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Department: Counseling & Psychological Services

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Department : Counseling & Psychological Services

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 1547
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: Pennsylvania State University
Department: Counseling & Psychological Services
Address: Penn State, Attn: Shannan Smith-Janik, Ph.D.
Student Health Center
542 Eisenhower Road
University Park, Pennsylvania 16802-4601
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Distance from Major City: 140 miles east of Pittsburgh, 193 miles west of Philadelphia
Phone: 814-863-0395x
Fax: 814-863-9610
Training Director Email: sbs23@psu.edu
Co-Training Director Email:
Web Address: http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellbeing/mental-health-services
Brochure Website's Address: http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellbeing/mental-health-services/training/doctoral-intern
Primary Agency Type: University Counseling Center
Additional Agency Types:
Member of APPIC since: 1983
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Shannan Smith-Janik
Chief Psychologist: Natalie Hernandez
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 16
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 0
Position Information
Start Date: 08/10/2027
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 4
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 44892
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dental Insurance, Disability Insurance, Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): University Holidays and Retirement Benefits included
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site Over the course of the week interns typically spend 1 to 2 hours in triage phone screenings, 2 hours in urgent evaluations, ~0-2 hours per week performing psychological assessments (depending on the timing of the semester), 3 hours per week providing group psychotherapy (2 groups), ~0.5-1 hour per week on outreach preparation/programming, 2-3 hours per week engaged in a Program Specific Rotation Focus Area of their choosing, and approximately 12 hours per week in individual counseling appointments of various types. In addition, interns spend approximately 10-11 hours weekly receiving training and supervision. The remaining time is spent in staff meetings, professional development, completing clinical documentation, and consultation.
Does this site have practicum psychology students on site? Yes
Doctoral Psychology Practicum StudentsYes
Masters Psychology Practicum StudentsYes
Do Psychology Interns/Postdocs Have the Opportunity to Supervise Practicum Students?Yes
Is this program fully affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Is this program partially affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Internship Application Process
Accepting Applicants: Yes
Application Due Date: 11/04/2026 11:59 PM EST
A Virtual Interview are: Required
Interview notification date: 12/07/2026
Tentative interview date: Weeks of 12/14/26, 01/04/27, & 01/11/27
Interview process description:

Applicants will be notified by the Training Director via email on or before Monday, December 7, 2026 as to whether they are being invited for an interview or not. We typically interview about 38 applicants for 4 positions.

All interviews will be done virtually and will be conducted via Zoom. Interviews will be two hours in length and will occur from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. EST, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  EST, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST, and at times from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST. The "official interview" is a structured 50-minute interview with a set series of questions. The Associate Director, Training participates in all official interviews, along with two other members of the senior staff involved in intern training.  

We also provide an opportunity to meet informally in one 1/2-hour meeting with two other members of our training staff. This is not a structured interview and is provided to help applicants learn about the program, provide a forum for applicants to ask questions and generally get a feel for our site and our staff members.

Finally, we provide an opportunity for applicants to meet with a current intern or one of our post-doctoral fellows who recently completed internship at our site. This will involve a 1/2-hour meeting with the current/former intern so that the applicant can hear the intern/former intern's perspective on their training experience at our site and ask any questions they might have.

We will be conducting interviews the weeks of 12/14/26, 01/04/27, and 01/11/27. 

 

