Undergraduate Internship, GOVT 480
Internships provide students valuable experience in public and international affairs, enabling students to explore career options, to apply theoretical knowledge, and to set the stage for developing a professional network.
Registration for Spring 2008 credit: November 2007-February 4, 2008.
Registration for Summer 2008 credit: November 2007-June 20, 2008.
- Who is eligible?
- What is the cost?
- How are internships assigned?
- How many credits can I receive?
- How do I apply for credit?
- How do I register?
- Syllabus/Academic assignments
Enrollment in GOVT 480 is open to juniors and seniors who have completed the required introductory courses (100 level courses) plus six credits (two courses) at the upper level in their major. Students must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and a minimum 2.8 GPA in their major. In addition, students who have taken a research methods course (i.e., GOVT 300) generally do better on the writing assignments.
There are no fees or charges associated with the internship program beyond the standard tuition costs. However, students should be aware that there can often be costs related to transportation to the workplace, lunches or meals, and normal wardrobe expenses associated with professional work. Please be sure to take into account these associated costs.
- Students are responsible for locating an appropriate internship and make arrangements for working with the agency.
- The position must be a formally designated internship, not a co-op position (co-ops include jobs through the Federal SCEP program).
- Students may not use their current job for internship credit.
- Acceptable internships must include an appropriate public service content.
If you need help locating an internship, placement opportunities are available through:
- Dept. of Public and International Affairs Internship Listings
- Career Services, 348 SUB I (and patriotjobweb).
- Other departments within the College of Arts and Sciences.
- You are also free to explore possibilities for internships within your own circle of contacts.
How Many Credits Can I Receive?
Students may register for three or six credits of GOVT 480 internships.
- To receive 3 credits, students must work 125 hours over a minimum of 8 weeks.
- To receive 6 credits, students must work 250 hours over a minimum of 12 weeks. In addition, the six-credit internships carry an additional paper; please visit the syllabus for more details.
- No credit is awarded retroactively or during the winter holidays.
Majors in the Department of Public and International Affairs may take a maximum of 6 credits of GOVT 480 during their entire academic career at GMU. Three credits will be applied toward the major and three will count as upper division electives. Permission to use the internship to fulfill a field requirement in the major must be requested on the application for credit and will be granted at the discretion of the Internship Coordinator. Permission will be granted for the field for which your internship is most closely related.
Students must first obtain an internship. Upon receiving an offer, students should complete an application for credit and return it to the Internship Coordinator in Robinson A201. Applications are accepted from the beginning of the registration period prior to the semester in which you wish to receive credit through the first week of the semester in which you wish to enroll. Please attach a copy of your offer letter to your application.
In addition students must complete an internship contract with your workplace sponsor. After you and your workplace sponsor sign the internship contract, submit it to the internship coordinator. *Make sure you complete the entire form, including the competency goals you will work on during your internship.* Possible competency skills include, but are not limited to, oral and written communication, computer skills, leadership and organizational skills, teamwork, research and analysis, etc.
Students must also have an active George Mason University e-mail address prior to applying. This will be the main form of communication between the internship coordinator and interns.
You cannot register except with permission of the Internship Coordinator. Your application will be reviewed and the internship coordinator will enable you to register for the proper section of GOVT 480. If your application is accepted, the internship coordinator will email you registration instructions.
- All coursework is conducted via WebCT. Students are responsible for accessing the course and completing all assignments. Students must attend a short orientation at the beginning of the semester (time/date announced via WebCT.
- 3-credit interns must complete a project proposal and a research paper based upon that proposal. This is in addition to the employer evaluation based on your job performance.
- 6-credit interns must complete a project proposal, a research paper based on the proposal and a workplace interview paper. This is in addition to the employer evaluation based on your job performance.
