Consistent with the scientist-practitioner model, graduate and undergraduate students in the Psychology programs at ODU have a long history of engaging in applied experiences in addition to their research endeavors. These experiences include working with faculty members on nationally funded grants, engaging in independent consulting, and applied class projects. Below is a sampling of local student applied experiences. The diversity of our academic programs enables students to benefit from a host of clinical and non-clinical environments and tasks, gaining an appreciation of the breadth of the discipline.
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Clinical Internship Placements at Local Facilities
The undergraduate clinical internship course is designed to allow students to gain first-hand experience in the mental health field while under the supervision of a mental health professional. The student works 120 hours during the course of the semester in doing direct work with clients who are receiving clinical and/or supportive service types of assistance. This opportunity allows the student to develop beginning competency skills in the mental health field while incorporating classroom concepts with actual field experiences. Those interested in this experience should email ugpsycpracticum@odu.edu in the semester prior to enrollment.
General Internship Placements at Local Facilities
The undergraduate general internship course is designed to allow students to gain first-hand experience in psychologically relevant sites that do not involve mental health services. The student works 120 hours during the course of the semester doing various work activities that are related to the field of psychology. Possible opportunities include working as a research assistant serving off-site facilities, working in human resource offices assisting in activities related to employee selection, training, and performance evaluation and program evaluation of services at local non-profits. Those interested in this experience should contact the College of Science satellite office of the Career Management Center in the semester prior to enrollment.
Work with Local and National NASA Centers
Students with interests in human factors have applied for and received internships at NASA-Langley Research Center as well as other NASA centers outside the Hampton Roads area. Work performed at such centers ranges from cockpit automation studies to robotics design and interaction to low-cost measurement of physiological parameters of pilots.
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Work with Local and National NASA Centers
Students with interests in human factors have applied for and received internships at NASA-Langley Research Center as well as other NASA centers outside the Hampton Roads area. Work performed at such centers ranges from cockpit automation studies to robotics design and interaction to low-cost measurement of physiological parameters of pilots.
Consulting for the City of Norfolk
For over a decade, students from the I/O Psychology graduate program have partnered with the City of Norfolk to gain valuable applied experiences. These experiences have included researching aptitude, knowledge, personality, integrity, and leadership testing devices to be used for modifying testing batteries, helping to develop and pilot a cognitive ability test, drafting a request for proposals, initiating a mentoring program, and facilitating focus groups for organizational change efforts.
Statistical and Organizational Consulting for ACCESS Aids Care
A number of students in the I/O graduate program have engaged in statistical consulting to assist a local Norfolk clinic, ACCESS AIDS Care, with quarterly and annual reports to their grant funding agencies. Consulting has included creating and managing databases, conducting statistical analyses, and interpreting the results in order to inform ACCESS on the effectiveness of their programs. In addition to statistical consulting, ODU students conduct annual focus groups with ACCESSs' clients in order to gather feedback on the quality of services provided by ACCESS.
Newborn and Family Screening and Referral Recommendations Project, Qualitative Data Analysis for the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS)
This project involved a partnership between an ODU graduate student and EVMS researchers. The project involved shaping the methodological process for an integrated analysis of interview, focus group, and survey data. It also involved coding qualitative data, calculating inter-rater reliability, and providing a summative technical report.