 
How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: Antioch University-Los Angeles, Ball State University, Catholic University, Chestnut Hill College, Cleveland State University, Duquesne University, Florida Institute of Technology, Florida State University, George Fox University, George Mason University, George Washington University, Hofstra University, Idaho State University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh University, Loyola University of Maryland, Marywood University, Miami University of Ohio, Midwestern University, New Mexico State University, Oklahoma State University, Penn State University, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Radford University, Roberts Wesleyan College, Roosevelt University, Rosemead School of Psychology/Biola University, Texas Tech University, University of Akron, University of Nebraska, University at Albany - SUNY, University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of Indianapolis, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, University of Maryland-College Park, University of Utah, University of Virginia, Utah State University, West Chester University, West Virginia University, Wheaton College, William James College, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, The Wright Institute.
Internship Applicant Requirements
US Citizenship Required: No
If NOT a U.S. Citizen, Authorization to Work or to Engage in Practical Training (CPT or OPT) in the US is Required: Yes
Canadian Citizenship Required: No
If NOT a Canadian Citizen, Authorization to Work in Canada or to Engage in Practical Training (CPT or OPT) in Canada is Required: No
Masters Degree Required: No
Comprehensive Exams Passed: Yes, by ranking deadline
Dissertation Proposal Approved: No
Dissertation Defended: No
Minimum Number of AAPI Intervention Hours (if applicable): 400
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Minimum Number of Combined Intervention and Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Does your program require applicants to submit supplemental materials (i.e., an assessment report and/or a case/treatment summary): No
Minimum Number of Years of Grad Training Required (if applicable): 3
Accepted / Not-Accepted Program Types
Clinical Psychology Accepted
Counseling Psychology Accepted
School Psychology Not Accepted
APA-Accredited Accepted
CPA-Accredited Accepted
PCSAS-Accredited
Non-Accredited Not Accepted
Ph.D Degree Accepted
Psy.D. Degree Accepted
Ed.D. Degree Not Accepted
This institution, department, internship, or postdoctoral program requires trainees to sign a statement about personal behavior and/or religious beliefs as a condition of admission and/or retention in the program: No
How to obtain text of statement:
Other Requirements: Other requirements include the AAPI on-line, Curriculum Vitae (CV), graduate transcripts, and three reference letters. At least two letters should be from supervisors familiar with the applicant's most recent clinical work. At least one letter of reference must be from someone in applicant's doctoral program. Practicum hours include Masters and Doctoral hours. Assessment experience is required, but there is not a minimum number of hours expected. Applicants should have prior assessment coursework involving training in administration and interpretation of cognitive/neurodevelopmental tests, as well as prior training/coursework in personality assessment. Experience administering cognitive/neurodevelopmental tests is expected. Experience administering personality tests is preferred but not required. Prior experience with writing integrated reports is required. Please see our Doctoral Internship website information for additional details (https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/doctoral-internship). Prior to beginning employment, matched interns must successfully complete a Background Check in accordance with Penn State Policies.
Program Description

Pennsylvania State University's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers a full-time 12-month doctoral internship in Health Service Psychology designed to provide high quality training in the multiple functions carried out at a major university counseling center. The overarching goal of our internship program is the training of “generalists”, highly competent and versatile professionals, who keep abreast of changes in the field and who use this information to inform their clinical practice. The objective of the internship program is to train psychologists whose expertise extends to a variety of clinical domains, including individual and group counseling/psychotherapy, intake, urgent evaluation/stabilization/follow-up, co-occurring substance use and behavioral addiction treatment, assessment and diagnosis, multicultural counseling, research in an applied setting, consultation/outreach, supervision, and other activities appropriate to the setting (e.g. collaboration with other disciplines). Training also facilitates the development of profession-wide competencies as outlined in the Standards of Accreditation for Health Service Psychology through APA. These areas include research, ethical and legal standards, individual and cultural diversity, professional values and attitudes, communication and interpersonal skills, assessment, intervention, supervision, and consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills. Professional development is fostered within a service-delivery system that has a long tradition of dedication to excellence in training. The Program has been APA-accredited for over 40 years. We received reaccreditation for the next 10 years and our next site visit will be in 2032.  

CAPS is the primary mental health and personal counseling resource for the over 49,000 students at Penn State's University Park Campus. During the 2025-2026 Academic Year our staff had contact with over 2,900 Penn State students for a total of over 16,000 attended appointments. 

Common presenting problems include, but are not limited to, typical development issues, interpersonal concerns, depression, anxiety, lack of motivation or concentration, poor academic performance, body image and eating disorders, as well as trauma. Less typical, but often seen problems, include more severe mental health concerns (e.g., bipolar disorder, psychosis). Interns work clinically and via outreach services with students from varied backgrounds and identities. CAPS also offers an extensive group therapy program, with about 25 groups per semester. Opportunities exist for an optional summer rotation at Career Services on campus. Please refer to our website for a complete description of our program.

