Psychology majors have the opportunity to earn departmental elective credit for their fieldwork experience in areas related to psychology. The Psychology Department offers Psych 497, a weekly seminar open to students who are also engaged in work in the community. Students have the chance to gain valuable training and work experience in the fields of counseling, social services, criminal justice, education and human resources. In conjunction with the field experience, the seminar helps students further define their educational and career goals by encouraging the exploration of larger academic questions which relate to the fieldwork they are doing.
Field Work Site Information
Finding a fieldwork site can take several weeks, and some sites require training or a background check. Begin your search at least one quarter before you plan to take PSYCH 497.
- Browse Fieldwork Opportunities. You may choose a site outside this list. Some organizations may have opportunities they have not posted.
- Search other listings. Check Handshake, United Way of King County, and Idealist for opportunities.
- Use your connections. Ask friends, family, and others about possible opportunities.
- Read the Psychology Undergraduate Newsletter for fieldwork opportunties.
- Consider your current job or volunteer position. Contact a Psychology adviser to confirm whether it qualifies.
F-1 international students: Review the Curricular Practial Training (CPT) information on the International Student Service (ISS) website before searching for a site. You must be registered for PSYCH 497 before submitting your CPT request. Allow time for ISS processing, and do not begin your fieldwork until your CPT authorization is approved.
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Connection to Your Interests: Choose fieldwork that aligns with your academic, personal, or career interests and offers opportunities to learn and grow. Avoid positions focused mainly on routine tasks, such as stocking shelves, answering calls or emails, or basic clerical work. Some routine tasks are acceptable, but your role should offer learning opportunities beyond these duties. Potential fields include business, human resources, marketing, management, education, health care, social services, and public services.
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Application of Psychology: Choose a site where you can apply concepts from your psychology courses through meaningful work with people or animals.
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Current Position: You may use a current job, volunteer role, or internship if it offers these learning and growth opportunities.
Overview of Psych 497
Step 1: Find and secure a fieldwork site. (See above)
Step 2: Once a fieldwork site is secured, initiate a registration request through Handshake by following the steps listed in the drop-down "Submit a Registration Request" below.
Step 3: After the supervisor approves your request, Handshake will email you a link to complete your registration information.
Step 4: A Psychology Adviser will register you into Psych 497. (No add code is required)
Step 5: (International Students only): Submit a CPT request.
PSYCH 497 gives students opportunities to observe and apply psychology in professional settings and reflect on their fieldwork through class discussions.
Through this course, students will strengthen their ability to:
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Communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
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Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities and make informed decisions that consider broader impacts.
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Identify learning needs and find, evaluate, and apply new knowledge.
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Collaborate with others to support positive change.
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Work effectively on teams by setting goals, planning tasks, and assessing risks and uncertainties.
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Recognize how culture and workplace structures shape professional experiences and interactions.
In addition to completing fieldwork hours, first-time PSYCH 497 students attend a weekly class. Topics include ethics, diversity, identifying strengths and skills, resume reviews, informal interviews, graduate school preparation, and fieldwork presentations.
Continuing students who have previously completed PSYCH 497 do not attend a weekly class but complete assignments through Canvas.
Students should expect 2–3 hours of homework per week, including reflections, readings, and presentation preparation. There are no quizzes or final exam.
PSYCH 497 is graded credit/no credit (CR/NCR).
Register for PSYCH 497
In general, 1 credit = 3 hours of work per week (30 hours in a quarter). Credit accrual differs between first-time and continuing students. See below for more information.
First-Time 497 Students:
As a first-time student (those who have never completed Psych 497), you must attend a weekly class and complete site hours. The class itself counts for 1 credit, while the site hours contribute to the remaining credits.
Typically, students enroll in 3 credits (60 hours per quarter) to meet the experience requirement. However, your site may require additional or less hours. Discuss these expectations with your supervisor before committing to a site.
