ASSIGNING ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

Academic activities for the internship are assigned by the faculty supervisor in collaboration with the student, based on the student's learning goals. They appear on page 4 of the student's Learning Agreement and Plan. Several suggestions for academic activities are listed and are meant to serve as guidelines and offer flexibility for the faculty member and the student. The rigor of the internship, hours required, responsibilities of the internship, and the learning goals of the intern should be considered when determining the academic activities for the internship.

Listing of all academic internships by term and the academic activities assigned for each.

Examples of assignments used by faculty members who supervise academic internships.

Important Considerations

For 1.0 credit, academic activities should total approx 40 hours of students’ time during their internship.
For 0.5 credit, academic activities should total 20 hours.

Consider the following questions when assigning academic activities:

  • How much application of classroom theory is required during the internship?

  • Is the internship self-directed or is there constant supervision at the site?

  • Is the student following a template of required projects or is he/she designing their own work?

  • How many hours is the student putting into the internship?

  • What will the student take with them after the internship?

  • What is the site supervisor requiring of the intern?

Faculty supervisors commonly assign a combination of 2 or more of the following academic activities:

  1. Daily or periodic journal highlighting personal and professional growth

    Ask interns to:

    • Report on the status of a project
    • Address any questions or concerns they may have
    • Learn how their work is contributing to the organization
    • Discuss areas needing growth and development
    • Continually connect their academic study to the internship experience
    • Review the mid-point and/or final evaluation(s)

  2. Readings

  3. Integrated or reflection paper

  4. Reflection on learning plan

  5. Final project of some sort highlighting the internship and connecting it to an area of academic study

  6. Seminar presentation

  7. Portfolios

    A professional portfolio provides interns a record of work accomplished and skills and knowledge acquired. In addition, it will give the faculty supervisor a basis to discuss student's professional growth and the requirements of the internship.  Specific work documents to include in a portfolio might be any of the following:

Job Descriptions Appraisals Survey Reports
Legislation Charts/Graphs Cost Analyses
Proposals Correspondence Program Outlines
Manuals Press Releases Research Report
Citations & Awards Financial Reports Computer Print-outs
Company Newsletters Displays & Exhibits Certificates
Performance References Contracts

Final Thoughts

Faculty supervisors are students' primary mentors in an academic internship, and play an essential role in assisting students with the transition of learning between the classroom and work environment. 

  • Maintain an open channel of communication with the student via email, phone, or in person

  • Keep interns directed toward their learning objectives as outlined in their learning agreement

  • Encourage professionalism (See Making the Most of Your Internship »)

  • Help students make connections between their internship and their academic study

Following these quidelines will ensure that students achieve their learning goals and get the most out of their academic internship experience.