Sociology Internships
An internship is a supervised and planned learning-work experience for credit.
Internship sites and duties are negotiated among the student, the sociology
internship coordinator, and the field supervisor. A learning contract will
specify your work responsibilities and your learning goals (skills, knowledge,
and application of sociology) for the internship.
The internship program in Sociology at St. Cloud State University has been
in existence for over two decades and has come to be recognized as very high
in quality. When it announced the accreditation of SCSU's Applied Sociology
program, the Commission on Applied and Clinical Sociology said that the internship
program at SCSU was "a model to be emulated."
Internships are important for two major reasons. First, an internship will
help you to connect sociology with your future career. As a sociology major
you probably believe that you will use sociology in your future career, but
you probably won't really understand how this is true until you work in the
career. An internship allows you to do this in a supervised setting while
you are still in school. Second, an internship will help you find a better
job when you graduate. Internships provide you with work experience and personal
contacts that will be assets to you when you look for an entry-level job.
In recent years a significant number of the students who completed internships
have been offered full, part-time, or temporary jobs at their internship
sites. Many others found jobs in related organizations. If you take your
internship during your last semester in school, you will be eligible for
jobs that open up during your internship.
You should start thinking about your internship during your sophomore or
junior year and discuss your interests with your adviser and the faculty
internship coordinator. You might consider doing volunteer work first to
check out an organization or interest area. Leads from friends, family, and
instructors may be helpful, but keep in mind that your friend's successful
internship may not be the right experience for you. One of the best ways
to identify potential internship sites is to conduct informational interviews
with people who are working in jobs that interest you. Through such interviews
you can learn about the occupation, typical career paths, and types of organizations.
In addition, you will establish personal contacts with people who may be
able to give you leads about openings in their organization or in the organizations
of other people they know. Additional information about internship opportunities
may be available on the bulletin board outside of SH 262 or from the Career
Services Office in the Administrative Services Building.
Internship duties have focused on many areas, including corrections, market
research, advocacy, program administration, human resources, and management
training. Some students have been asked to develop research projects, such
as a survey of older persons' satisfaction with nutrition programs or needs
assessments. A recent intern worked to develop a new program on educating
the public about Medicare fraud.
Students in the Applied Sociology Concentration must complete at least six
semester hours of internship, but you may take up to 15 credits. You may
have a wider range of opportunities available to you if you are willing to
take more credits. The organization at which you do your internship must
train you. The more hours that you can devote to your internship, the more
return the organization gets for this training.
It is important that you explore several possibilities before committing
to an organization. Finding an internship is similar to looking for a job.
You want to make the best match in order to maximize your learning. A good
internship experience can help you assess your strengths and how they fit
with future employment settings. You will want to consider an internship
with an organization that is compatible with your own values, personal growth,
and career interests. It is important that you look at several possibilities
to make the best match between your interests and the goals of the organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is an internship?
An internship is a supervised learning experience and is one type
of experiential learning available to sociology majors and minors. It is
a supervised and planned learning-work experience for credit. You will
develop a learning contract which specifies work responsibilities and
learning goals (skills, knowledge and application of sociology) to be
gained.
- Why participate in an internship?
"What can I do with a sociology major?"
By preparing for and completing an internship, you can answer this
question for yourself. An internship gives you an opportunity to apply
and further develop skills and knowledge gained in a classroom setting. You
can assess and reflect upon your strengths and interests as they might apply
to careers, graduate education and your personal development. Interns can
ask supervisors for job references and recommendations. Although completing
an internship does not guarantee a job, some students do get job offers
from their internship sites. For example, a significant number of the
students who have completed internships in recent years have been offered
full, part-time or temporary jobs at their internship sites.
- How is an internship evaluated?
Sociology internships are graded based on progress toward goals established
in the learning contract and the student's performance. While the faculty
advisor determines the final grade, field supervisors and student interns
are asked to recommend a grade. Students take the internship very seriously
and perform well, receiving high evaluations from their supervisors.
An internship is much more demanding than a volunteer experience and
must be thought of as similar to a job in terms of the time and performance
expected.
