UO Policy for Required Internship Year

The American Psychological Association requires that clinical, counseling, and school psychology doctoral students complete a 1-year internship before being awarded the doctoral degree.

The Division of Graduate Studies has created an oral defense and dissertation submission policy that allows students in these programs to defend, submit, and receive final approval from the Division of Graduate Studies of the dissertation before the internship begins and then delay graduation until the internship has been completed.

Students who have successfully defended, submitted, and received final Division of Graduate Studies approval of the dissertation and received an internship assignment can apply for up to three terms of On-Leave Status.

These students will not be required to pay tuition or fees during these terms. The Division of Graduate Studies will allow them to graduate after completing the internship without re-enrolling. This policy was updated in May 2018 and first enacted in Summer 2018. Note: your specific program may require enrollment in 1 or more internship credits; this is often related to licensure or accreditation. Please verify enrollment requirements with your department. 

Students who have not defended and completed the dissertation before embarking on an internship must continue to follow the continuous enrollment policy until they successfully defend, submit, and receive final Division of Graduate Studies approval of the dissertation. Note the following: 

• If students are using services or faculty assistance they must be enrolled for at least three credits.
• This policy includes students not in residence while writing a thesis or dissertation, but using faculty assistance, university services or facilities such as sending chapters to an adviser by mail or email for feedback.

Once the student has successfully defended and the dissertation has received final Division of Graduate Studies approval these students become eligible for On-Leave Status and, if their dissertations are approved in a term prior to the term they graduate, the Division of Graduate Studies does not require them to re-enroll to graduate. Note: your specific program may require enrollment in 1 or more internship credits; this is often related to licensure or accreditation. Please verify enrollment requirements with your department. 

Students are also responsible for complying with all other applicable Division of Graduate Studies deadlines and requirements related to dissertations and graduation.

The on-leave terms associated with the internship requirement are in addition to the 6 terms of leave status that are available to all doctoral students.

Examples

Student A

Student A defends, submits, and receives final Division of Graduate Studies approval of their dissertation in spring term before the internship year.

They can be on leave for up to three terms, and graduate without re-enrolling* during the following spring or summer term, depending on which term they complete the internship.

Student B

Student B defends, submits, and receives final Division of Graduate Studies approval of their dissertation in winter term of their internship year and will complete the internship during the following summer term.

They registers for at least three credits of dissertation during fall term if working with his committee or advisor.

They will register for at least three credits of dissertation during winter term, will be on leave for spring and summer term, graduating without re-enrolling* during summer term.

Student C

Student C defends, submits, and receives final Division of Graduate Studies approval of their dissertation in spring term, which is the last term of their internship year.

They will register for at least three credits of dissertation during fall and winter terms if working with their committee or advisor.

They register for two credits of dissertation and one credit of internship during spring term.

*Note: your specific program may require enrollment in 1 or more internship credits; this is often related to licensure or accreditation. Please verify enrollment requirements with your department.