This page includes information about student clubs, research, community service, and internships.

What clubs are relevant to the Psychology major, and how can I get involved?

Psychology Student Alliance: The Psychology Student Alliance (PSA) devotes itself to providing opportunities for our members to follow their interests related to psychology. Our goal is to provide a fun and educational environment in which members may grow as student leaders, develop close friendships with fellow students, and gain priceless experience to prepare you for your future in academia as well as with your career. Our mission statement of “Building Research, Advocacy, Diversity, and Networking” truly captures the essence of this organization.  Throughout the year, P.S.A. will provide our members with opportunities to learn what research is taking place on the Stony Brook campus as well as throughout the world. We have long been concerned with struggling demographics and our role in supporting efforts toward a fairer world. P.S.A. will provide our students with many opportunities throughout the year for advocacy.  P.S.A., formerly “Minorities in Psychology”, has a long history of encouraging diversity, educating our community on this topic, as well as providing an environment in which all students feel comfortable and welcome.  Last, it is our goal to provide our members with networking opportunities. Anyone may join.  For more information please contact us at stonypsa@gmail.com and be sure to check out our website: https://you.stonybrook.edu/psychologystudentalliance/.

Advisors:
Dr. Stacey Scott, Social & Health Psychology

Psi Chi: Psi Chi is the National Honor Society in Psychology, founded in 1929 for the purposes of encouraging, stimulating, and maintaining excellence in scholarship, and advancing the science of psychology. Membership is open to graduate and undergraduate men and women who are making the study of psychology one of their major interests, and who meet the minimum qualifications. Psi Chi is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies and is an affiliate of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Psychological Society (APS). Psi Chi’s sister honor society is Psi Beta, the national honor society in psychology for community and junior colleges.   Psi Chi functions as a federation of chapters located at 1,000 senior colleges and universities in the USA. The National Office is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

A National Council, composed of psychologists who are Psi Chi members and who are elected by the chapters, guides the affairs of the organization and sets policy with the approval of the chapters.  Psi Chi is restricted to Psychology majors who meet the minimum GPA requirements (3.0 overall and 3.3 in Psychology), who have completed 9 credits in Psychology, and who submit a complete application by the membership deadline.  For more information, see https://you.stonybrook.edu/psichi/ or contact sbupsichi@gmail.com.

Advisor:
Dr. Joy Bolger

Neuroscience Axis: Our mission is to facilitate interactions between undergraduate students from all disciplines in neuroscience.  We provide extracurricular opportunities for neuroscience education on and off the Stony Brook campus.  We provide professional development opportunities related to neuroscience.  Yearly activities include neuroanatomy night, guidance for getting involved in research, brain awareness week activities in local schools, hosted club and campus wide lectures, electrophysiology night and many other activities.  Anyone interested in neuroscience may join.  For more information, please see  https://www.facebook.com/sbuneuroscienceaxis or https://you.stonybrook.edu/neuroscienceaxis/ or email neuroscienceaxis@gmail.com

Advisors:
Dr. Brenda Anderson – Integrative Neuroscience, Brenda.Anderson@stonybrook.edu 
Dr. Craig Evinger – Neurobiology and Behavior, leslie.evinger@stonybrook.edu

For other clubs and organizations, see https://stonybrook.campuslabs.com/engage/organizations 

Why should I become involved in research as an undergraduate student?

Participating in undergraduate research provides students with the following benefits:

• The chance to collaborate closely with a faculty member.
• Engaging in practical, hands-on learning and discovery beyond traditional classroom activities.
• Experience that enhances prospects for graduate school admission and future career opportunities.

Acquiring essential research skills necessary for eligibility in the Psychology Honors Program.

How can I get involved in research?

Explore the Department website to discover faculty research projects. Keep in mind that spots for student involvement in a particular faculty member's research may be limited, and availability may vary. Additionally, consider earning academic credit for research participation, such as EXP+ through PSY 273. This course involves working as a Research Assistant with a Professor (sometimes in collaboration with a graduate student in his/her laboratory) in the Psychology Department. Approval is required to work in a professor's laboratory, and enrollment is not automatic. Faculty and graduate students seeking undergraduate research assistants may advertise openings within the Department and on the Department's website. If you find an opportunity that interests you, reach out to the primary investigator to inquire about available positions.

For more information visit https://you.stonybrook.edu/psychologyresearch/

How can I get involved in community service? 

Visit the Center of Service Learning & Community Service's Volunteer Opportunities by Interest page. 

How do I find an internship? 

An internship is the perfect way to gain experiential learning while preparing you for a career after graduation.

Visit the Internship Office located in the Career Center at Melville Library, Room W-0550. There, you can obtain a list of pre-approved psychology internships and learn about the requirements for receiving credit. Note that securing a faculty sponsor within the Psychology Department is necessary for the internship. Therefore, if you're considering an internship, it's advisable to begin planning at least one semester in advance to arrange for a sponsor. If you intend to pursue an internship not on the pre-approved list, you'll need approval from both the internship office and the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Psychology. For further information, visit the Undergraduate Psychology Advisors page.

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PSY 488 Internship

Visit the Center of Service Learning & Community Service’s Volunteer Opportunities by Interest page.

Note: The PSY 488 contract (see EXP+ Contract for Department of Psychology) must be completed with faculty approval at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the semester.

The PSY 488 Internship allows you to earn academic credit for career-focused experiences in psychology that are not primarily research-based. Students must secure acceptance into an internship experience before registering for credit. It's important to note that PSY 488 does not count toward the Psychology major, but it does fulfill the EXP+ SBC requirement.

For the internship, you must have a faculty sponsor within the Psychology Department. Planning should commence at least one semester in advance to secure a sponsor. If you choose an internship not on the pre-approved list, you need approval from both the internship office and Psychology’s Director of Undergraduate Studies.

For further details, please visit:http://you.stonybrook.edu/psychologyresearch/ 

To apply for permission to enroll in PSY 488, please submit the EXP+ Contract for the Department of Psychology.

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EXT 488 Internship

Psychology majors who are engaged in a career-related internship outside the Psychology department may also apply for credit (e.g. a PSY major with a marketing internship). To receive academic credit outside the major department, students must still have a faculty sponsor but will register for a Career Center EXT course.

Students may enroll in the EXT 488 Internship through the Career Center (Melville Library, W-0550). The Internship Office will provide you with a list of pre-approved internships as well as a list of requirements for obtaining credit.

Registering for Internship Credit 

Handshake is the Stony Brook University employer database, containing thousands of employer records. Handshake is the first resource you should use to identify employers and apply for internships. Hundreds of opportunities are posted every semester.

Handshake is used for ALL employment – part-time jobs, work-study, on-campus employment, community service positions, gap-year opportunities, and full-time post-graduation positions. For help using  Handshake, stop by the Career Center during business hours. 

Note that the University limits the total number of all internship credits to 12.