Sociology 4394

Internship

Spring 2006

Meeting time: First Monday of month, 5:30-7PM

Sara Horsfall, Ph.D.

243 Poly United Methodist Church

Phone 531-4264

Email: shorsfall@txwes.edu

                                                http://web.txwesleyan.edu/sciology/horsfall/

Office Hours: Mon 12-5 PM, Tues 2:45-5 PM,Thurs 2:45-7 PM, Sat 12-1 PM (Tk B)

 

Text: The Experienced Hand: A Student Manual for Making the Most of an Internship

by Timothy Stanton and Kamil Ali, Sulzburger & Graham Publishing, Ltd. (Text is on Reserve in the Library.)

 

Objectives

This course is designed to give the student experience in the professional world – to help him or her understand the process of looking for and interviewing for a job, the demeanor expected in a professional job, and insight into the particulars of the professional world. Supervision by Texas Wesleyan University faculty in cooperation with supervisors at the volunteer site give the student the best possible opportunity to gain experience prior to graduation. It is intended that upon completion of this course, the student will be more professional in his or her attitude, and be better informed about career opportunities and be more clear about which job they wish to pursue after graduation. Although the bulk of the learning for this course takes place outside the classroom, it is one of the seven components of the course. As a course for which credit is given, it is governed by the same academic expectations as other classes.

 

Seven components of the course

 

I.                    Locating an Internship Site

Locating an Internship Site is the responsibility of the student with the help of the Instructor. The ideal site is a position similar to the one that the student would like to have upon graduation. The advantage that this gives to the student is experience prior to being hired in the field. The student should aim high, and should by no means regard the Internship as simply something that they have to do in order to graduate. To the contrary, this is an opportunity to further the student's career before leaving the university.

 

It is the student's responsibility to contact the site and set up an interview with the Intern Supervisor at the Internship site. A list of possible Internship Sites is available from the Instructor and online at the following address: http://web.txwesleyan.edu/sociology/horsfall/Internsites.html. However, if the student needs assistance in arranging an Internship, the Texas Wesleyan Instructor is available to discuss the details, to contact persons who are not easily contacted, or whatever else is needed. There are many interesting sites that will provide excellent experience and opportunity. The student should select a site that coincides with their career aspirations. If you want to work in Probation, you should contact the local Probation Department. If you want to work with an Adoption Agency, find one locally and volunteer your services. If you are not sure what you want to do when you graduate, then it might be wise to make a list of possible career choices. Check the "What Do Sociologists Do" web page for further help in understanding the possibilities.

 

For many Interns, the Internship is a time to get valuable experience in their field. Many organizations and companies are hesitant to hire someone without experience. In addition, in these days of expensive benefits and lawsuits, many companies prefer to hire someone they know will fit in with their other employees and can do the job. In short, for many students, an Internship is a kind of probationary period with a future employer. Not all Interns get fulltime jobs at their Internship Site but many do. Some Interns may make contacts through their Internship work which will lead to the job they want after graduation.

 

Not all Internships are positive. Some students, after doing an Internship in their selected area, realize that this is not what they want to do for the rest of their lives! This, too, is valuable experience. Better to find out before graduation than after you have gone through the hiring process.

 

With the guidance of the Instructor, the student is responsible for locating the site. This process is similar to finding a job, although somewhat easier because the University is sponsoring you! There are a number of places to look, and the opportunities are endless! You can begin with the list of Internship Sites where other Texas Wesleyan students have worked. Check the online list or the hardcopy available near the Sociology office. There are some other possible Internships sites posted on the Job Center Page on the Sociology Homepage. You can also look in the local paper, or in the library. Also look on the bulletin boards around campus or elsewhere in the area - someone may just be looking for someone like you! Churches and local organizations may also be a source of Internship opportunities or information. And don't forget newsletters and employment services. Some Interns may seek out national organizations for their Internship, although this takes more advance planning and preparation.

