Internships

PS 458: Public Affairs Internship
Emmett N. Lombard, Director
427 Varner Hall
(248) 370-2359
lombard@oakland.edu

Oakland University's Public Affairs Internship program is designed to give undergraduate political science and public administration majors, as well as undergraduate students in the criminal justice concentration university credits equivalent to one or two courses (four or eight credits) for their work in an organization. We believe that internships provide valuable experience in public and nonprofit service for our students. In turn, we hope that our interns provide useful assistance in the operation of their organization. Our primary goal is that each intern gets as much professional exposure as possible. In that regard, we expect them to make a significant contribution to the organization in return, and be treated as any regular employee.

Prerequisites

PS 257: Public Affairs Careers Orientation or PS 326: Political Campaigns

Requirements

1. Please submit:

1. Supervisor contact information at intended site (incl. name, title, org., address, phone)
2. A current copy of your resumé

Upon receipt of these materials, I will contact the supervisor directly. S/he will be asked to define his/her expectations about your responsibilities on an Internship Agreement form. Your countersignature indicates that you understand and accept the terms of the Agreement.

2. 320 hours of work are required for an eight-credit internship and 160 for four credits. Your weekly schedule is negotiable, arranged in consultation with the site supervisor. Some suggested configurations:

8 credits (PA majors):

1. Half time (20 hrs/wk) across spring and summer
2. Full time (40 hrs/wk) during an 8-week spring or summer
3. Half time during a fall or winter term

4 credits (PS majors}:

1. Half time during spring or summer
2. Quarter time (10 hrs/wk) during fall or winter

4 credits (Criminal Justice Concentration):

1. Half time during spring or summer
2. Quarter time (10 hrs/wk) during fall or winter

3. A weekly journal. Each short report will keep me informed about what you are doing on the job. More importantly, it provides you with a record and continuing evaluation of your internship experience. It should contain the following information:

1. Part I: A log of your activities

   State briefly everything you did that week. Report meetings attended, tasks assigned, completed and in process, research performed, all individuals with whom you interacted (meaningfully), and so forth. This should be a summary, not a minute-by-minute accounting. DO NOT report confidential organizational matters and DO NOT violate the privacy of client or colleague.

   You should also document the number of hours you worked that week and the total number accumulated to date.

2. PART II: An evaluation of your week

   Report perceptions, reactions, problems, and any other relevant and appropriate thoughts you have that will help you explain, analyze, and evaluate your internship. Basically, tell me what you think about what you've observed.

   You are expected to submit the reports every two weeks by email, or in person

4. Students earning eight credits must write two short papers (5-10 pp). Those earning four credits must write only the final paper (below).

• The midterm paper. This is an analysis of the organization or section in which you are working. The purpose is for you to think systematically about the environment in which you find yourself. Any number of approaches to this exercise are appropriate, but at minimum, the paper must address each of the following in some way:
  1. The purpose(s) and goals of the organization
  2. Its internal structure
  3. Significant characteristics of the external environment
  4. Past "successes" and "failures"
  5. Ongoing programs and activities

  This paper is due the Monday following the midpoint of your internship period.

• The final paper. This will be an evaluation of the overall internship experience. It must include
  1. A summary description of your major activities during the internship
  2. An assessment of the experience addressing:
     1. Aspects of the work you enjoyed most; least
     2. What the organization does right, in your opinion; wrong
     3. What specific ideas from your courses or readings in political science and/or public administration were confirmed or rejected by your observation science or public administration?
     4. Whether the internship was valuable to your grasp of PA and/or PS
     5. Specific recommendations on improving organization design or process
     6. How the internship experience relates to or affects your career plans
     7. Whether you would recommend this experience to others, and why

     In addressing 2-7 (above), the student is expected to demonstrate knowledge of appropriate methods of inquiry and recognition of ethical considerations that may arise in their use.

  We need to discuss the due date for this paper so that I have sufficient time to evaluate it before the end of the term in which you receive credit

5. Supervisor Evaluation. In general, each intern is evaluated by his/her site supervisor at the end of the internship. The appropriate form for this purpose will be mailed to and returned by your supervisor to me directly.

Grading:

The supervisor evaluation will contribute ½ of your final grade. The papers will constitute the balance.

Internships are about moving you toward the real world of work. You are expected to meet all deadlines. All work you do should be of the highest professional quality you can muster-as if your job depended on it. Please remember you are representing yourself, the Department of Political Science, and Oakland University through your performance.

Some final notes:

An important part of my job is to resolve any problems that might arise. Please feel free to contact me at any time. I'm always available to help, and we want to make this experience valuable to you and your employer (a real contribution is expected in return for the work experience you receive).