Public Affairs Internship for Credit Only

• Academic Requirements for Credit Only Internships
• Reflection Papers
• Final Reflection Paper
• Sponsor Evaluation

Academic Requirements for Credit Only Internships

For interns who enroll in all credit-only internship hours, the academic requirements include a series of reflection papers, a final reflection paper, and the sponsor's evaluation of the student's work. After the internship application has been approved, make sure to schedule an appointment with the Internship Director to discuss the requirements of the internship and how to submit work.

Reflection Papers

As part of the academic work associated with an internship, the student submits a series of reflection papers, about every two weeks during a regular semester. In these papers, the student notes the kind of work he or she has been assigned, how the work contributes to the office, and a reflection of his or her learning. Each reflection paper should be two to three pages, double spaced. Over the course of the internship, a student is required to submit six reflection papers. Some internship sponsors, for legal reasons, will not want particular information to be included in these papers and in other assignments. Ask the internship sponsor if there are any restrictions and discuss these restrictions with the Internship Director.

Final Reflection Paper

At the end of the internship, a student must submit a final reflection paper, evaluating the internship as a whole. Similar to reflection papers, in this paper the student reflects on how the total internship experience relates to important concepts and ideas in Political Science. This paper should be three to five pages double spaced.

Sponsor Evaluation

In the final weeks of the internship, the sponsor is asked to submit an evaluation of the student's on-the-job performance. Before the internship has ended, the student should ask the sponsor to fill out and return the evaluation form.