INTERNSHIP INFORMATION
Please note: Executive MPA students are exempt from the internship and internship waiver requirements below.
Internship Requirements
Internship Waiver
Internship Requirements
Students who have not had appropriate administrative experience upon entering the MPA Program must complete a paid, full-time equivalent, semester-long internship. Appropriate experience includes one-plus year of work experience in the public or nonprofit sector. Private work experience will be judged on a case-by-case basis based on job duties and work with the public/nonprofit sector.
The internship gives you an opportunity to gain administrative experience in your chosen field, speeds the transition from student to practitioner, and facilitates the application of theory to the world of administrative practice.
Please provide a detailed job description to the program manager for approval. While finding an internship is the student's responsibility, the MPA office staff willl assist you with internship placements.
The internship course, PADMN 6910, carries a minimum of 3 semester credit hours. In unusual circumstances, some agencies require students to complete a longer internship program. In such instances, students may register for up to 12 credit hours of internship credit. Students may also complete an internship that is part-time over two semesters (please see program manager for approval). A CR/NC (Credit/No Credit) grade is earned for the internship based on the following three documents: job description, job evaluation and job summary. Though the credit is required, it does not count toward the 12 required elective credits.
Job Description
The job description should include a list of all duties and objectives of the internship as negotiated between, and approved by the intern, MPA Program Manager, and agency supervisor.
Internship Experience Report
The student must provide a detailed 2-3 page summary report. Please include the following information in the summary report:
1. Examples of application of theoretical concepts gained from the MPA
Curriculum; explain where theory was relevant and where theory was inapplicable.
2. Evaluation of the internship. Please evaluate overall experience, agency, job and make recommendations to the MPA regarding future placements of interns with the agency and in the position.
Internship Waiver
Students with at least one year of appropriate administrative experience in the public or nonprofit sector may seek a waiver of the internship requirement. The appropriateness of experience will be evaluated by the MPA Program Manager or Director. The internship waiver for incoming students Fall of 2007 is due to the Program Manager by September 7, 2007.
Documentation in support of the waiver will consist of:
1. Contact information for supervisor and job title of position
2. Request for waiver of the internship report
The "request for waiver of the internship requirement report" is a 2-3 page paper that elaborates the duties, special responsibilities, and major functions of the position. It also explains how the position provided administrative experience especially in observation of, or participation in the policy process and the observation of the nature of organizational behavior.