Student Internship Process

Eligibility

To be eligible for academic internships, undergraduate students in Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Sociology must have completed 90 credits with a minimum GPA of 2.0 (both overall and in their major courses); future teachers must have a 2.5 or better.  At the graduate level, students in Counseling Department programs as well as those in Education Department programs must achieve a grade of B or better in several specific courses as well as meeting additional requirements outlined in the graduate catalog in order to be eligible for an internship.  Students in the Forensic and Legal Psychology masters program also must meet additional requirements as outlined in the catalog.

Undergraduate Internships

At the undergraduate level, the internship is required and is usually completed in the senior year. Students receive at least 120 hours of practical experience, for which they will earn 3 academic credits.  Internships of 240 hours earn 6 credits. Interns typically hold responsible positions that involve no more than 20-percent clerical work. The internship hours are usually completed over a 10-14 week period at approximately 20 hours per week, with adjustments made for the shorter summer semester.
Students who began their coursework at Marymount before fall 2009 should consult the appropriate department chair for information on relevant requirements.

Timeline: When to complete your internship

Internships for academic credit are usually completed in the student’s final year and must be approved for credit by the department chair or the departmental internship coordinator. Student preparation for an academic internship often begins at least six months prior to beginning work. Interested students begin the internship process by meeting with the department chair or internship coordinator to verify eligibility and to obtain assistance in identifying and selecting potential internships.
Students are also encouraged to take advantage of other internships or work-related opportunities as they progress through their program at Marymount. While academic credit will be granted only for approved internships, students can learn valuable lessons and develop important contacts through earlier work opportunities.  At Marymount, students may receive assistance identifying job or internship opportunities (with or without academic credit) from the Career Internship Center, their academic advisors or the internship coordinator/instructor of the internship course in a given department.

Compensation

Internships may be either paid or unpaid at the discretion of the sponsoring organization. Some organizations may provide another type of stipend and/or reimburse transportation or other expenses.

Professional Standards

Students are expected to abide by the guidelines and rules established by the internship site. Dress and conduct should be professional and reflect the tone set by the organization and its employees.  Note that in some programs, lack of attention to professional standards can be cause for removal from the internship.

Internships Abroad

International internships in locations such as London are also available. All international programs are coordinated by Marymount’s Center for Global Education.
Some future teachers can complete part of their internship semester in Rome or New Zealand; other possibilities may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

For more information:

Criminal Justice:  Dr. Stephanie Ellis, sellis@marymount.edu
Counseling:  Zach Dunn, zdunn@marymount.edu
Education:  Shawna LeBlond, sleblond@marymount.edu
Forensic and Legal Psychology:  Chris Worthington, cworthin@marymount.edu
Sociology:  Dr. Janine DeWitt, jdewitt@marymount.edu
Psychology:  Dr. Amy Van Arsdale, avanarsd@marymount.edu