 

Once you have selected a potential site, you will need to set up an appointment with the relevant person. Often that is the Personnel Office, but sometimes Internships are handled through someone else in the organization. Find out who that person is and set up an interview. Be sure to ask what you need to bring to your interview. You will want to take the Texas Wesleyan Internship Forms with you.

 

Some placement sites will want a resume or other personal documents. You may want to revise your resume to suit the position for which you are applying.  If you need help doing this, or if you don't have a resume, your Instructor can help you prepare one.

 

Before going to the Interview, you may want to jot down your thoughts (in your Internship Journal). Name, date, address, when you can start work, how likely this site will be the one, things that the person told you over the phone, any other relevant information.

 

The purpose of the interview is twofold. The Internship Site needs to see if you are someone they can integrate into their daily activity. It is also a time for you to see if what they have to offer is what you want. Observe how people dress, how they act, what they seem to be doing. Imagine what they would expect from you. Is it something that suits you or is it something that would make you uncomfortable? Be sure to discuss the jobs that you would be doing as an Intern. Some organizations have several departments in which you can work. Ask what work is done in each department so you will know which one most suits your interests.

 

Once you have settled on one position, ask specifically what work you will be doing. The Texas Wesleyan requirement is that you be assigned three different jobs on an Internship so that you have a chance to experience different aspects of the organization and/or the position. You may also want to ask about the Supervisor - what is his/her background and experience? How busy is he/she? If the Supervisor is someone different from the person interviewing you, be sure to meet him/her.

 

The Internship Site, meanwhile, will be assessing you. Some of the things they will be deciding as they talk with you are: Is this person reliable? Will this person be able to carry out instructions accurately without a lot of hassle? Will this person keep information confidential? Will I be able to work with this person? Is this person a good student? A good worker? The best Internship is one where both the Intern and the Internship Site gain.

 

There are numerous writers who have given suggestions for interviews. Here are some of their suggestions: Plan to arrive slightly before your scheduled interview so you have time to compose yourself, and to give you time in case you get lost. Listen carefully and answer all questions clearly. Be positive. Smile. Look the interviewer in the eye. Offer a strong handshake. Be professional but also be yourself. Bring paper and pen.

 

Toward the end of the interview, if you think there is a possibility that this Internship position will work, give the Supervisor the internship form (Internship Sponsor Agreement, Learning Guide and Application for Intern Placement) to complete. If you both agree on this Internship, you can begin working as soon as the Instructor receives the completed Internship Forms.

 

II.                  Paperwork

PRIOR TO BEGINNING WORK AT YOUR INTERNSHIP SITE the student must fill complete and turn in the following paper work.

1. Student Internship Application/Agreement - signed by student and given to the Instructor.

2. Internship Sponsor Agreement, Learning Guide and Application for Intern Placement

(two pages) - given to the Internship Supervisor to complete.

NO HOURS WILL BE COUNTED PRIOR TO TURNING IN THESE TWO FORMS.

 

Upon completion of the Internship, the following papers are needed:

3. Internship Sponsor Evaluation of Student - to be completed by the Internship Supervisor and mailed to the Instructor.

4. Student Post-work Evaluation of Internship Sponsor - to be completed by student.

            5. Time sheet signed by the site supervisor

            6. Reflection journal (see below)

Completing all the paperwork and getting it to the Instructor is the responsibility of the student. Students' final grade will be lowered by one letter grade for incomplete or late paperwork.

 

III.                Work at the Internship Site

The student will complete 125 hours of volunteer work at an agreed upon site that fulfills University requirements and correlates with the student’s interests, goals and ability.  The highest standard of conduct and performance is expected of the student at all times. While at the Internship Site students represent Texas Wesleyan University.

KEEP A TIME SHEET: While working on your internship the student needs to keep track of the hours that you worked. A time sheet will be kept, with each entry dated and signed by the supervisor. A summary of the hours worked should be provided at the end of the semester.

