Methods of Instruction:
Assignments
- Students must post daily journal entries detailing work assignments, experiences, and personal reflections on the POLS Internship D2L site. A weekly account of hours devoted to the internship must be included.
- The student's immediate supervisor during the internship must complete an evaluation form. It is the student's responsibility to supply the instructor with the supervisor’s name, address, and email by mid-term.
- Students must write a paper that is no less than 12 full pages of text (from the top of the first page to the last line of the 12th page). Title and reference (and any other non-text) pages do NOT count towards this minimum. The paper must be double-spaced, with 1-inch or smaller margins, and 12-point or smaller font. The paper must (1) review a book relevant to the internship and (2) discuss how the actual in-service experience both corresponds to and differs from the scholarly account. The book must be selected in consultation with the instructor. The book and any other sources must be properly cited and referenced using the APA style.
Grade Scale: 10 points. Automatic deductions: 1 point per day late; 1 point per page short of 12 full pages; 1/2 to 1 point for formatting requirements.
Evaluation Methods: (grading practices and weights assigned to each graded aspect of the course)
Grading
- Supervisor's evaluation = 50% (10 points x 5)
- Term paper = 35% (10 points x 3.5)
- Daily journal = 15% (15 points)
All materials must be submitted by 5pm on the last day of classes for the internship semester. Late submissions will be deducted one point per day.
While there is no grading curve, the typical class average is around a middle or upper "C" (Despite the often inflated nature of grading, a "C" is average—not below average; and a "B" is above-average). Simply completing the course requirements will most likely earn a "C" (70-79). A "B" (80-89) requires some demonstration of effort beyond just the requirements. An "A" (90-100) requires extraordinary performance.
General Expectations:
Major Requirements
- BS Pre-Law students must complete a 6-hour internship.
- BS American Politics students must complete two six-hour internships in two of five areas: Interest groups, political parties, political campaigns, administrative offices, legislative/executive offices.
- BA International Affairs students must complete a 9-hour international internship.
- BA/BS Students are not required to complete an internship. Up to three credit-hours of any internship may be applied toward fulfilling the requirements of the Political Science BA/BS major, with the remaining hours counting as electives.
- A 9 credit-hour internship (POLS 4485C) involves at least 320 contact hours of in-service work.
- A 6 credit-hour internship (POLS 4485B) involves at least 214 contact hours of in-service work.
- A 3 credit-hour internship (POLS 4485A) involves at least 107 contact hours of in-service work.
Course Content (by week):
Every week: Students must keep a journal of their daily activities and their weekly hours.
Mid-semester: Their supervisors will be asked to evaluate them at about the mid-point of the semester.
Last day of classes: They must also produce a term paper – due, along with their journal, by 5 p.m. on the last day of classes for the internship semester.
Knowledge Base (required texts, optional materials, supplementary readings, etc.):
The general knowledge base for POLS internships is determined by the internship supervisor. Students must also select a book to review as part of their term paper. The book must be approved by the internship supervisor.