See the chart below for a break down:
| Credits | Class & Homework Hours Per week |
Site Hours Per Week |
Total Site Hours Per Quarter |
| 2 | 3 | 3 | 30 |
| 3 | 3 | 6 | 60 |
| 4 | 3 | 9 | 90 |
| 5 | 3 | 12 | 120 |
Continuing 497 Students:
As a continuing Psych 497 student (those who have completed a Psych 497 course), attendance for an in-person class is not required. Instead, credits will be earned based on the number of site hours completed and submitting assignments through Canvas.
| Credits | Site Hours Per Week | Total Site Hours Per Quarter |
| 1 | 3 | 30 |
| 2 | 6 | 60 |
| 3 | 9 | 90 |
| 4 | 12 | 120 |
| 5 | 15 | 150 |
Psych 497 is offered in autumn, winter, and spring and is open to Psychology majors only.
Choosing your quarter
Generally, take PSYCH 497 in the same quarter you complete all of your fieldwork hours. However, you may complete some or all of your fieldwork hours in the preceding quarter, as outlined below.
- Autumn: You may complete your fieldwork hours during the preceding summer, during autumn, or across both quarters.
- Winter or spring: You may complete up to half of your required fieldwork hours in the immediatley preceding quarter. You must complete the remaining hours during the quarter you take PSYCH 497.
For details, see "Can I count fieldwork hours from a previous quarter?" in the FAQs below.
Additional information for international students
The summer fieldwork option is available to both domestic and international students.
International students must maintain full-time enrollment of at least 12 credits per quarter during autumn, winter, and spring. In their final quarter, international students seeking a reduced course load must take another academic course that includes courswork such as readings, papers, or exames in addition to PSYCH 497. PSYCH 497 alone does not meet this requirment.
- Secure a fieldwork site: You must secure a site before submitting a registration request. If you need a site, see "Find a PSYCH 497 Fieldwork Site" above.
- Registration is handled for you: You cannot register yourself for PSYCH 497. A psychology adviser will register you after you complete the steps below.
- Check your schedule: Choose PSYCH 497 sections that do not conflict with your other classes to avoid registration delays.
- Choose the correct section: If you are taking PSYCH 497 for the first time, you cannot enroll in the continuing student section.
- Registration deadline: Submit your Handshake request before the first week of the quarter. Beginning the first week, contact a Psychology adviser to determine whether you can still register for PSYCH 497.
Your Handshake registration request includes questions about your fieldwork plans and expectations, previously called the “learning contract.” Review the following information with your site supervisor before submitting your request. This information is required for each fieldwork site.
- Supervisor's name and contact.
- Weekly and total site hours.
- Quarter you plan to register for 497
- Learning Goals: How do you believe this fieldwork experience will complement your academic studies in Psychology? What specific skills or knowledge do you hope to gain?
- Job Description: What will your role and responsibilities be at the organization? How will these responsibilities help you achieve your learning goals?
- Training/Site Supervision: Who will supervise your experience, and what type of training will you receive?
Before you begin, secure a fieldwork site and have your site supervisor's contact information ready.
Submit your registration request - Winter 2027
1. Submit a request in Handshake
- Log in to Handshake
- Select Career Center, then Experiences.
- Select Submit an Experience.
- Under Experience Type, select Psych 497 - Fieldwork.
- Complete all required fields and check that your supervisor's contact information is correct.
- Select the green Submit an Experience button. You will recieve a confirmation email.
2. Follow up with your site supervisor
After a Psychology adviser reviews and approves your request, Handshake will email your site supervisor to request approval of your position. The subject line will be “Experience Requested by [your name].”
Contact your supervisor to make sure they recieved the email and approve your request as soon as possible. Incorrect contact information or missing approval can delay registration.
- No designated supervisor? See "What if I do not have a designated supervisor?" in the FAQs below.
- Supervisor changed? If your Handshake request is still "Pending" follow these steps to update your supervisor's information. Any other status, contact psyadvis@uw.edu to update the information. Do not submit another Handshake request.
3. Select your class section
After your request is approved by your supervisor, you will recieve an email asking you to complete the PSYCH 497 registration information and select your preferred class section. Your responses will not be shared with your site supervisor.
4. Check your class schedule
After you submit your registration preferences, a psychology adviser will register you for PSYCH 497. Registration is not immediate. Continue checking your quarterly schedule to confirm that the course has been added. If you have questions about your registration status, contact psyadvis@uw.edu.
