Guidelines for Internships
Specific guidelines governing the Internship Program in the School of Informatics are consistent with the overall policy established by the University.
Description
There must be no less than 45 clock hours per credit hour. Intern must have periodic meetings with faculty advisor(s). Requirements for interns include the development of a technology project proposal; interview, resume, and project presentation; on-site intern residency; project report (daily journal); oral and media presentation of the project outcome. Application to the School not made prior to the semester of desired internship may not be approved.
Purposes
The purposes of the internship are to (a) provide interested and qualified students with career training within an academic or corporate setting; (b) assist in the development of appropriate skills and capability which are applicable in jobs and careers; (c) facilitate student involvement in work experiences related to one’s chosen academic curriculum; (d) facilitate development of occupational alternatives; and (e) facilitate student self-confidence with regard to the marketability of his/her training, and/or foster community awareness of students educated in the School of Informatics and their capabilities.
Eligibility
Participants must be regularly enrolled majors in the School of Informatics at IUPUI who have at least a previous semester in residence. Participants must have completed all core classes (15 hours) and nine semester hours in the area of specialization, or new media electives. Additional courses in the area related to the internship may be required before a student enrolls in an internship. An overall GPA of 2.5 is required, with a 3.0 average in all NM courses. All students must first meet with their academic advisor to discuss their plans for an internship. The student must submit a written plan for approval before enrolling.
Employer Qualifications & Responsibilities
Work must be related to the student’s curriculum and academic level. The School is responsible for determining employer qualifications and insuring the work experience is of a nature fitting the student’s academic career. Each internship position must be approved by the appropriate member of the faculty prior to the time applications from students are solicited. The School recommends students seek internships in organizations with which they not have been previously affiliated. In the event a student wants to pursue an internship in an organization where s/he has been employed, the internship MUST involve a position with new duties, responsibilities, supervisors, and co-workers.
The employer will make specific commitments, as appropriate, to the student’s academic advisor and submit written evaluations of the intern and the intern’s work experience.
Duration & Credit
Internship assignments receiving three hours of credit shall last for one full academic semester or one summer session. In no event shall the student complete less than 45 clock hours of work for each credit hour received.
Advisement
Advisement is an inherent part of the operation of the internship. A faculty member counsels eligible students at the time of application, during the intern period, and following the completed work experience.
Reporting
Student interns are expected to meet with their academic advisor from time to time during the semester and are required to submit:
- a journal or diary outlining their day-to-day internship activities and reactions to them
- a portfolio providing a sampling of materials they produced during the internship; of course, the specific content of the portfolio will vary from internship to internship, and details about the content of the portfolio should be worked out with your internship advisor
- a substantial written report analyzing and evaluating the internship experience in which the student links theoretical principles previously studied to practices experienced in the internship; an oral report and a media presentation of the work.
Grading
The supervising faculty advisor will assign letter grades. Consideration will be given to written reports, evaluations made by the employer, and the oral report and media presentation at conclusion of the internship.
Structure
Standard procedures for administering the program as outlined below, are intended to ensure equal treatment of intern applications, control screening and placement, provide for better organization and coordination, clarify expectations of all parties involved, and to define the mechanism for accountability.
- Announcements of internship possibilities will be posted conspicuously when they become available, and may be advertised in various ways by the employer.
- Any student meeting eligibility requirements may apply for an internship. The academic advisor will discuss the nature of available work assignments with interested students. It will be the student’s responsibility to contact their advisor for approval of a specific internship. Students whose applications are approved will then be career counseled. Professional resumes and/or portfolios next will be prepared by the students under the direction of their advisor. Completed applications will then be routed to the Dean for review and approval.
- With recommendation of the faculty advisor, and with completed resumes/portfolios, the student will request a personal interview with the employer.
- After receiving the request and reviewing the prepared materials the employer will grant an employment interview and determine final approval. At this point, approved students will be accepted as interns and then cleared to register for NEWM 495 or 505.
- Immediately after registering for the internship, the student must meet with the faculty supervisor and the employer to develop and file with the New Media Program, an account of planned learning activities.
- The intern and the faculty supervisor must then determine what types of meetings will be scheduled, and at what intervals progress is to be determined. The agreements reached will be described in writing with copies furnished to the student, supervising faculty member, and the Dean.
- Intern will submit a journal or diary at regular intervals to be determined in consultation with the departmental supervisor. The journals or diary will outline activities, time spent, personal reactions and other information.
- In addition to the diary, wherever possible, on-site visits by the faculty supervisor will be scheduled.
- Written evaluations will be sought from both the employer and the student for the purpose of assisting the faculty supervisor in evaluating the work and learning experiences.
- No later than seven days after the completion of the internship, the student will submit the required paper and schedule a time for the media presentation. The faculty supervisor will assign a grade when grades are turned in for the semester in which the internship takes place.
