Female professor stops at students desk to discuss his work.

Internship opportunites

Regardless of your focus of study, an internship can be a huge asset to your education. You can work at a wide variety of agencies, organizations, and programs. 

Our students have participated in a variety of internships locally or regionally - youth advocate programs, social service agencies, occupational therapy, hospitals, schools, animal-assisted therapy centers, retirement communities, and many others. We offer internships as a three-credit elective course.

Appell Life Sciences building at York College

Internship FAQ and info

  • What are the prerequisites for SOC495?

    Students must meet specific eligibility requirements in order to register for an internship for academic credit at YCP. Students must have a GPA of 2.5 or better and must have earned a minimum of 60 credits.

  • Where do I obtain the forms to register for the internship?

    Obtain the YCP Internship Packet titled "Procedures for Completing Internship Applications for Academic Credit" from either Jolynn Varano in the Career Development Center, Cheryl Smith in the Behavioral Science Office (LS355) or the Sociology internship coordinator, Laura West Steck, Ph.D. (LS343).

  • How do I identify an internship site?

    Visit the Career Development Center, CH200, or make an appointment with the Internship Coordinator, Dr. Laura Steck, to learn more about Sociology Internships.

  • How do I set up the internship?

    Call or make contact with possible internship sites to set up an internship.  Personal phone calls and in-person appointments with agency staff are the best initial steps toward securing an internship opportunity.  Email contact only is a less effective and far less professional way to inquire about an internship.

  • How do I register for the internship?

    After submitting the required paperwork to your faculty supervisor (the Internship Application for Academic Credit, the Internship Learning Agreement, and the York College of Pennsylvania Affirmation Statement), the faculty supervisor will sign the internship paperwork, submit it to the chair of the Behavioral Sciences Department for a signature, and then the paperwork will be forwarded to Jolynn Varano, assistant director of Career Development and internship coordinator.  From this point, the Career Development internship coordinator will complete the registration process.  Students do not personally register for an internship course in the conventional manner (i.e. online or through the Registrar's Office).

  • When is the registration deadline for the internship?

    The registration deadline for all college internships is the last day of drop/add during any semester. However, due to the chain of signatures required, the Sociology internship coordinator strongly recommends the final submission of paperwork by the student occur at least two days prior to the end of drop/add.

Research in Sociology

We encourage research projects so you can go in-depth on a topic and work with a faculty member, either on a project they've started or on your own research.

Course Research

The required Sociology/Behavioral Science two-course Research Methods sequence prepares students to conduct research, analyze data and disseminate findings. In the context of this methods sequence, students have the opportunity to work with the Institute of Applied Social Research conducting local research in the York City and York County area.

Example of Behavioral Science Research

The Behavioral Science research classes are currently conducting research for Leave-a-Legacy of York County. The research being done is repeated every four years to monitor the impact Leave-a-Legacy is having on York County. Research is being conducted with the general public, non-profit organizations and legal/financial advisors. Leave-a-Legacy uses nonprofits and civic-minded volunteers to promote charitable giving.

Contact Us
Sociology
Laura Steck, Ph.D., Coordinator
Appell Life Sciences, Room 343
Phone: 717.815.6585
lsteck@ycp.edu
Hours:
Contact for appt.