 

IV.                Weekly (Email) Reflections of the Internship Experience[1]

While working on the internship, the student should keep a reflection journal of experiences. This will be written at least once a week, although students can write more frequently, compiling them together on a weekly basis. It is expected that students will write at least two pages (one page of single spaced 10 pt Times Roman font) of reflections each week. While observing the confidentially of the supervisor, co-workers and others, the following points will be discussed each week:

1)      The work situation during the past week;

2)      A summary of the work done - who you worked with, which supervisors you talked with, which clients you talked with, what kind of incidents occurred;

3)      Any problems that may have arisen during the week and how they were resolved;

4)      Any observations about the effectiveness of the institution, or personnel.

5)      The reflection will also include an evaluation of your weeks work, what you learned, people you met or important contacts, new skills developed, and how you enjoyed your work, etc.

 

Students will keep the weekly reflections in a notebook. There will be a total of 9 weekly reflections. A percentage of the grade will be deducted for missing weekly reflections and for reflections that are less than two pages. No deductions will be made for reflections that are more than two pages.

 

The reflection journal will be turned in with the final report. The student will use the weekly reflections to write up a final report. For more information regarding journaling, please see the textbook pages 50-53 and 66-69.

 

            More on the Reflection Journals

An important part of an Internship is reflecting on your experience. This is not just a daily record of which job you did, and who you spoke to. This is a record of the opportunities and challenges you faced while an Intern. Even though this course is not primarily held in the classroom, important learning is going on. But the learning during an Internship is experiential as well as cognitive. According to the experts, experience becomes learning once you have reflected upon it. In other words, you have to think over what happened, and evaluate it from a number of different perspectives. Then it comes to have value.

 

A. Reflection is the beginning point of learning. Record the various incidents you experience - who said what and why. What were the results? Why were things done in a particular way? Were the actions efficient, or did they cause problems elsewhere? Your reflection may also include the things you wanted to say but didn't. Record the mistakes you made and how you felt about them; the successes you had and what they meant; interesting tidbits about the Internship site. Are there persons in the organization that you particularly admire and learn from? Are there persons whose work or relationships you don't want to emulate? Are there goals you have set for yourself during your work? Were they accomplished? You may also want to reflect on a particular incident. Describe it, describe the people involved, analyze the events and the effectiveness of each persons actions, including your own. What did the incident mean to you? If people had acted differently what differences would there have been in the results? How will you handle a similar situation in the future? By reflecting on your activities in this way, the time spent at your Internship site can be a learning experience that greatly adds to your ability to function in the professional world in the future.

 

B. Another set of things that you will want to take note of during your Internship has to do with the organization. As the first major experience in your field, you will want to note its characteristics. What is the organization's goals? What kind of structure does it have? Is it effective in accomplishing its purposes? Are there good relationships between the workers? Are there ways that you would do things differently if you were in charge. You may also use your reflection to analyze a particular situation, a particular relationship, or a particular responsibility. Just because you are an Intern doesn't mean that you can't observe strengths and weaknesses of the organization. These points will be part of your post-Internship evaluation of the Internship Site. These insights will also help you to decide if you want to work in this organization, or a similar organization, in the future. Once again, make it a point to find out the following:

1)What is the organization's Mission Statement? - Why do they see themselves as important? What are they trying to accomplish.

2)What is the culture of the organization? Is there a lingo common among the workers? Is there a common attitude? Is it positive or negative? Does it suit the mission?

3)Is the organization effective in what it does? Why or why not?

4) What is the nature of relationships between the workers? Are they professional? Are there cliques?

5) What is the structure of the organization? Is there a formal structure? Is there an informal structure? Are the two different? Why or why not? Is the structure appropriate to the organization?

6) Who benefits from his organization? Is anyone harmed by it?

