Psychology Department Mandatory Internship Program
Objective
The mandatory internship aims to enable students to observe and learn how theoretical knowledge acquired during their undergraduate education is applied in professional life. It allows students to gain experience, determine the subfield they would like to specialise in the future, and ultimately better prepare for their chosen profession.
Timing and Duration of Internship
The mandatory internship period to complete the undergraduate program is 20 working days. Students can complete their internships in a single institution or two different institutions.
Mandatory internships are conducted during the summer months when students transition to the seventh semester.
The credit-free course PSK441 Internship / Clinical Practice is undertaken by psychology students who have completed at least the third year and is conducted in the summer following the end of the final exam week.
The summer internship can be extended until September, provided the seventh semester has not started according to the academic calendar.
Students planning to intern in the sixth semester determine the institution and internship dates by the specified course-cutting date on the academic calendar and complete all procedures related to starting the internship.
Places for Internship
Mandatory internships can be carried out in hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health, institutions under the Ministry of Justice, institutions under the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, psychological counselling and psychotherapy centres, human resources departments of companies, rehabilitation centres, nurseries, and other organisations where psychologists practice their professions. Clinical psychology internships are conducted in the psychiatry departments of official or private healthcare institutions and other institutions and organisations approved by the internship coordinator/advisor.
Required Conditions for Application and Completed Courses
For the mandatory summer internship, students must have completed the third year.
Students must have taken the fundamental courses related to the subfield in which they will undertake the mandatory internship.
| Psychology Subfield for Internship | Required Courses to be Completed |
| Clinical Psychology | Psychopathology I and Psychopathology II |
| Developmental Psychology | Developmental Psychology I and Developmental Psychology II |
| Social Psychology | Social Psychology I and Social Psychology II |
For students who wish to intern in other subfields of psychology (e.g., forensic psychology, industrial and organizational psychology, etc.), they should consult with the Internship Advisor.
Mandatory Internship Application and Acceptance Process
The initial step of the Clinical Practice/Internship process is for the student to select the institution where they will complete their mandatory internship, have a meeting with the institution authorities, and be accepted for the internship by them.
After being accepted by the institution, the student completes the “Internship/Clinical Practice Application and Acceptance Form (Annex-1)” in three copies. The form is signed by both the student and the internship committee. Forms that are incompletely filled out will not be accepted.
The student takes the signed forms to the institution where they will intern, and the institution then approves the forms. It is mandatory to have the institution’s stamp/seal and signature.
The student submits two of the institution-approved forms, two photocopies of their ID, and two completed Social Security Institution (SGK) Commitment Forms to the internship advisor, which are kept in the student’s internship file. To ensure that insurance procedures are carried out promptly and properly, the student must submit the documents to the department by the first week of the month preceding the month in which the internship will start.
The student delivers one copy of the Internship/Clinical Practice Application and Acceptance Form, approved by the Internship Committee, to the institution where they will intern.
The student provides the institution where they will intern with the “Mandatory Internship Evaluation Form” . The institution completes and signs this document after the student completes the internship. The form is delivered to the student in a sealed envelope by the institution. It is mandatory for the institution’s seal or stamp to be on the form.
Things to Do During the Internship Process
Throughout the internship, a summary of activities carried out during the week must be recorded in the internship diary. The internship diary can be kept as a Word document or filled out by hand.
Each entry in the internship diary should briefly summarize the activities carried out on that day, and each entry must include the date.
The internship diary must be submitted to the internship advisor at the end of the internship.
Other things that students should pay attention to during their internship period are outlined below:
- It is mandatory to be present at the institution within the specified periods is mandatory.
- Duties and activities assigned by the institution should be carried out.
- Efforts should be made to ensure that the work meets expected standards qualitatively and quantitatively.
- Awareness should be maintained regarding the representation of our university and department.
- No unethical behaviour should be exhibited.
After the Internship
The Mandatory Internship Evaluation Form, prepared by the institution, is either handed to the student in a sealed envelope or sent to the internship advisor by mail.
Upon completing the internship, the student prepares the “Internship Diary” covering the internship period. The student must submit the internship diary and the Mandatory Internship Evaluation Form to the Internship Committee by November of the seventh semester, with all pages approved (signed and stamped) by the institution. Otherwise, the student will be considered unsuccessful in the Internship/Clinical Practice course. As this course is practical, students do not have the right to take a makeup exam.
Other Notes
For voluntary internships, the student is not obligated to prepare an internship report, and the school does not cover insurance premiums or issue official letters.
The Internship/Clinical Practice Application and Acceptance form, Internship Diary, Mandatory Internship Evaluation Form, and SGK Commitment Forms can be downloaded from the links below.
Psychology Department Internship Forms (For Undergraduate Students)
Appendix 1: Clinical Practice/Internship Application and Acceptance Form (Undergraduate)
Appendix 2: SGK Commitment Form (I Am Within the Scope)
Appendix 3: SGK Commitment Form (I Am Not Within the Scope)
Appendix 4: Mandatory Internship Evaluation Form
Appendix 5: Internship Diary
Appendix 6: Internship Commitment Letter (Pandemic)
Appendix 7: Internship Agreement