Additional information
- International F-1 students: After you are registered for PSYCH 497, submit your CPT request. List Cy Delgado (delgadoc@uw.edu) as the Departmental Adviser. Plan ahead and review ISS guidance when arranging your fieldwork start date.
- Plan your fieldwork hours: Starting your fieldwork in week 2 or 3 leaves less time to complete the required hours. Plan your start date and weekly schedule to avoid a rush at the end of the quarter.
- More than one fieldwork site: See "Can I have more than one fieldwork site?" In the FAQs below.
- Registration Priority: Before the first week of the quarter, students are registered in the order requests are submitted, as space allows. Beginning the first week, graduating seniors receive priority, followed by other students in submission order.
Enrollment Timeline
|
Quarter of Enrollment |
Registration Request Opens On or After |
Registration On or After |
Registration Request Closes On |
Suggested CPT Submission Date* |
| Winter 2027 | October 29, 2026 | November 16, 2026 | January 1, 2027 | December 14, 2026 |
*International students: This date provides a two-week review period before the first day of the quarter that ISS often requires. CPT approval time may vary after submission. Your CPT must be approved before starting site hours.
Supervisor Information
A critical component of a student's fieldwork experience is the training and supervision they will receive at the field site. Below is an outline of expectations for site supervisors. Please remember these guidelines and refer to them when talking with the agency you plan to for your fieldwork. In addition, if the student or supervisor has any questions or concerns regarding the agency's training or supervision, please don't hesitate to contact the Psychology Advising Office psyadvis@uw.edu.
The field site supervisor must agree to the following:
- Provide a good learning and training environment for the student, including adequate orientation to the program and regular supervision, as necessary, keeping routine work such as data entry and filing to a minimum.
- Work directly with the student and make explicit arrangements concerning the student's overall learning objectives, communication, expectations, and records of the student's hours and performance.
- Complete an evaluation of the student's performance. A final evaluation will be emailed to the site supervisor toward the end of the quarter. It must be completed before the student can receive credit.
The relationship with your site supervisor is very important. When you first meet to discuss your fieldwork experience, be sure to cover the following topics:
- What you hope to learn about the organization and its work.
- Your future career goals and interests, and how this experience might help you achieve them.
- The type of work you will be expected to perform at the organization.
- The quality of supervision and the training you will receive.
- The number of hours you are expected to work and your schedule.
- While not necessarily required for the discussion, you should decide on the number of credits you wish to receive (refer to the drop-down menu above for "How do I earn credit?").
Supervisors have two responsibilities for PSYCH 497: review and approve the student’s Handshake request at the beginning of the quarter, requesting changes if needed, and complete the final evaluation at the end of the quarter.
Your supervisor will rate your performance from poor to superior in nine areas: competence, initiative, ability to learn, relationships, leadership, creativity, quality of work, quantity of work, and dependability. They will also verify your completed fieldwork hours and may provide additional comments. You will be able to view the evaluation.
The Psychology Department does not have formal affiliation agreements with organizations for undergraduate fieldwork. An affiliation agreement is not required by the department.
Students: If a site requires an affiliation agreement, check whether the position is limited to graduate students. Undergraduate students are not eligible for graduate-only positions.
Most fieldwork sites have a designated supervisor. However, Crisis Text Line (CTL) and Learn to Be (LTB) do not have a direct supervisor. CTL provides training, and students can seek support from crisis counselors when challenging situations arise.
For CTL or LTB: List Psychology Advising (psyadvis@uw.edu) as your supervisor on your Handshake request. At the end of the quarter, Dr. Nelson will ask you to submit a screenshot showing your completed hours.
For other sites without a designated supervisor: Contact a Psychology Adviser (psyadvis@uw.edu) for guidance before submitting your Handshake request.
FAQs
Psychology includes areas such as child development, mental health, animal behavior, and sensory perception. Think about how your fieldwork connects to concepts you have studied in your psychology courses.
Discuss your learning goals with your site supervisor to ensure they align with the site’s needs. In your Handshake request, explain how your fieldwork relates to psychology.
Use your site’s system to log your fieldwork hours. If your site does not have one, keep your own daily or weekly record.
Near the end of the quarter, review your total hours with your supervisor. Your supervisor will receive a final evaluation to assess your performance and verify your completed hours.
