Psychology Department Compulsory Internship Practice
| Objective |
| The objective of the compulsory internship is to enable students to make observations, learn how the theoretical knowledge they acquired during their undergraduate education is applied in professional life, determine the sub-field they want to choose and specialize in the future, gain experience, and, in short, better prepare for their chosen profession. |
| Timing and Duration of the Internship |
| In order to graduate from the undergraduate program, the compulsory internship period is 20 working days. Students can complete their entire internship in a single institution or in two separate institutions. |
| Compulsory internships are done in the summer months as students transition to their seventh semester. |
| PSK441 Internship / Clinical Practice, which is a non-credit course, is done by psychology department students who have completed at least their 3rd year, in the summer months following the end of the final week. |
| The summer internship can be extended until September, provided that the seventh semester has not started according to the academic calendar. |
| Students who will do an internship determine the institution where they will do their internship and the internship dates by the end of classes date specified in the academic calendar in the sixth semester, and complete all procedures regarding the start of the internship. |
| Places Where the Internship Can Be Done |
| The compulsory internship can be done in hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health, institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Justice, institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, psychological counseling and psychotherapy centers, human resources departments of companies, rehabilitation centers, daycares, and other institutions where psychologists practice their professions. The clinical psychology internship is done in the psychiatry departments of official or private health institutions or organizations and other institutions and organizations approved by the internship coordinator/advisor. |
| Required Conditions for Application and Courses That Must Be Taken |
| For the compulsory summer internship, students must have completed their third year. |
| The student must have taken the basic courses related to the sub-field in which they will do their compulsory internship. |
| Psychology Sub-field for the Internship |
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 |
| Students who want to do internships in other sub-branches of psychology (e.g., forensic psychology, industrial and organizational psychology, etc.) should consult with the Internship Advisor. |
| Compulsory Internship Application and Acceptance Process |
| The first step of the Clinical Practice/Internship process is for the student to choose the institution where they will do their compulsory internship, meet with the institution officials, and be accepted for the internship by them. |
| After being accepted to the institution, the student fills out the “Internship / Clinical Practice Application and Acceptance Form (Appendix-1)” completely in three copies. The form is signed by the student and the internship commission. Incompletely filled forms are not accepted. |
| The student takes the signed forms to the institution where they will do their internship, and the forms are approved by the institution. It is mandatory to have the institution’s stamp/seal and signature. |
| The student submits two of the forms approved by the Institution, along with two copies of their ID and two completed SSI Letters of Undertaking (Appendix-2 and Appendix-3), to the internship advisor, and these are kept in the student’s internship file. In order for the insurance procedures to be carried out on time and properly, the student must submit their documents to the department in the first week of the month preceding the month the internship will begin at the latest. |
| The student submits a copy of the Internship / Clinical Practice Application and Acceptance Form approved by the Internship Commission to the institution where they will do their internship. |
| The student submits the “Compulsory Internship Evaluation Form” (Appendix-4) to the institution where they will do their internship. This document is filled out and signed by the institution after the student completes their internship. The form is delivered to the student in a sealed envelope by the institution. It is mandatory for the form to have the seal or stamp of the institution. |
| Things to Do During the Internship Process |
| The internship logbook, which summarizes the activities performed during the internship, must be filled out on a weekly basis. The internship logbook can be kept as a word document or filled out by hand. |
| In the internship logbook, the activities performed during that day should be briefly summarized. Every entry made in the logbook must be dated. |
| The internship logbook must be submitted to the internship advisor at the end of the internship. |
| Other issues that students should pay attention to during their internship periods are stated below: |
| Must definitely be present at the institution within the specified times, |
| The duties and activities assigned at the institution must be carried out, |
| Effort should be made to ensure that the work done is at or above the expected standards qualitatively and quantitatively, |
| One must be aware that they are representing our University and our Department, |
| No unethical behavior should be engaged in. |
| Things to Do After the Internship |
| The Compulsory Internship Evaluation Form issued by the institution is either delivered to the student in a sealed envelope or sent by mail to the internship advisor. |
| The student who completes their internship prepares the “Internship Logbook” they filled out during the internship period (Appendix-5). The student must submit the internship logbook and the Compulsory Internship Evaluation Form, with all pages approved (signed and stamped) by the institution, to the Internship Commission by November of the seventh semester. Otherwise, they are considered to have failed the Internship/Clinical Practice course. Since the internship course is an applied course, the student does not have the right to take a make-up exam. |
| Other matters |
| In voluntary, optional internships, the student is not obliged to prepare an internship report, insurance premiums are not paid by the school, and no official letter is given. |
| The Clinical Practice/Internship Application and Acceptance form, Internship Logbook, Compulsory Internship Evaluation Form, and SSI Letters of Undertaking 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: SSI Letter of Undertaking (I am covered)
Appendix 3: SSI Letter of Undertaking (I am not covered)
Appendix 4: Compulsory Internship Evaluation Form
Appendix 5: Internship Logbook
Appendix 6: Internship Letter of Undertaking (Pandemic)
Appendix 7: Internship Contract
