Internships, A Contribution to the Improvement of Curriculum in the School of Psychology of UNAN - León

Abstract

Background and Objectives. Professional Internships represent a valuable and important experience in the education of university students. However, there is little documentation on the evaluation of this area of training. Within the context of curriculum redesign—aimed at adapting study plans to a Competency-Based Curriculum Model—the objectives of this study were to analyze the learning settings and activities of the Professional Internships (PIs) in the Psychology program and to identify the training needs perceived by the students. Methodology. A quantitative-qualitative study was conducted using a semi-structured survey administered to final-year Psychology students. In addition, interviews were carried out with academic authorities and faculty members responsible for tutoring and supervision of the internships. Results. The main concerns identified were related to a weak methodological and organizational structure of this curricular area, a lack of connection between theory and practice, and limited diversity in the contexts where internships are carried out. Conclusions. Although PIs are viewed as an opportunity for students to develop their competencies under real-world conditions, the current planning of the Psychology program’s internships limits the development of students' abilities to operate at different levels of engagement and in various professional settings.