 

C. There are some similarities between writing reflections and doing a qualitative observation. In the latter, the researcher is careful to record detail rather than opinion ABOUT the detail. That way a situation can be reinterpreted later if it is warranted. When writing reflections, the student should also describe a situation in enough detail to allow it to be retold vividly enough to convey meaning in your final report. The reflection will be a valuable source of information for your final report. Write about all the persons involved. Record as much of a conversation as possible. Include your sense of the emotions involved and the intentions of the actors. Describe the setting. Include the time sequence. If you do your reflections well, the final report will be largely written.

 

D. Lastly, writing reflections is like a personal diary, a place where you record your deepest thoughts about your personal experiences. It is not written so much for others to read, but is your record of growth, exploration and development. Any confidentialities should be disguised, however, because you will turn it in with your paper at the end of the course. It will be returned to you to keep, and read next year, or in several years, long after you have graduated. But while you are doing your Internship, it is the means of connecting your personal life to your professional life.

 

WRITING REFLECTIONS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR INTERNSHIP. You may write in private (run to the bathroom to record something, or keep paper and pencil in your car to write as soon as you leave). Or you may write openly after asking if they would mind if you take notes. Be sure to use pseudonyms and other disguises so as not to compromise anyone or the organization. Please refer to the textbook pages 50-53 and 66-69 for more information about journaling.

 

V.                  An Academic Research on the Subject Matter of your Internship.

To contribute to the success of your Internship experience, you will need to understand the background and other details of the people and institution with whom you work. A student doing an Internship at the Women’s Haven (a shelter for battered women) needs to know the details about the experiences of battered women, the frequency with which it occurs, and the successes and patterns of treatment. Much research has been done on this topic, and being familiar with this research will make the Internship more meaningful and successful.

In a similar way, a student doing an Internship with the local Police Department needs to have information about police work, including public perception of the police, information about recruits, as well as successes and failures of police work.

 

Students will use information from at least 8 different sources:

·         At least 5 of the sources will be academic papers published in professional journals. These will be found via the Sociological Sources database in the library, or in the professional journals found in the library. Academic papers are peer-reviewed publications that examine particular aspects of the pertinent subject. For instance, an Intern working at Women's Haven may find a scientific study examining and comparing the various attitudes and actions of the battered women. There are several theories as to why a woman continues to stay in a bad relationship. These theories may be discussed and examined in a way that other sources do not. Similarly, there is a debate about the accuracy of the reported battering incidents. Academic journals discuss the details about why one figure is more reliable than another.

·         At least 3 of the sources will be non-academic sources. At least 2 of the additional sources should be lengthy overview news reports. These will NOT be short daily articles, but comprehensive, overview articles that describe the situation of the Intern subject in a way that may be difficult to find from other sources. For instance, an Intern working at Women's Haven will find a comprehensive report of the successes, or failures, of a local shelter, or a government program. An Intern working for the police department will find a comprehensive article about the effectiveness of the police in the area, or in some other area of the country, including public reaction to police misdeeds. The other source will be from books or the internet. The student may also use booklets published by the Internship Site.

 

All the above sources are needed to develop a well-rounded view of the subject matter. Academics are always suspicious of the data provided by an Institution. For instance, the Police Department will not provide the Intern with data that is uncomplimentary to it. The only way to find that information is from another source - the best of which are news reports. Similarly, an advocate group will not give the pros and cons of the figures that they use to get federal or state monies. The best source for that information is academic journals.

 

The student will review each of the sources and summarize them in writing. Please include appropriate citation (author, date, article name, book or journal, publisher). This paper is due by the third meeting. It should be 5-7 pages (Times Roman 10 pt font, double spaced). It may be returned to you in the subsequent meeting with suggestions for improvement. In that case, the final due date is at the end of the semester.

