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Internship Coordinator: Dr. Craig Curtis
Department of Political Science
429 Bradley Hall
(309) 677-2492
email: RCC@Bradley
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INTERNSHIP IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
The Political Science Department at Bradley University is committed to providing the best possible educational experience for our majors and minors. To that end the faculty demand of themselves the highest standards of excellence in the classroom; however, sometimes even the best classroom learning experiences are not enough. One of the ways in which the lessons from the classroom can be supplemented is through internship programs where students get practical, "real world" experience working in government agencies and other organizations which have a direct impact on politics in the United States. Not only does an internship experience provide valuable lessons which can be learned in no other way, but completing an internship provides benefits for student participants in terms of work experience, job contacts and job references which makes them better able to compete in the after-graduation job market. It is with these considerations in mind that Political Science 480, Internship in Political Science, is offered to our students.
PLS 480 allows qualified students to earn academic credit for work experiences in organizations that have an effect on political life in our society. Most of our interns work in government agencies; however, the range of organizations in which an intern may work is much greater than just the government agencies which spring readily to mind. The range of organizations is limited only by the generally accepted definitions of political science (such as Lasswell's Who gets what, when, where, and how?) and the ingenuity and energy of the prospective intern. Just as the range of organizations is broad, so are the types of tasks which an intern may find him or herself performing. Thus, PLS 480 allows a student to customize their education at Bradley as well as increase their probability of success after graduation.
A word about the types of organizations that qualify is in order. Political Science is a broad field of study and covers more than just what government agencies do. Thus, working in a Congressional office or state legislator's office, any executive branch office at the federal, state or local level, or for a judge will almost certainly be acceptable, so long as you are doing more than just using the copier, using a word processor or answering the phone. Similarly, working in a election campaign will typically be appropriate. Questions often arise about internships in law offices. Of course, a State's Attorney's or public defender's office is an executive branch office; however, a private law firm is not. In order for an internship in a private law firm to qualify for academic credit, the intern must be working on cases that involve public law, e.g., criminal defense, social security or other administrative law, environmental law, or , in some situations, labor law. Working for a public interest group, lobbying group or political action committee will usually qualify the student for credit. The Internship Coordinator is willing to listen to unusual proposals regarding internships, but reserves final judgment on what is and what is not appropriate.
Internships are rewarding experiences for the students, but often entail significant investments of time and energy. Given the realities of tight job markets and increased competition for slots in graduate and professional schools, a student with a GPA lower than 2.5 might be better served by concentrating their energies on raising their GPA rather than taking an internship. Additionally, our experience has taught us that internship tasks almost always include submitting written work to the internship supervisor. The Internship Coordinator may require that a student submit a writing sample before approving a request to take PLS 480.
HOW TO ENROLL IN PLS 480
Choosing an Internship
The first step taken by most students interested in an internship is to contact the Internship Coordinator. Dr. Curtis's office is in 429 Bradley Hall and his campus phone is 677-2492. PLS 480 is intended primarily for juniors and seniors who are majors or minors in either Political Science or Administration of Criminal Justice. In any case, the consent of the Internship Coordinator is required to enroll in PLS 480.
The first question that the prospective intern will be asked is: An internship with whom? Most students have already contacted an organization that they consider to be appropriate and wish for approval to get credit for working in that office. This is a very favorable state of affairs because matters can proceed very quickly from that point.
Some students lack a clear internship opportunity when they first contact the Internship Coordinator, although they have some very definite ideas about the type of internship they would like. That too is a favorable state of affairs, since the Internship Coordinator will likely have several ideas about how to proceed from that point, including the identification of agencies and people to call. Although the Internship Coordinator does not maintain a definitive list of organizations looking for interns and cannot place an intern himself, information on a wide variety of internship opportunities is available in his office. Placement decisions are made by the supervising organization, although the Internship Coordinator will assist a prospective intern in any way possible in securing a placement.
Some students merely know, in a general sort of way, that they would like an internship. This is not an unfavorable state of affairs, but a bit of refining of the student's thinking is needed. The Internship Coordinator will discuss the student's program of study with them, and suggest possible opportunities. Once the student has a clearer idea of what they want, then the task of identifying a specific placement becomes easier. This does not mean that a student need only come in and express an interest in an internship. Ultimately, the responsibility of finding a placement rests with the student.
Registering for PLS 480
Once the Internship Coordinator has judged that the internship proposed is appropriate and the organization in question has agreed to supervise the intern, the student is eligible to be enrolled in PLS 480. Enrollment is by reserve card only, which must be signed by the Department Chair, Dr. William Hall. Arrangements must be made before the beginning of the internship itself, and before the last day to add classes of the semester in which internship credit is sought. Late enrollment requests will be routinely denied. In order for a late enrollment request to be granted, the student will have to convince the Internship Coordinator that: 1) The student could not have applied for the consent of the Internship Coordinator in a timely fashion; 2) The decision to apply for internship credit was not made after the internship was already substantially in progress; and, 3) Irreparable harm will be done to the student's education if the request is not approved.
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE INTERNSHIP
In order for the student to receive a grade of "Pass" for their internship, all the requirements of the internship must be completed by the last day of exams of the semester in which the internship credit is to be granted. It is the student's responsibility to see that all documents and papers are turned in on time. Incompletes will be awarded only when, through no fault of the student, the student did not finish on time, e.g., an unexpected illness or injury requiring extensive medical treatment. The requirements include:
1. Working the specified number of hours -- Seventy contact hours with the internship organization are required for each hour of academic credit.
2. Keeping a journal of the student's activities during the course of the internship -- Entries must be made at no greater than weekly intervals, although more frequent entries are desirable.
3. Completion of an academic project -- Early in the semester during which academic credit is to be earned the student and the Internship Coordinator will meet to negotiate the terms of this project. For a three hour internship a 7 to 10 page paper of some kind is typically required, although all aspects of this project are negotiable. It is best when the student suggests a project, or at least initiates the discussion. The nature of the agreement should be reflected in the student's internship file on the Check-Off Sheet, a copy of which should be provided to the student at the time the agreement is concluded.
4. Receipt of a letter of confirmation from the internship supervisor -- A brief letter from your supervisor, on official letterhead, confirming that you are working on an internship in the office in question and briefly describing the duties expected of you, should be sent directly to the Internship Coordinator.
5. Receipt of two satisfactory evaluation forms from the internship supervisor -- You will be provided with two copies of the basic evaluation form which should be given to your supervisor. Please remind them to fill out one form about halfway through the internship and the other at the end of the internship. They must judge your work to be satisfactory in order to receive credit. A summary of the supervisor's requirements are listed on the Information Sheet for Internship Supervisors, a document with which you will be presented a copy to give to your supervisor.
Grading Policies
PLS 480 is graded on a Pass/Fail basis. The satisfactory completion of all the requirements listed above will result in the awarding of a grade of "Pass." If any one requirement is not met, then a grade of "Fail" will be awarded. Incompletes will be awarded, in accordance with official university policy, only if justified by factors beyond the control of the student.