Penn State CAPS uses a primarily in-person clinical model, offering both in-person and tele services. Interns will be fully in office during the Fall and Spring semesters. There may be the opportunity for interns to work from home one day a week on Wednesdays, in the summer semester. Otherwise, interns are on site working from their campus offices. During the 2025-2026 training year, interns provided primarily in-person services. Provision of psychological assessment services occurs throughout the internship year in the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Training seminars are typically conducted in person unless tele is indicated. Individual psychotherapy supervision is provided in person, as are additional group supervision opportunities.

Internship Training Opportunities

Populations
Infants:
Toddlers:
Children:
Adolescents: Yes
Adults: Yes
Family:
Older Adults:
Inpatients:
Outpatients: Yes
LGBTQ+: Yes
Ethnic minorities: Yes
Spanish-speaking:
French-speaking:
Deaf/Hearing-impaired:
Students: Yes
International Students: Yes
Rural:
Urban:
Low income:
People without housing:
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Individual Therapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Couples Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Family Therapy:
Group Therapy: Experience (21% to 30%)
Community Intervention:
Consultation/Liaison: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Crisis Intervention: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Brief Psychotherapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Long-term Psychotherapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Cognitive Rehabilitation:
Primary Care:
Evidenced Based Practice: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Evidence Based Research: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Supervision of Practicum students : Exposure (1% to 20%)
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology:
Women's Health:
HIV/AIDS:
Eating Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders:
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology:
Physical Disabilities:
Learning Disabilities:
Developmental Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Assessment: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Neuropsychology-Adult:
Neuropsychology-Child:
Serious Mental Illness: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Anxiety Disorders: Experience (21% to 30%)
Trauma/PTSD: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Abuse: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Substance Use Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Forensics/Corrections:
Sexual Offenders:
Geropsychology:
Pediatrics:
School:
Counseling: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy: Experience (21% to 30%)
Feminist Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Religion/Spirituality: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Empirically-Supported Treatments: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Public Policy/Advocacy:
Program Development/Evaluation: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Supervision: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Research: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Administration: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Integrated health care - primary: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Integrated health care - specialty:
Other:

Please see our website information for a deailed description of clinical and supervision experiences offered (studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellbeing/mental-health-services/training/doctoral-intern).

Additional information about training opportunities: Not all rotations or training experiences may be available as described in the APPIC Directory. Please consult the program's application materials or their website at: studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellbeing/mental-health-services  for a complete description of the training opportunities available at this training site. IF the site has not updated their information by August 1, feel free to contact the Training Director for additional information.

Summary of the Characteristics of the Specified Internship Class
2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026 2026-2027
Number of Completed Applications: 94 87 74 61 68 102 73 71 93 95
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 37 38 38 38 38 46 38 38 37 38
Total number of interns: 4 4 4 4 4 5 4 5 4 4
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 4 4 4 4 4 5 4 5 4 4
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 2 4 2 2 1 3 2 2 3 1
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 2 0 2 2 3 2 2 3 1 3
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 3 2 3 4 3 3 2 2 2 3
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 1 2 1 0 1 2 2 2 2 1
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written 2 5 5 5 0 1 3 4 3 2
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written 42 19 17 17 18 30 16 18 6 36
Summary of Post Internship Employment Settings of Each Internship Class (1st Placement)
2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026
Academic teaching: 0 0 0 0
Community mental health center: 0 0 0 0
Consortium: 0 0 0 0
University Counseling Center: 5 3 3 0
Hospital/Medical Center: 0 0 0 0
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 0 0 0 0
Psychiatric facility: 0 0 0 0
Correctional facility: 0 0 0 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 0 0 0
School district/system: 0 0 0 0
Independent practice setting: 0 1 2 2
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0 0 0 2
Link to Program's Trainee Admissions, Support, and Outcome Data: http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellbeing/mental-health-services/training/doctoral-intern
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