 

VI.                Weekly Reporting Meetings/Contact with the Instructor

There are five scheduled meetings for interns. All interns will be expected to attend all five meetings. A percentage of your grade will be deducted for each meeting missed. Late arrivals will be considered an absence. Meeting dates and topics are given below:

1. January 23: Finding an Internship/What an Internship can do for you

Where to look for your internship? How to approach a prospective employer? What are the responsibilities involved in your internship? How do you know if this is the job you want? What if it is the wrong one? Will the job give you experience valuable to the profession you seek? What do you expect to gain from the experience? How will this help you in your future career? Sending the email reflections will also be discussed. Please bring your textbook to this and every meeting.

2. February 6: Relationships with Supervisors, co-workers and others at work.

How do you relate to your supervisor? Are there behavior expectations? Are there dress expectations? Who will sanction you? What sort of sanction? Is there an appeal process? What if you are late? Or sick? What about drinking or smoking on the job? Should you socialize outside of the job? Getting hired after the internship is finished.

3. March 6: Subject Matter discussions.

Due: Research Paper.

Students will report to other students about their experiences and their research.

4. April 3: Conflict in the job environment.

When bad things happen, what to do? Discrimination – racial, sexual, age etc. Inappropriate language. Moral dilemmas – what to do when you are asked to do things that go against your principles? What if you disagree with the stance of your supervisor – or other things that are going on in the work environment? What to do if something illegal is going on?

5. May 1: Final evaluation of the Internship experience.

Final Report of Internship Experience is due. This includes Reflections. If revised, the Research paper is also due. Evaluations from the supervisor, Intern evaluation of the internship site, time sheets should be turned with the Final Report at this time.

What did you gain from this experience. What recommendations do you have for other students? For the internship site? For the university?

 

VII.              Report of the Internship Experiences

The Final Report of Internship Experience consists of the student’s evaluation and reflection on their Internship experience. It is by means of this Report that the Instructor is able to finally evaluate the quality of the Internship experience. Students should strive to make this report as professional, yet as meaningful as possible. It should be comprehensive and thorough. Incidents from the reflections can be included and discussed. Other incidents can be used to illustrate an analysis of the situation. Discuss particular jobs you performed (what did you do, why did you chose this job, what interests you about the job, what happened daily, how did you contribute to the internship site, what problems does the site have that you noticed, how could they be improved, etc.).

 

A second topic to be discussed in the final report is what you learned professionally from your experience (relationships with co-workers, supervisor, working hours, dress code, conflict, problems, etc).

 

This final report should be between 5-7 pages.

The Final Internship Report is due at the last class meeting. Students' final grade will be lowered by one letter grade for incomplete or late report.

 

Grading is as follows:

65% Internship work and Final Report of Internship Experience (including Weekly Reflection)

    Grade is based on student's ability to locate a site, the suitability of the site to student's  

    professional goals, description of Internship experience in the final report, final evaluation by

    the site supervisor, quality of Weekly Reflections, and quality of the Final Report.

20% Research paper

10% Monthly meetings with the Instructor  (Each meeting counts 2%).

5% Signed Time Sheet and evaluation forms. (To get full credit all must be turned in on time.)

 

Students should read the current Texas Wesleyan University Catalog and Student Handbook to become familiar with University policies. These policies include, but are not limited to grade appeal, sexual harassment, student access to records, and others; policies specified in the current catalog are applicable unless otherwise stated in this syllabus.

 

Texas Wesleyan University adheres to a disability policy which is in keeping with relevant federal law. The University will provide appropriate accommodation as determined by the Director of the Counseling Center, Dr. Michael Ellison. Students must notify instructors of any permanent or temporary disabilities and must provide documentation regarding those disabilities prior to the granting of an accommodation. For assistance, students should consult with Dr. Ellison.

 

Note: Course syllabi are intended to provide students with basic information concerning the course. The syllabus can be viewed as a 'blueprint' for the course; changes in the syllabus can be made and students will be informed of any substantive changes concerning examinations, the grading or attendance policies and changes in project assignments.

 

 


[1] Students who begin their Internship work before the semester begins need to make arrangements with the Instructor to complete the required paperwork. They also need to send weekly email reflections, and keep a signed time sheet.