlines:
- Find an internship position. Four to five weeks prior to the start of the quarter, look through the approved psychology internship positions and contact the Fieldwork Site Supervisor to secure your fieldwork placement.
- Propose a new internship site. If you are proposing to work with an organization that is not already listed as an approved fieldwork site, your site supervisor will need to complete the New Site Application for Supervisors Form by Friday, December 15th at 5:00pm for Winter Quarter 2024. Forms received after the deadline will not be reviewed.
- Create a Psych 195A course contract. Instructions can be found below under “how to enroll.” Obtain your site supervisor’s signature on the course contract. This is the only signature that you need on this form, despite the form indicating otherwise.
- Obtain your site supervisor’s signature on the supplemental form. Make sure they fill out the form in its entirety.
- Submit your forms. Signed course contracts and signed supplemental forms must be submitted to the Psychology Advising Office via MyUCLA’s Message Center by Friday, January 12th at 5:00pm for Winter Quarter 2024 in order to be enrolled in the course. Course Contracts and Supplemental Forms submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.
Course Guidelines
- To participate in the Fieldwork in Psychology Program, students must enroll in both Psych 195A (2 units) and Psych 194A (2 units) for a total of 4 P/NP upper-division units.
- Students must work at their internship during the same quarter they enroll in both Fieldwork in Psychology courses (Psych 194A/195A).
- Sophomore, Junior, or Senior standing is required.
- The Fieldwork in Psychology courses do not satisfy any major requirement for Psychology, Psychobiology, or Cognitive Science majors.
- Only 12 units from any combination of courses 185, 192, 194, 195, 196 may be applied toward an undergraduate degree.
- Only one Fieldwork in Psychology 195A contract can be taken in any quarter.
- Students continuing with the same Psych 194A/195A fieldwork placement in future quarters must submit a new contract signed by the Fieldwork Site Supervisor to officially enroll in the course.
How to Enroll
Create a Course Contract for 195A
- Log on to MyUCLA, click on Classes > Contract Courses and list Barbara Knowlton as the Faculty Mentor.
- You do not need the Faculty Mentor, Department Chair, or Center for Community Learning Coordinator’s signatures. You only need your Site Supervisor’s Signature.
- View and download the contract once you have completed it. Send the PDF to your fieldwork site supervisor to get their signature.
Enroll in Psych 194A/195A
- Once the Psych Advising Office has received your Psych 195A Supplemental Form and Course Contract, you will automatically be enrolled in Psych 194A. Check MyUCLA to ensure you have been enrolled by Thursday of Week 2.
Psych 195A: The Community Internship (2 units P/NP)
This is a fieldwork contract course for which students are required to intern 6-8 hours per week for the 10-week quarter. Fieldwork site supervisors train and supervise students, provide an initial orientation that includes an explanation of the organization’s overall purpose and operations, and give feedback as to what is expected in order to receive credit for the course. To enroll in this course, students must complete a supplemental form and course contract (see instructions below).
The supervisor will also evaluate the student’s performance upon completion of the course, confirming that all course requirements have been fulfilled. A grade of P/NP will be determined by the Psych Advising Office once we have received the Evaluation of Student report from your fieldwork supervisor.
Psych 194A: The Seminar (2 units P/NP)
Students are also required to concurrently attend a two-hour, weekly seminar (check the schedule of classes for the meeting time). This seminar is meant to complement a fieldwork placement and adds a forum where students discuss their internship experiences with an instructor and classmates. Portions of the seminar are dedicated to lecture material on a variety of topics related to the areas of mental health and clinical work. Career development is also a major component of the seminar: students are exposed to the professional literature in fields and on topics relevant to a future line of work they may be considering, expand their knowledge by learning about their classmates’ fieldwork experiences in different settings, practice putting together a resume, and learn about applying to graduate school from current graduate students. To enroll in this course, students must first enroll in Psych 195A (see instructions below), after which they will automatically be enrolled in Psych 194A.
Attendance during the entire seminar is mandatory. If you cannot attend the seminar for the full two hours, you may not enroll in this fieldwork course. There are some limited writing requirements during the quarter (e.g., journal entries). Grading is P/NP.