Your required fieldwork hours depend on the number of PSYCH 497 credits you are registered for. See “Earning Credit” in the Register for PSYCH 497 Information section above for the required totals.
There is no fixed weekly hour requirement. Work with your supervisor to plan a schedule that allows you to complete your required hours by the end of the quarter. Account for holidays and site closures, and discuss any schedule changes with your supervisor.
You may register for up to 5 credits of PSYCH 497 per quarter and apply up to 10 credits of PSYCH 497 toward your Psychology degree. Once you reach 10 credits, additional registration is restricted.
A combined maximum of 18 credits from PSYCH 496–499 may count toward the 180 credits required for your BA or BS degree.
F-1 international students must be registered for PSYCH 497 before applying for CPT. You will recieve an email confirming your registration. You may apply for CPT after receiving that confirmation.
For more information, watch the introduction to CPT video.
Waiting for your request to move forward? If several days have passed since you submitted your Handshake request, check with your supervisor to confirm they received the approval email and approved your request.
Yes. You may take PSYCH 497 in multiple quarters, up to a maximum of 10 credits total.
Yes. Most fieldwork sites offer volunteer positions, but paid positions may also qualify for PSYCH 497. Each site decides whether to offer payment.
Payment compensates you for your work. Academic credit recognizes the learning you demonstrate through your PSYCH 497 assignments.
One fieldwork site is generally best because of scheduling, travel, and supervisor coordination. However, you may combine hours from two sites with approval from Psychology Advising. Each site requires a separate learning contract.
Before adding a second site or late registration, contact Psychology Advising for approval.
Submit your Handshake requests
For your first site: Follow the steps in “Start Registration” above.
For your second site (or if approved for late registration):
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Log in to Handshake with your UW NetID.
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Select Career Center, then Experiences.
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Select Submit an Experience.
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Under Experience Type, select “Psych 497 - For second fieldwork site (optional).”
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Complete the learning contract and select Submit an Experience.
Your site supervisor will receive an email requesting approval. If your request remains “In Progress,” check with your supervisor to make sure they received the email and completed their approval.
A Psychology adviser will then review your request for final approval. You will receive a confirmation email once it is approved.
If you worked at your site before registering for PSYCH 497, consider taking on a new project or additional responsibilities to expand your learning.
Psych 497 generally requires students to complete their fieldwork hours during the quarter they take the course. However, some hours may be completed in the preceding quarter as outlined below:
For autumn enrollment
Because PSYCH 497 is not offered in summer, students taking the course in autumn may complete their fieldwork hours:
- Entirely during the preceding summer.
- Entirely during autumn.
- Accross summer and autumn.
For winter or spring enrollment
Students may complete up to half their fieldwork hours in the imeediately preceding quarter. They must complete the remaining hours during the quarter they take PSYCH 497.
Yes, students can receive credit for hours completed during the summer by registering for Psych 497 in the autumn quarter. However, these summer hours can only be applied to the autumn quarter and cannot be used to fulfill the winter or spring hour requirements.
For autumn, students have three options to complete their hours:
- Complete hours in the summer
- Complete hours during the summer through autumn
- Complete hours solely in the autumn
Please review the credit vs. hours chart above to determine the appropriate number of credits to register for in autumn. If you complete hours during the summer, your final performance evaluation will be sent to your supervisor during the first few weeks of autumn quarter.
International students on an F-1 visa are strongly encouraged to review the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) information available through the International Student Service (ISS) office during the spring or prior to starting your search for a summer fieldwork site.
If PSYCH 497 is full, monitor the course for openings and contact Psychology Advising when a seat becomes available. Registration is first-come, first-served, as space allows. If the available sections conflict with your schedule, consider adjusting your schedule or taking PSYCH 497 in a future quarter.
If you cannot register for PSYCH 497 or your internship is not psychology-related, GEN ST 350 may be an alternative. The course is managed by the Community Engagement & Leadership Education (CELE) Center in 171 Mary Gates Hall.
F-1 international students considering GEN ST 350 should consult ISS about CPT requirements. For help with GEN ST 350 registration, contact genst350@uw.edu.
No, Psych 497 is a specialized experience course and will not fulfill the Psych major upper division elective course requirement.
Contact a Psychology Adviser (psyadvis@uw.edu).