An Academic Internship is a planned, supervised, experiential learning project integrating study and practical work. Policy details can be found in the academic catalog.
Serving as a faculty supervisor of an academic internship entails a few key responsibilities:
- Communicate with the student to learn about their intended internship/experience and learning goals
- Assign academic activities that the student submits through Handshake when they start the registration process. The two types of academic activities are Ongoing Evaluation/Reflection and Integrative Project/Closing Activity.
- During the experience, communicate with the student to help them reflect on what they are learning and experiencing
- At the end of the experience, review Integrative Project/Closing Activity and discuss feedback with the student.
- At the end of the experience, valuate the overall internship experience and offer a P/N grade
Students Plan And Register
Students need to secure their own internship. The Piper Center offers numerous on-line and hardcopy resources that provide internship opportunities as well as assistance with the application/interview process. Students are also advised to network with faculty, staff, alumni, and other community members who may know of internship opportunities.
View student requirements for registering for a Domestic or an International Academic Internship.
Faculty Supervisors Guide And Teach
The faculty supervisor begins playing a key role as soon as a student decides to earn credit for her/his internship. The Learning Agreement and Plan asks the student to detail learning goals and strategies for the internship. The faculty supervisor takes an active role in guiding the student through this process.
In order to monitor the student’s progress, the faculty supervisor connects with the intern on a daily or weekly basis via email, phone, or face to face. Correspondence is tailored to the needs of the student at the discretion of the faculty member. The faculty supervisor and the student discuss achievements and challenges and revisit the goals outlined in the Learning Agreement.The faculty supervisor and the student may decide that revisions to the learning goals or academic activities are necessary based on a changed or clarified understanding of the internship. Regular correspondence with the student will ensure that learning goals are met.
Evaluation And Grading
The faculty supervisor outlines and oversees the academic activities for the internship, whereas the site supervisor oversees student performance at the internship site. The faculty supervisor will evaluate the overall internship experience and offer a P/N grade based on:
- Regular correspondence with the student intern
- Student’s thoughtful completion of the academic activities (Ongoing Evaluation/Reflection and Integrative Project)