School of Education
DEPARTMENTSInternship Guidelines
Internship Guidelines
Congratulations on getting to this point in your graduate education at the University of St. Thomas. As you know, an internship is required for the completion of the MA and the certificate programs. The internship may have one of two major thrusts: (1) For those already employed in their field of concentration, the internship is an on-the-job application/ demonstration project that will synthesize course learning; (2) for those who desire to use their MA or certificate to study for career transition, the internship presents an opportunity for the intern to gather new field experience and produce tangible evidence of involvement in an organization.
The internship is expected to occur near the end of the program. A minimum of 200 hours of experience is required. Application forms and directions are contained in this packet.
Internship Procedures:
1. At the beginning of the semester preceding the one in which you wish to begin an internship, meet with your advisor to discuss the internship. Lead time is imperative.
2. If you are seeking an internship placement outside your current employment, you may wish to:
a. Develop your resume. A resume preparation packet is available through the Career Resource Center, 3rd floor Murray-Herrick Hall.
b. Conduct informational interviews and network for potential sites/positions.
c. Negotiate for a position at a site; identify potential goals, tasks, and products to be developed.
d. Periodically check the job listings found on the Career Development Center website. It has up to date listings of internships and jobs.
3. Develop an Internship Proposal. The proposal will serve as a basis for a learning agreement/contract between you, a University Mentor, and a Field Mentor.
4. Identify who your Field Mentor will be. This individual will take on the role of content/process consultant to you. You should meet with your Field Mentor periodically throughout your project; the degree of involvement will vary depending upon the project and the understanding between you and your Field Mentor. At the end of your project, you will arrange a meeting between yourself, your Field Mentor and your University Mentor.
5. Submit the proposal to your advisor, along with the University Mentor Selection form. If you have not yet decided on a faculty person to serve as your University Mentor, your advisor can help you select one who is appropriate for your topic.
6. After your advisor has approved your preliminary proposal, submit it to your University Mentor who will:
a. Discuss any changes needed with you before you go any further;
b. Submit it to the Internship Coordinator, who will enter your internship proposal into the registration process;
c. Meet with you and your Field Mentor to discuss your internship (at least two meetings are required), and
d. Award your final grade.
7. The University Mentor Selection form must be completed and approved before you plan to register for this course. Because of the individualized nature of an internship, the University cannot register any student until the project is approved.
8. We suggest you give periodic updates to your University Mentor. Remember, this person is an excellent resource for you. He or she can help you problem-solve, recommend literature resources, brainstorm potential courses of action, and/or review progress to date.
The following criteria will be used in determining if your proposal is ready to be developed:
a. Is the proposal clearly written?
b. Does the proposed project involve an element of creativity? Does the internship involve synthesis level activity?
c. Has all the required information been included in the proposal? Review a sample internship proposal.
d. Is the proposed project within the apparent scope of your ability, yet still a learning challenge? Neither the University Mentor nor the Field Mentor should need to teach you the skills necessary to do a major component of the internship. If the proposal includes an area in which you will need major assistance from someone, you should consider paying for outside assistance (e.g. having statistical analysis help), find someone within the organization to provide you with effective resources, or change your idea. The purpose of the internship is to demonstrate skills, so some assistance is reasonable; major assistance is not.
e. If you are seeking a certificate related to the theme of the internship, is the type of certificate named? (e.g. Training)
f. Does the project involve a minimum of 200 hours? Are the hour estimates reasonable?
g. Do you have the resources necessary to complete the project?
9. After approval of your proposal by the Internship Coordinator, the proposal is ready to be implemented; letters of notification are sent to you, your Field Mentor, and your University Mentor. You are responsible for ensuring your Field Mentor has a copy of your final approved proposal.
During the Internship
You will need to keep a log that documents how you will use your time during your project. Use the following format:
|
Date |
Activity |
Time |
We suggest you keep a journal in which you will describe some of your internship activities and your subjective reactions to them.
At the End of the Internship
10. At the completion of your internship, please provide your University Mentor with the following, enclosed in a three-ring binder with appropriate dividers:
a. Your log/journal
b. A summary statement that briefly describes the project.
c. A copy of the product(s) developed.
d. A conclusion statement that describes what was learned and gained from the internship.
e. A letter from the Field Mentor commenting on the project and/or job activities and your efforts, including:
(1) How effectively were the objectives met?
(2) What is the potential contribution of the project/job activities to the organization?
f. A bibliography of background research and resources consulted for the project.
You may use the internship resource library in Room 325A of the building at 25 Harmon Street (Minneapolis campus) to view former students� internship reports.
11. Submit one copy of the binder to your University Mentor. Your Field Mentor may also request one. Once your University Mentor has reviewed it, you will need to schedule a meeting with him/her and your Field Mentor to discuss the final product.
12. Your University Mentor may suggest you make changes to your internship project. After you have made these revisions, give a final copy to your University Mentor. It will be retained as a student sample and as documentation that the project was completed. Internship projects containing privileged information need not be kept.
13. You are committed to fulfilling each of the tasks in your proposal unless you obtain the permission of your University Mentor to amend the proposal before you have logged half of your internship time.
14. Each of us in the Department of Organization Learning & Development wishes you a successful completion of your graduate study. We know you have worked hard and made many personal sacrifices to get to this point. Once again, congratulations!
University Mentor Selection Form
This form must be completed and approved before you register for the internship. Please attach a copy of your proposal to this form.
University Mentor Selection form
