Opportunities for Independent Study

Share in the excitement of research, teaching, and service in psychology!

Get course credit, while gaining practical experience! 

With relevant faculty approval, students may get credit while working on faculty or independent research, doing service work in the community, or being involved in teaching.  You need to register for one of four independent study courses (scroll down to see how to do this).

	Research:  You may get involved in a faculty member's laboratory or research project, or even do your own project under supervision.  You need to approach that faculty member and then sign up for PSYC 391: Independent Study (Pass/Fail) or PSYC 392: Independent Study (letter grade).  This is extremely valuable if you plan to apply to graduate school, especially for a research-oriented degree (e.g., PhD)..
	Service:  You may get involved in supervised volunteer activities, doing psychology-related service, with one of many community agencies. You need to sign up for PSYC 393: Preprofessional practicum.  This too is very important if you plan to apply to graduate school in a human service area.
	Teaching:  There are some opportunities (by invitation) for supervised teaching, usually  as a teaching assistant for the Introduction to Psychology course or some other lower division course. You would need to sign up for PSYC 394: Practicum in Teaching of Psychology.

Important Note:  To count as one of the necessary ten courses for a BA in Psychology, a student must complete a three credit experience from PSYC 391, 392, 393 or 394.  Only three hours of PSYC 391, 392 or 394 may count towards a minor in psychology.  PSYC 393 will not count towards a minor.

How to Register

PSYC 391 or 392

Contact the faculty member with whom you would like to work. The faculty member will complete a closed class card for you.

If you are looking for someone with whom to work, check with the Psychology Advisor (LSII 233).  We keep a notebook of faculty research opportunities.

PSYC 393

Obtain an approval form from the Undergraduate Psychology Office, Room 229C in Life Science II.
Take the form to the agency with which you would like to work and have it completed by the supervisor.
Bring the form back for approval. You will then be issued a closed class card.
Have your supervisor complete an evaluation form at the end of the semester.

If you are looking for an agency to work with, check the list of approved practicum agencies for some possibilities.

PSYC 394

Opportunities for teaching experience are usually by invitation only, but feel free to contact the instructor of any class for which you would be interested in working as a teaching assistant.

Possible Internship Sites for Psyc 393
 

The following list of agencies is provided as a starting point, to help you find an agency that may fit your interests and goals.  The list should give you a sense of the wide variety of possibilities that may exist for undergraduate volunteer practica.  However, please note that agencies change continuously.  Specifically, an agency may change its willingness to accept volunteers, when volunteers are accepted, what selection criteria it uses, what kind of training or experience it offers, and so forth.  In short, while the agencies listed below are likely options for field experience, we can not guarantee that they will offer internship positions for psychology majors at any given time. 

Adolescent Health Center (Shawnee Adolescent Health Center) 101 South Wall Street Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 529-2621

	offers a variety of social services to individuals 10-25 years of age and their families
	offers a variety of services to pregnant and parenting teens, women who are first time parents, or have a child in neonatal intensive care; offer clinics, home visits, individual and group counseling
	offers general counseling for teens and their families
	offers health education services
	offer prevention groups for boys 8-13 years
	offers after school and evening programs for teens
	offers educational services and resources to parents and families on a variety of issues

Eurma C. Hayes Center 441 East Willow Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 457-6507

Alzheimer's Association Southern Illinois Chapter 409 N. Springer Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 529-2107

offers helpline, support groups, education, information and referral services, and more to individuals with Alzheimer's, their families, and other caregivers

American Cancer Society 805 West DeYoung, Suite D Marion, IL  62959 (618) 998-9898 www.cancer.org  

American Lung Association 1616 E. Main, Suite 300 Marion, IL  62959 (618) 997-8160 www.lungil.org

offers education, smoking cessation help, and asthma camps

Archway Services for Children/Archway Early Intervention 1108 W. Willow Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 549-4442

offers a variety of services to children 0-5 years with developmental delays

Archway Lekotek/Archway T.I.K.E.S. 2751 W. Main P.O. Box 1180 Carbondale, IL  62903 (618) 529-5944

offers variety of services to at-risk children 0-3 years

Attucks Community Service, Inc. 441 E. Willow Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 549-0341

offers various services (i.e., mentoring, tutoring, and more) to youth ages 6-18

Catholic Social Services 214 S. University Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 351-0743 www.cssil.org

	offers pregnancy care, foster care, adoption care, and counseling services to individuals of all ages and denominations
	has branch offices in Belleville, IL  (618-394-5900), Mt. Vernon, IL (618/244-0344), & Mt. Carmel, IL  (618-263-3863)

Child and Family Connections 2751 W. Main P.O. Box 1180 Carbondale, IL  62903 (618) 529-3147

determines eligibility for early intervention and family care coordination for children 0-3 years with developmental delays and their families  (serves Jackson, Perry, Union, Johnson, Alexander, Massac, Pulaski, Pope, and Hardin counties)

Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 2401 West Main Street Marion, IL  62959 (618) 993-4121

Egyptian Area Agency on Aging 200 E. Plaza Drive Carterville, IL  62918 www.EgyptianAAA.org

offers a variety of services to individuals 60 years and older

Evaluation & Development Center 500-C Lewis Lane Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 453-2331

	offers vocational services, independent living training, adult education, and other supportive services to individuals with disabilities
	offers adult basic education, job seeking skills, and GED for any adults 16 years or older who does not have a high school diploma and any adult who wants to learn to read

Gateway Youth Care Foundation 1080 E. Park Street Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 529-1151

residential substance abuse treatment for adolescent males and females 13-18 years of age

Good Samaritan Ministries 701 S. Marion P.O. Box 506 Carbondale, IL  62903 (618) 457-5794

offers emergency shelter and short-term transitional housing for homeless or potentially homeless individuals

Hospice of Southern Illinois 305 South Illinois Belleville, IL  62220 www.hospice.org

Uses a team approach to address the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients and their families (serves 27 counties in Southern Illinois)

Franklin-Williamson Human Services 1307 W. Main P.O. Box 365 Marion, IL  62959 (618) 997-5336

Jackson County Department of Human Services 342 North Street Murphysboro, IL  62966 (618) 687-1705
Jackson County Health Department 415 Health Department Road P.O. Box 307 Murphysboro, IL  62966 (618) 684-3143 www.co.jackson.il.us

Jackson County Sheriff's Victim/Witness Advocate 1001 Mulberry Street Murphysboro, IL  62966 (618) 687-1303

offers support and education to victims/witnesses; updates victims/witnesses on status of case; assists with orders of protection, victim compensation acts; provides legal and medical advocacy and crisis intervention

Literacy Program of John A. Logan College John A. Logan College 700 Logan College Road Carterville, IL  62918 (618) 565-8007

provides literacy services to adults over 16 years of age who are reading below the 9th grade level

Migrant Education, Inc. Head Start P.O. Box 600 Cobden, IL  62920 (618) 893-4022

provides social services, health and nutrition services, and disabilities services to families who relocate in search of farm related work

Roosevelt Square 1501 Shoemaker Drive Murphysboro, IL  62966 (618) 684-2693

offers 24-hour residential care to adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities

Senior Adult Services 409 North Springer Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 457-4151

offers various services (i.e., adult day services, outreach, information and referral, transportation, congregate meals, home delivered meals) to senior citizens 60 years and older

Shawnee Crisis Pregnancy Centers 215 West Main Street Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 549-2794

pregnancy counseling services for women and children in emotional and financial need

SIU Head Start Administrative Office 1900 N. Illinois Avenue Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 453-6448

offers preschool and other comprehensive services for children 3-5 years whose families meet certain income guidelines

Southern Illinois Center for Independent Living 100 N. Glenview P.O. Box 627 Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 457-3318

offers a variety of services to people with disabilities and their families

Southern Illinois Regional Effort for AIDS, Inc. 715 S. Washington Street Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 549-9941

offers a variety of services to persons living with HIV and AIDS and their families

Southern Illinois Regional Social Services (SIRSS) 604 East College Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 457-6703

offers a variety of social services to individuals of all ages

The Southern Illinois HIV Consortium Jackson County Health Department P.O. Box 307 Murphysboro, IL  62966 (618) 684-3143, ext. 155

offers a variety of services to individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Illinois

The Women's Center 406 W. Mill Street Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 549-4807

domestic violence shelter/emergency services; sexual assault crisis/advocacy/counseling services; prevention education/training

Youth Services Program/SIRSS 604 East College Street Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 457-6703

provides a variety of services to children and youth under the age of 18 and their families

Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) Regional Office 2309 W. Main Marion, IL  62959
(618) 997-1733 District Office 1210 Hanson Murphysboro, IL  62966 (618) 687-1733

Franklin County Senior Services 225 East Poplar West Frankfort, IL  62896 (618) 937-3511

offers a range of programs for the elderly

Franklin-Williamson County Mental Health 902 West Main West Frankfort, IL  62812 (618) 937-6483

Franklin-Williamson Youth Services Bureau 5443 West Frankfort Avenue West Frankfort, IL  62812 (618) 937-6483  

Hoyleton Children's Home Box 218 Hoyleton, IL  62803 (618) 493-7382

provides variety of services to children and youth who have emotional and/or behavioral problems

Illinois Youth Center 1201 W. Poplar P.O. Box 300 Harrisburg, IL  62946 (618) 252-8861

The Guardian Center 207 East Main Street P.O. Box 146 Carmi, IL  62821 (618) 382-8247

a child advocacy center for children of physical and sexual abuse

Big Brothers/Big Sisters (SIRSS) 604 East College Carbondale, IL  62901 (618) 457-6703, Ext. 228 or 297

Jump Start Illinois Youth Center