Service Learning Opportunities

Earn Credit and Make a Difference!

The Department of Psychology offers multiple ways to become involved in the community while earning credit toward your degree. Each of the Service Learning Courses below fulfills the experiential lab requirement for the Psychology major. Both Psychology and BCN majors will find the Service Learning Courses to be a rewarding experience that allows you to apply your knowledge outside of the classroom.

Please see the sections below for more details regarding our Service Learning Courses.

Detroit Initiative- Psych 325

Established in 1995, the Detroit Initiative seeks to provide opportunities for students to engage in further education, service, and research in the Detroit area through a focus on community-identified priorities.

Each Detroit Initiative course contains an internship component, where students spend 2-4 hours each week working with a community-based organization in Detroit. At these sites, students participate in such activities as tutoring or supervising children in after-school or summer programs, working on community education projects or on community research projects, and or doing outreach into the community. Internships are supervised by the instructor and program staff, as well as by a staff person at the community-based organization.

The Detroit Initiative offers three undergraduate psychology courses during Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer terms under the course Psych 325. These classes are also cross-listed with American Culture. For more information regarding these courses, please visit the Detroit Initiative website.

Project Outreach- Psych 211

Project Outreach offers an opportunity for UM students to provide meaningful service to others while learning about psychology in action. The purpose of Project Outreach is to allow students to learn about themselves and psychology by becoming involved in community settings. Outreach students engage in real work in the community,
designed to meet community needs.

With three unique sections, Project Outreach allows students to identify a particular topic of interest, learn about psychology as it relates to their section topic, and volunteer in relevant environments.

All sections fulfill an experiential lab for Psychology majors; Section 500 fulfills a BCN lab requirement.

Please see the blue drop-down sections below for more details about the three Project Outreach topics:

Development
Facilitating Mental Wellness
Biopsychosocial Health

Students attend a weekly 2-hour Lecture Section with a topical focus. Weekly assignments prepare students for class discussions across academic and field settings, including service for 2.5 hours at their placement site, a site journal, a quiz on readings (~25 pages) and videos, and in-class presentations by researchers and practitioners. Active engagement in each class session is required for this course.

Many sites require a negative TB test result within the year (more information is available from UHS at https://uhs.umich.edu/tbtest), and some require Covid and seasonal flu vaccination.

Please note: Students are responsible for any costs for vaccinations and tests required. Sites with children or vulnerable clients conduct a check of the Michigan Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry or a background check.

AFTER ENROLLING IN A SECTION, please apply ASAP for an individual placement at https://qrco.de/JoinOutreach.

Transportation: M-Bus, AATA, personal vehicle, or a UM vehicle.

Any questions regarding Project Outreach can be sent to project.outreach@umich.edu.

Project Outreach Group Leading- Psych 306

Psych 306 gives students the opportunity to take on a leadership role within Project Outreach. Once enrolled in Psych 306, students are trained to be Group Leaders for Psych 211 students. Group Leader responsibilities include facilitating small group discussions, maintaining a relationship with a placement site, grading assignments and providing feedback, demonstrating sensitivity to multicultural differences in a classroom setting, and more.

While it is helpful to have previously taken Psych 211 before enrolling in Psych 306, it is not required.

Students may become a Group Leader for any of the following sections:

Development
Facilitating Mental Wellness
Biopsychosocial Health

Students enroll in a weekly 3-hour Lecture Section (306.100, 306.200, or 306.500) with a topical focus. Weekly assignments include leading course activities in Psych 211, grading student assignments, and collaborative planning with the teaching team. Students are required to serve as volunteers in an individually scheduled shift at a placement site for credit in the discussion section.

Please Note: A required orientation training for 306 students will take place on Sunday, September 8th from 3 to 6 pm.

Enrolling in Psych 306 requires a short application process. You may apply to be a Group Leader here!

Any questions regarding Project Outreach can be sent to project.outreach@umich.edu.

Please see the sections below for more information regarding specific sections of Project Outreach.

Psych 211-100: Development

Lectures and discussions for this section occur on Tuesdays from 4:00-6:00pm

Early childhood development is critically important to a child's future well-being. How do children achieve their potential in school and in life? Students in this section serve as mentors to children ages 3-6 in preschools and daycare centers. Interacting with preschoolers requires patience, being present in the moment, and following behavioral guidelines. Students observe natural interactions to identify the social, emotional, and cognitive challenges in development.

