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| Frequently Asked Internship Questions | ||
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What is my first step? |
The first thing you need to do is to develop a rough idea of your internship goals. Calling this a plan might be too strong a term, but you are going to be more successful at your internship search if you have some idea of where you are headed. Is there a faculty mentor that can help you? Can the internsip coordinators help? Reviewing the past internship descriptions on uLearn can be helpful. You might also review the job listings and career descriptions on sites like these for ideas: http://www.publicservicecareers.org/ http://www.gopublicservice.org/ We also offer a great Andrew Young School internship resource page. |
What if I cannot access the internship home page? |
It is important for all interns to visit the uLearn home page on a regular basis. We can get you the materials you need in an emergency, but any access problems must be resolved as quickly as possible. Try the help links on the uLearn log-in page. If necessary, the Internship Checklist page gives you access to most of what you need, but this is not a total uLearn substitute. Also, remember that new students may need to request access to the official internship uLearn page--AYSPS - PMAP Internship Course. |
| How many hours do I need to work? | Undergraduate interns must complete 200 hours of work for three ho |
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When must my internship start and end?
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The beginning and end of internships does not need to match the academic calendar. You can start your internship before you register for the internship class and you can finish up after the semester ends. Our flexibility allows students to take advantage of internship opportunities when they arise, without waiting for the start of the semester. Students can also set the hours they work each week to accommodate their course load and other commitments. Likewise, you do not need to be enrolled in the internship course to access the internship uLearn page. |
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Do I have to register and pay to do an internship? |
You can do an internship anytime you like, but you need to register and pay to get academic credit. |
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| Can I receive more than three hours of credit? | It is possible to get more than three hours of internship credit, but this requires the approval of your academic advisor and a departmental committee (for PMAP students). Essentially, this means that you will conduct three additional hours of internship credit in place of a regular academic course. This is something that needs to be carefully considered. You must be prepared to answer the following questions: What are three extra hours (200-300 additional hours of work) going to give you that a regular academic course will not? What additional learning opportunities are you getting from the additional internship hours? Will you have substantially different work activities and responsibilities that will define this additional three hours of internship credit? If you feel you have good answers to these questions, then you should discuss this plan with your academic advisor. If he or she approves, the next step is to submit a waiver petition that you can get from our academic assistance office in the Andrew Young School. Once you have completed and turned in this form to the department, it will be reviewed by a faculty committee. Keep in mind that requests for additional internship hours must be approved beforeyour internship starts. Also, these requests are not considered directly prior to or during the student's last semester of coursework at Georgia State University. Students requesting a change in their academic program should work entirely with the academic assistance office. The members of the departmental committee will not be able to tell you the status of your petition, since it will be routed from person to person. Only the academic assistance office will know the final decision. |
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| Can I conduct an internship on my current job? | We try and work with students who currently have high-level positions in their field of interest, who otherwise would not have time to conduct an internship with a different employer. If you are interested in this option, you need to prepare a description of your proposed internship that is several paragraphs in length. This can be submitted to the internship coordinators via Email. These type of internship must involve activities that are distinctly different from your regular job responsibilities. You might take on a new project or work overtime in a new department. You should be learning new skills, accepting new responsibilities, or be working with new ideas or concepts. You should bear in mind that you will need to complete all internship requirements, including an evaluation from a supervisor who will oversee your work. |
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| What if my internship hours are reduced due to jury duty? | We will allow jury duty time to count toward your internship hours, as long as the amount of time is not more than 25 hours. Please get in touch with the internship coordinators if your jury service becomes prolonged. Of course, jury service documentation must be provided to both your intern sponsor, and to the internship coordinators. |
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| How can MPA students qualify for an internship waiver? | All MPA students are required to conduct an internship. However, this requirement can be waived under special circumstances. To petition to waive this requirement, a student must obtain a petition form from the Office of Academic Assistance. Completed petitions are reviewed by a faculty committee. Documents that must be included with the petition are: a current resume, a current job description for your position, and a letter explaining why you are seeking a waiver. The faculty committee considers substantial public or nonprofit service and accomplishment over a sustained period of time by the student when reviewing petitions regarding the conduct of an internship. Students requesting a waiver should work entirely with the academic assistance office. The members of the committee will not be able to tell you the status of your petition, since it will be routed from person to person. Only the academic assistance office will know the final decision. MPP students cannot waive the internship requirement, but they are occasionally allowed to substitute a course. |
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| Can I get credit for past internship work? | You can only receive credit for internship hours conducted as part of your current degree that are consistent with your current career objectives. As a general rule, past work is not going to count. There are circumstances where a student starts an internship before registering for the course or talking to the internship coordinators. Such situations should be avoided, of course, and credit for hours will be considered on a case by case basis. | |
| When are internship courses offered? | You can complete an internship at any point during the year; internship classes are offered fall, spring, and summer. Students planning to complete an internship in the fall can register in the summer prior to their internship or in the following spring semester. Students planning to graduate at the end of fall semester should register in the summer. The fall internship experience will be the same as at any other part of the year. | |
| How does the internship course work? | This is essentially an on-line course. We meet with students in person on many occasions throughout an average semester, but the majority of communication takes place on-line on our web site. Our interns are very busy, and the on-line communication suits their needs very well. Unlike many on-line courses, however, the internship coordinators are always available to meet with you. Individual help is always available. |
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| What is the best way to stay up to date on internship course developments? | If you are taking an internship for credit, you need to check the internship home page on a regular basis. This is your responsibility. However, important information is also sent to the jobs and internship mailing list. It is a good idea to stay subscribed to this list, even if you have already found an internship. This is a convenient way to make sure you do not miss anything. | |
| Wht do I need to do to receive internship credit? | The Internship Checklist page gives you a quick overview of everything needed to successfully complete an internship and receive academic credit. | |
| Where can I learn more about the final internship report requirement? | Guidelines for completing the final report are available. | |
| How can I learn more about PMAP internships? | Our welcome page is the best place to start. | |
| How can I help get more employers involved in the AYS internship program? | Refer employers to our welcome page for internship sponsors. Thanks! | |
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You can reach the PMAP Internship Coordinators through the Internship home page. They will respond to questions you post on the bulletin board or in private email. You can also reach them through their GSU faculty email accounts listed below. |
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Greg Streib (404) 939-1235 Fax: (404) 413-0104 |
Katherine Willoughby (404) 413-0117 Fax: (404) 413-0104 |
urs of academic credit. Graduate interns must complete 300 hours. It is possible to spread your hours across more than one internship, but make sure you do this while also respecting the needs of your employers.