- How and when do I apply for an internship?
You should plan for an internship when you plan the last two years
of your program. Apply for an internship a least one semester in advance.
The most popular times to complete an internship are during summer and
spring sessions, so if you apply in advance, you will be eligible for
competitive placements in probation and human resources, for example.
You will attend an internship informational session held each semester
and then work with the internship supervisor to identify appropriate
placement possibilities. You will explore several possible sites before
choosing where you will intern. The internship advisor must approve your
internship in advance.
- Will the Sociology Program place me in an internship?
The sociology internship advisor will help you to assess your interests
and explore possible sites. The Sociology Program has a listing of places
where sociology students have completed internships. You can do an internship
in a wide range of settings from corrections, market research, advocacy,
program administration, human resources, social change and management
training. Many students are asked to develop research projects such as
a survey of older persons' satisfaction with nutrition programs or needs
assessments. A recent intern worked to develop a new program on educating
the public about Medicare fraud.
It is important that you explore several
possibilities before committing to an organization. Finding an internship
is similar to looking for a job. You want to make the best match in order
to maximize your learning. A good internship experience can help you assess
your strengths and how they fit with future employment settings. You will
want to consider an internship with an organization which is compatible
with your own values, personal growth and career interests. It is important
that you look at several possibilities to make the best match between your
interests and the goals of the organization.
You may use any contacts and "pull" you
might have as you explore your interests.
- Are internships for seniors only?
Most students complete internships during their senior year and often
during the semester they graduate. This practice makes you eligible for
jobs which may open up during this time, as students usually look for
jobs while completing their internships. Some students choose to complete
some sort of experiential or volunteer learning in their sophomore or
junior years in order to explore career possibilities or to meet specific
educational goals before completing an internship.
- Do I need a resume to apply?
Yes. Many employers expect you to apply for an internship and ask
for a letter, resume and interview. Our program requires you to interview
2-3 internship sites as part of the process of looking for an internship.
You are required to revise your resume at the end of the internship to
include your internship experience. You may also ask your field supervisor
for feedback on your resume.
- Do you earn credit hours with an internship?
Sociology internships range from 6 to 15 semester credits (37.5 hours
of work on-site per academic credit). You are encouraged to consider
full time internships of 15 credits because you will spend more time
on-site, learn more and be given greater responsibilities. The more time
spent on-site the more the learning. Keep in mind that only 6 credits
of sociology internship (SOC 444) may be applied to your major. The remaining
credits may be used as general electives toward graudation.
- Are there any prerequisites for an internship?
Yes, SOC 480, Sociological Practice, is a prerequisite, or permission
of the faculty internship coordinator. For students with a concentration
in Applied Sociology, an internship is required (SOC 480 and 456, Complex
Organizations, are also required). Students should also have completed
their emphasis area courses.
- Does an internship need to be completed in St. Cloud? In Minnesota?
No. Internships may be completed in St. Cloud, the Twin Cities, greater
Minnesota or in another state. Students have recently completed internships
in cities such as Duluth, Marshall, International Falls, Brainerd, Willmar,
Monticello, Anoka, and Burnsville as well as St. Cloud. Students have
also made special arrangements and completed internships in Utah for
the State Parole Board, in a prison setting in Virginia, and in Human
Resources in Australia. The location of the internship is determined
by student needs and interests as well as opportunities.
- Where do I begin looking for an internship?
Your internship should be related to your emphasis area, minor or
other supporting educational experience. You should start thinking about
your internship during your sophomore or junior year and discuss your interests
with your advisor and the internship faculty coordinator. You might consider
doing volunteer work in order to check out an organization or interest
area. You are encouraged to follow up leads from friends, family and
instructors but keep in mind that your friend's successful internship
may not be the right experience for you. One of the assignments in the
Sociological Practice class (SOC 480) is to conduct informational interviews
with people working in jobs of interest to you. Students often get leads
from these interviews. You can also check the bulletin board in the hallway
outside of the sociology faculty offices or the Career Services Office
in the Administrative Services