Examples of Placement Sites: Early childhood care centers and preschools in Ann Arbor

SITE REQUIREMENTS: Volunteers working with children must provide a copy of a picture ID and receive a clearance from the Michigan Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry. Most sites also require a negative TB test (within the year). A few sites require documentation of vaccinations, including COVID (no UM exemptions accepted), Seasonal Flu, Chicken Pox, MMR, TDAP, and Hep B. A few require background checks, and some require applications and photo releases.

VOLUNTEER SHIFTS: Mondays through Fridays, Mornings or late afternoons.

EXPERIENTIAL LAB REQUIREMENT: Psychology Major

Psych 211-200: Facilitating Mental Wellness

Lectures and discussions for this section occur on Wednesdays from 4:00-6:00pm

Clinical psychology offers psychoeducational programs to enhance mental wellness. Students in this section learn about key issues and effective interventions in mental health care. Students join their peers to participate in a mental wellness program and gain experience with facilitating small group sessions. The course provides training and builds clinical skills for working in mental health settings.

Examples of Placement Sites: For this section only, students work with classmates on campus and will not enter any community spaces. An additional hour of placement work is required in addition to the scheduled shift.

VOLUNTEER SHIFTS: Mondays through Thursdays, Mornings or (some) late afternoons.

EXPERIENTIAL LAB REQUIREMENT: Psychology Major

Psych 211-500: Biopsychosocial Health

Lectures and discussions for this section occur on Thursdays from 4:00-6:00pm

Many psychological, behavioral, and cultural factors contribute to experiencing physical and mental illnesses. In this section, students volunteer in healthcare settings to support patients and staff while learning about the interaction of psychological and physical health concerns.

Information for lab section 501 UMHS: In this discussion section, students volunteer with the University of Michigan Health System. UMHS placements offer intensive experiences in high demand and added service weeks beyond this course. Specialists place each student individually based on interests and availability. Most placements are offered weekdays between 6am and 6pm, with some evenings and weekend shifts.

Volunteers must apply to UMHS through an online form, and provide personal references, approve background and central registry checks, documentation of immunity or vaccination for MMR (Measles/Mumps/Rubella), TDAP (Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis), Varicella (Chicken Pox or Shingles), and Current Seasonal Flu. A negative test for TB (Tuberculosis) is required at the time of application (see https://uhs.umich.edu/tbtest for more information).

IF UNABLE TO MEET UMHS requirements, do not enroll in this section.

Students can obtain these vaccinations and tests free of charge during their pre-placement health screening with UM-Health Occupational Health Services. Interested students can start the application process immediately through the UMHS Portal at https://www.michiganmedicine.org/community/community-health-services/volunteer-services/new-volunteers.Please note: Enrolled students must complete the UMHS application process to receive a placement assignment before the start of the term.

Examples of Placement Sites: UM Health, Center for Forensic Psychiatry, UM Silver Club, Univeristy Living, and Huron Valley PACE.

REQUIREMENTS: This section requires application through the University of Michigan Health Volunteer Services Portal through a special Outreach access link (provided following enrollment). This includes an online application, picture ID, background check, central registry check, personal reference checks, documentation of vaccination or immunity for seasonal Flu, MMR, TDAP, and Chicken Pox, and a negative TB test at the time of application.

VOLUNTEER SHIFTS: Weekdays 6-6, some evenings and weekend shifts available.

EXPERIENTIAL LAB REQUIREMENT: Psychology and BCN Majors

Barger Leadership Institute

The BLI is the home for immersive and interdisciplinary undergraduate leadership experiences at the University of Michigan. Below are a couple of opportunities.

Leadership Grant Opportunities:

Leadership grants allow BLI members to receive up to $4,000 to support short-term projects, events, or leadership development opportunities. Applications are reviewed throughout the academic year on a rolling basis.

Amount: up to $500 for members
Amount: up to $4,000 for members who complete any BLI LEARN experience

Social Transformation Fellowship Grants:

Members who complete the Social Transformation Workshop Series are eligible to receive up to $15,000 in project funding and to receive ongoing coaching & mentorship.

Amount: up to $15,000 for members

For more information on the Barger Leadership Institute

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Service Learning Opportunities

Earn Credit and Make a Difference!

Detroit Initiative- Psych 325

Detroit Initiative- Psych 325

Project Outreach- Psych 211

Project Outreach- Psych 211

Project Outreach Group Leading- Psych 306

Project Outreach Group Leading- Psych 306

Any questions regarding Project Outreach can be sent to project.outreach@umich.edu.

Please see the sections below for more information regarding specific sections of Project Outreach.

Psych 211-100: Development

Psych 211-200: Facilitating Mental Wellness

Psych 211-500: Biopsychosocial Health

Barger Leadership Institute