A Developmental Approach for Infusing Career Issues in an Undergraduate Psychology Curriculum

Abstract

A total of 306 students participated in a practicum/internship (P/I) program. Retention and employment outcomes suggest that students are likely to continue at the university after being exposed to career issues in beginning psychology courses and they are likely to obtain employment in ending psychology courses. Students also made improvements in their racial-cultural identity development, racial, cultural, and social justice attitudes, and problem-solving, civic responsibility, and community engagement skills from the beginning to the end of the program. Sixty-eight percent of students evaluated the course as challenging and 54% of them felt prepared to transition to the workforce or graduate school by the end of the program. Field supervisors also made favorable appraisals of student work performances. Implications for infusing career issues in beginning, middle, and ending courses in an undergraduate liberal arts curriculum are discussed.