Biology 4800 - Environmental Studies Internships

Hands-on experience outside the classroom is critical for your future success in Environmental Science. At a minimum, we require students to complete one formal internship prior to graduation. Steps to completing your formal internship include:

• At the start of your Junior year, see the faculty advisor (Dr. McCarty).
• You are responsible for finding an internship placement. The faculty advisor will help with suggested contacts and places to look for positions but ultimately it is your responsibility to find an internship. See the Job Hints page for additional tips.
• Leave yourself plenty of time to find a good placement. For summer internships, you should start the process during the fall semester.
• The minimum requirements for an internship are 125 hours of experience in an approved placement, followed by a written report submitted to the faculty advisor.
• Experience can be paid or volunteer. You can work on your internship during any semester. Some students put in a few hours a week over an entire semester while taking other courses, while others work at their internship full time (typically over a summer).
• Once you find a possible internship, visit with the faculty advisor and obtain his or her approval. Provide information on what you will be doing and contact information for your supervisor.
• At this point the advisor will give approval for you to enroll in Biology 4800. YOU MUST ENROLL IN BIOLOGY 4800 FOR 3 CREDITS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THIS REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION.
• After you complete your 125 hours of work, you need to submit a written report to the faculty advisor. This report should consist of: 1) a description of the mission of the organization you worked with, 2) what your role within the organization was, 3) how this experience will help you in meeting your career goals, and 4) a description of the next steps you plan to take in your career. Aim for five to ten pages of text. You will not receive a grade in Biology 4800 until a satisfactory report is turned in.

Advisor: Dr. John McCarty (554-2849); Biology Department, (402) 554-2641.

Return to the Environmental Studies Core Curriculum.

Return to the home page for the Life Sciences Concentration.