UC Merced students interning at Merced County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (from left): Sianna Martinez, Simran Randhawa and Luis Guevara.
Gain professional experience in clinical psychology while earning course credit.
The Internship in Psychology (PSY 092/PSY 192) program allows UC Merced students to move beyond the classroom and gain meaningful, hands-on experience in the community while earning course credit. Current placements are offered through Merced County Behavioral Health and Stanislaus Behavioral Health, where interns work with children, adults, and programs focused on substance abuse prevention and the criminal justice system.
This experience is especially valuable for students preparing to apply to graduate programs in clinical psychology, many of which require relevant clinical experience for admission.
Interns volunteer at their approved site each week under the supervision of a site mentor and also meet weekly with UC Merced faculty to reflect on their work and connect it to psychological theory and research. Students typically serve about 12 hours per week at their internship site. While the internships are currently unpaid, students earn academic credit through PSY 092 (lower-division) or PSY 192 (upper-division). Students may take 1–4 units per semester and can participate for up to two semesters at each level.
How to Apply
Applications for the next academic year are due by February 15th. Interested students should begin by completing the online application form:
Apply Here: https://forms.gle/WsZR12AZ6nhmbGyP6
After applications are submitted, UC Merced faculty will review them and forward strong candidates to the internship sites. Final selections are made by the sites after their own interview process. Please note that the program is competitive, and placement is not guaranteed.
Testimonials
“The internship provided many opportunities and I’ve always had a passion to help others”- Jaydah-Zo Aguilar
“It opened paths to the community I grew up in and helped me see what my community needs,”- Simran Randhawa
“I wanted to go into clinical practice to see what is working for children in smaller, rural communities,”- Luis Guevara
“Working at BHRS has shifted my focus from marriage and family therapy and social work because of the outreach and social justice aspects,”- Intern in 2024
“[Interns] remind a lot of us about why we got into the field because they bring that hope and sparkle and shine. For [interns] to be able to have their life-changing ‘a-ha’ moments with us is really amazing.”-Jill Kojima, who oversees the internship program for Merced County Behavioral Health.
Press Coverage
Article about the internship program: https://www.ucmerced.edu/news/2025/students-get-real-world-education-beh...
