Internships Guidelines

Internships are excellent ways to prepare for a career, link classroom discussions to the real world, practice some of the skills learned in our courses and help develop an agenda.

1) Applicants must be majors or minors in LHCS who are seniors or juniors and have completed at least three courses in the department before applying for an internship.

2) Applicants must have a GPA of at least 2.5.

3) Only one internship will count towards the total number of courses required for the Major or Minor, but students may register for up to two internships.

4) Students must complete the following before pre-registration for the semester preceding the internship:

a. Present a short one page proposal and work plan explaining exactly what the internship would involve, the kind of work done at the host institution and what work the intern would carry out. It should also specify who will be supervising the intern's work at the host institution.
b. The student needs to solicit at least one letter of endorsement from the director of the host agency or institution and present it with the proposal.
c. The student must find a faculty member who agrees to supervise the internship and evaluate the final report.

5) The intern will need to report at least every two to three weeks in writing and in a meeting to the faculty person sponsoring the internship. The dates of these reports and meetings will be arranged ahead of time.

6) The faculty advisor will provide a midterm grade based on these reports and any other documentation requested from the intern.

7) The intern will need to write a final report of 12-15 pages that examines the practical work done at the host institution in the context of the academic, policy or other relevant academic literature that discusses the issues, questions, problems or ideas involved in the internship. This paper will be due on the last day of classes.

8) The intern will need to have their work evaluated by a supervisor or director within the office at the end of the semester. This report will be considered by the faculty member in providing a final grade for the internship. The student will have to ensure that the site supervisor's evaluation of the student's work at the host institution is received on the last day of classes also. The intern will facilitate all contact information so he or she can submit this evaluation directly to the faculty supervisor.

9) Use the attached contract to guide your work and get department approval. Interns will register for course 01:836:494