Field Research (Internship) – GOVT 499

Course Description

Directed applicable work experience under supervision of the Director of Government Internships and an administrator or professional at the place of employment in government, political campaigns or political action organizations. Applications are processed through the department Faculty Intern Advisor. Applicants must apply the semester prior to starting the internship.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

The purpose of this course is to facilitate learning in the major/minor and to define career goals. Students will make intellectual connections between course work and on the job assignments. They can secure job contacts for potential future employment, obtain practical experience to build their resume, and thereby increase their marketability.

Course Assignment

1. Timely completion of all university Career Center requirements.
2. Timely completion of the agency’s internship requirements, as determined by the on-site supervisor.
3. Perform a minimum of 67 internship hours for one (1) hour of academic credit, 200 internship hours for three (3) hours of academic credit, or 400 internship hours for six (6) hours of academic credit.
4. Submission of the Student Internship Agreement to the Faculty Intern Advisor (FIA) prior to the start of the semester.
5. Submission of two (2) professionally written summaries to the FIA, in Turabian format, outlining the intern’s activities, observations, analysis, and assessment of the internship.
6. A job performance rating of “satisfactory” or higher on the mid-term and final Agency Internship Evaluation Forms.
7. Submission of a formal thank-you letter, on letterhead, to the internship agency within seven days of the end of the internship. A copy shall be submitted to the FIA.