The deadline for SUMMER 2013 internship applications is MAY 15!
Student Intern Spotlights
Internship Overview
Providing successful and critically formative professional experiences via internships has been a priority of the Department of Geography and Earth Science since 1972. The internship program offers students practical and active professional exposure in a manner that builds upon and complements their in class work. In addition, internships offer students the opportunity to develop professional networks and establish relationships that help them build their knowledge-base and develop career interests. National research findings underscore the value of such internships, showing that a significant portion of new college graduates are hired as a result of their internship experience. The Department of Geography and Earth Science requires that all undergraduate students majoring in one of the Geography Concentrations or in Geoenvironmental Studies complete at least three credits of internship; non-thesis graduate students are required to complete six credits of internship.
The wide range of student skills, abilities, and interests in combination with a diverse Geography – Earth Science curriculum leaves students suited for a tremendous variety of internship experiences. However, each internship placement is reviewed for its suitability and approved (or not approved) on the basis of an internship application. This is to insure that the student is earning internship credits in a placement appropriate to her or his curricular background, professional aspirations, and individual abilities.
Dr. Claire Jantz (cajant@ship.edu, x 1399, Shearer 116) is the current Internship Coordinator. Once you review the following materials, you may contact her directly if you have additional questions.
Basic Requirements
Some general requirements before an internship is taken
For undergraduates:
- Students must complete at least 60 credits prior to the semester in which the internship takes place
- A 2.0 overall GPA is required to take an internship.
- Undergraduates in our program are required to take 3 credits of internship; a maximum of 9 credits is allowed.
For graduate students:
- A 3.0 overall GPA is required to take an internship.
- Non-thesis graduate students must complete 6 credits of internship; a maximum of six is allowed.
For all students:
- The internship must relate to the student's major and/or educational background.
- The internship must complement and enhance the thinking, writing, substantive, and other skills / abilities developed in the course of your studies in this department.
- During the advising period, inform & consult you faculty advisor about your interest in an internship.
- The prospective internship experience must be approved by the faculty coordinator.
- An internship application form must be completed (details below). You will not be scheduled for an internship without a completed and approved application.
- Each credit hour of internship equates to 40 hours of work at your placement, so a 3-credit internship equals 120 hours of work.
- All internships are graded Pass/Fail.
- Your internship is an academic experience in addition to being a professional experience. As such, tuition will be charged for internship credits just like any other academic course. For information on tuition costs, see the Student Accounts website.
Finding an Internship
- Students should initiate contact with potential internship placements based on their individual interests. Students are expected to take the lead on finding, applying for, and securing an internship; the department does not place you although we do have some excellent support services.
- An excellent way to find an internship is to attend the annual Career Day organized by the department and held every November.
- Internships are posted on the bulletin board on the 100-level of Shearer Hall, and on our Facebook page.
- You can also Internship placement databaseof recent placements (2010-2011).
- Dr. Drzyzga maintains a listing of organizations that have hosted GIS internships.
- If a student has any difficulty finding opportunities, they should consult with their advisors, and the internship coordinator who may make suggestions concerning internship opportunities and locations.
- Students are also welcome to use college and university-level resources, including the Career Development Center. The CDC has some excellent tips and tools for resumes and cover letters.
Internship Instructions
Prior to the Internship - the Application and Registration process:
- Please note that the procedures have changed recently. Read carefully!
- Once you have secured an internship, complete the required form to apply for academic credit:
- Get the required signatures on the application
- The application requires several signatures. It is recommended to get the signatures in this order:
- Yours
- The organization supervisor
- The internship coordinator (Dr. Jantz)
- The internship supervisor. This is the faculty member who will be supervising you in the field and this position rotates every semester. Dr. Jantz will direct you to the professor(s) who will be doing internship supervising in any particular semester.
- After you have obtained these four signatures, submit your form to Dr. Jantz. Your application will then be forwarded to the Dean's office for final approval.
- Deadlines:
- The internship application must be submitted to the Dean's office by the end of the semester prior to the internship semester.
- For Fall internships, paperwork must be filed by June 1 of the prior semester. You must at least give Dr. Jantz notice of your intent to apply for a Fall internship by June 1 if it is not possible to have paperwork completed.
- For Spring internships, paperwork must be filed by December 1 of the prior semester.
- For Summer internships, paperwork must be filed by May 15.
- These are deadlines set by the Dean's office. Late applications may not receive credit.
- Registering for internship credits:
- Beginning in Fall 2011, you will need to work directly with Judy Ferrell (JFerrell@ship.edu; 477-1685) to register for credits through the Banner system. Please note that Ms. Ferrell will not register any student who does not have the required approvals.
- For questions about registration, contact Dr. Claire Jantz (cajant@ship.edu x 1399) or Associate Dean Dr. Susan Rimby (srrimb@ship.edu; x 1151).
- Tuition for internship credits
- Your internship is an academic experience in addition to being a professional experience. As such, tuition will be charged for internship credits just like any other academic course.
- For information on tuition costs, see the Student Accounts website.
During the Internship:
- Students will submit activity logs to the internship supervisor every two weeks via email. If you are working more than 30 hours per week, your logs should be submitted weekly.
- The log should be submitted as a Word or PDF document.
- Include your name and internship location information at the top of each document.
- Entries should be made for each day that you work.
- Each entry should include each date worked, the number of hours worked that day, and the total number of hours worked toward the internship.
- Submit logs only for the required number of hours needed to complete your internship (i.e. 120 hours if you are registered for 3 credits).
- Click here for an example of an appropriate activity log for your information (in word .doc format).
- Halfway through your internship:
- Ask your supervisor to complete an evaluation of your work and ask that they send that to your internship supervisor.
- This can be submitted via fax, or through the mail directly to the Geography-Earth Science Department.
- The evaluation is found on pages 7 and 8 of the the College of Arts and Sciences internship application.
- At the end of your internship:
- Complete a 5 page paper summarizing your internship experience.
- This should be a reflective paper that summarizes your accomplishments, what you’ve learned, and the pros and cons of your internship experience.
- The paper can be submitted to your internship supervisor as a Word document via e-mail.
- Ask your supervisor to complete a final evaluation (same form as the mid-term evaluation).
- In addition to the paper, you need to submit an evaluation of your internship. The student evaluation is found on pages 5 and 6 of the College of Arts and Sciences internship application.
University Info: