Internship Evaluation Guidelines

Students undertaking internships as part of the Washington, Global Europe or Global South Programs, as well as any of our other internship programs or independently for credit, must be evaluated by a member of the International Relations (IR) faculty. Upon receipt of an internship offer, students must complete the Internship Information Form to receive approval from the faculty sponsor, if the internship is part of a formal global program.

Student Responsibilities:

1. BEFORE LEAVING CAMPUS, students must find an IR faculty member willing to serve as the faculty sponsor for the internship. For the established internship programs, the Program or Internship Director (such as Michael Schneider, Karin Rosemblatt, or Peg Hermann) are responsible for sponsoring student internships.

2. Students must complete an Experience Credit proposal form (copies are available in the IR office). Complete this form, circling the Experience Credit course number 670 for graduate internship credit or Experience Credit course number 470 for undergraduate internship credit. The form outlines the objectives of the internship, and the criteria for assigning a grade. The form must be signed by the faculty sponsor and the Director of Graduate Studies of the IR Program, and then submitted to DIPA if going abroad on a DIPA-administered program, and to IR if an IR-administered Program (check with the Global Programs Coordinator to ensure that you are submitting the form to the correct institutional entity).

3. Students must provide any required written work or other materials to the faculty sponsor in a timely basis upon completion of the internship.

4. Students must work at least 250 hours, over a period of at least 7 weeks for the summer term and 12 weeks for the fall or spring terms, on the job for a corresponding 3 academic credits. Faculty sponsors or Program Directors may increase these requirements, accordingly.

Faculty Sponsor Responsibilities:

Faculty sponsors are responsible for providing a letter grade upon the student's completion of an internship. While faculty and students may make their own arrangements as to how a student's internship performance is to be evaluated, it is recommended that faculty require students to provide the following materials:

a) Weekly journal describing the student's involvement in various activities and projects;

b) An approximately ten-page reflective essay in which the student integrates prior IR coursework with the internship experience (a theory and practice exercise);

c) A written evaluation from the student's supervisor.

Faculty should use this (or additional) information to assign a letter grade in a timely manner.

The Global Development Program internship is a unique opportunity for practical training and professional development in a chosen field of international affairs, development and public policy. The internship encourages you to in-depth knowledge of an organization and its relation to certain issues and policy process, to define and pursue your own career aspirations, and to network for the future.

This program requires you to complete a minimum of 250 hours over a period of at least 12 weeks on the job. This usually means working three days a week. Success means that you satisfy your expectations and those of your supervisor who will evaluate your work at the end of the semester.

You will be asked to prepare a job description with your supervisor. This arrangement of a "rating" and a "reviewing" official is similar to that used by large organizations, public or private. Although evaluation systems are quite varied almost all organizations require them, as well as annual goal setting by employees, from the top to the bottom. (If build on high, but realistic, expectations, goal setting can be one of the most important tools for personal and institutional accomplishment).

You will also be asked to prepare an "institutional analysis" of your organization, to apply certain analytic constructs that help you understand the organization's functioning. Finally, an internship report will be requested that evaluates your experience and provides information for future participants.

I will work with you throughout the process: provide advice and serve as a local reference for you in your internship search and application, visit you on the job during the semester, meet with the class several times to discuss the internships and career interests and review the internship at the end of the semester. (I will submit a grade to Syracuse University for Maxwell students. The grade will be based primarily on your supervisor's evaluation, your institutional analysis and internship report.)

-Dr. Michael Schneider, Director of the Global Development Program in DC