Gain Real World Experience through Internships and Research
100% Engagement
You'll have opportunities to participate in internships, research, community outreach and other hands-on learning experiences while exploring career and graduate school options.
Hands-On Learning Opportunities
Students often complete internships and practicums at the following types of organizations:
- Behavioral health agencies (child and family therapy, education, and in-home assistance)
- Foster care programs
- Child welfare system
- Grief and loss support programs
- Victims of domestic violence support programs
- Early childhood intervention programs
- Schools/preschools/child care facilities
- Organizations that help individuals with disabilities
- Mentoring programs for children and teenagers
- Immigrant resource centers
- Prevention programs
- Community assistance programs
- Attorneys’ offices
- Juvenile court
- Hospitals and other medical facilities
- Physical and occupational therapy clinics
- Assisted living facilities
- Human resource departments
- Food banks
These experiences help you make decisions about your career and can sometimes lead to job offers at an internship or practicum site.
You can also gain hands-on experience by engaging in undergraduate research, during which you'll assist HDFS professors and/or graduate students with cutting-edge research about people and families.
You may also serve as an undergraduate teaching assistant, through which you'll get experience assisting UA instructors with teaching, grading, tutoring, and classroom management.