The Psychology Field Study Program works with agencies throughout Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties to place and support field study students. Students give over 15,000 hours of service to the community each year while learning and applying new skills. Thank you to all our current field supervisors for all you do to support field study students! 

If your organization is interested in partnering with the Psychology Field Study Program, keep scrolling for a quick FAQ (and don't hesitate to reach out with any additional questions). We look forward to working with you!

FAQ

What are students required to do?

Field Study students log 10 hours of service a week at their agency for at least two quarters (20 weeks). Students are enrolled in a course (they receive 5-units of credit each quarter) and matched with a faculty sponsor that guides them through an academic project that links the work they are doing at the placement and their acquired psychological knowledge and interests. All field study students are juniors or seniors with a significant amount of completed coursework in Psychology.

What are my responsibilities as a supervisor?

Your responsibilities as a field placement supervisor are to:

  • Screen and approve students according to the standards of your organization (ie. fingerprinting, background checks, interview, etc.)
  • Provide thorough orientation and training to students so that they have the tools to do their job with confidence
  • Provide at least thirty minutes of individual supervision or one hour of group supervision each week
  • Write an evaluation of the student’s performance every ten weeks (at the end of each academic quarter). The evaluation will be shared with the student and their faculty sponsor and will factor into the student's grade.

How will my agency benefit?

Agencies with long standing relationships with the Psychology Field Study Program often say they couldn’t do what they do without field study students. Students are enthusiastic, often quite talented given their limited experience and have a lot of energy to share. Your agency will benefit from an enthusiastic new team member and more work accomplished in areas that you may have wanted to strengthen for some time. You may also benefit from the opportunity to introduce a student to your field and train future colleagues in your work philosophy. Many agencies find the student perspective to be useful to analyze their work in a new way and the population you serve may naturally connect to students of traditional age (19-23).

How do I get involved?

Contact the Field Study Director!