Planning Your Internship (Graduate)

Internships are supervised work experiences that integrate the PPPM curriculum with applied learning and reflective course work. Internships include the following components:

• Exploration of career interests related to the PPPM curriculum and individual professional goals.
• Opportunities to apply academic learning, learn new skills, and network with professionals.
• Meaningful tasks and responsibilities that support a student’s learning and professional goals.

Internships are learning experiences not jobs (GEs are jobs) or volunteer positions. Internships are opportunities to grow, stretch, and challenge yourself to build and further develop and refine skills, knowledge, and professional habits. Internships are not membership on a board, commission, advisory council, work for a nonprofit you are founding, or volunteer work.  Study abroad or classroom training are not eligible for internship credit. International study abroad internships are eligible for internship credit.

Planning is the key to maximizing the benefits of an internship. Students are encouraged to research a range of potential opportunities and identify specific internships that best match their career interests using the resources on this site and beyond. With assistance from the Career Services Director, students develop individualized learning goals. In collaboration with the site supervisor, students outline tasks and responsibilities that support those learning goals.

Internships may be paid or unpaid. Internship sites may be in the public, nonprofit, or private sectors. Any credit based internship must meet the requirements described below. Internships may also be completed on a non-credit basis and include fewer of the components described. Note that most students in PPPM are required to complete academic internships and should plan for these requirements during the course of their internship.

Minimum requirements for academic (credit-bearing) internships

For Organizations:

• Organization must have a business site (not home office) where students report. A remote internship may be possible but must be approved in advance by the Career Services Director.
• A paid staff member must supervise the student. The supervisor must agree to sign the PPPM Internship Agreement (the student intern should NOT submit a PDF version and SHOULD USE the UO Forms online version of the Internship Agreement (a PDF SAMPLE VERSION of the Internship Agreement is available FOR REVIEW ONLY), work with the student to develop tasks to support their learning goals, and complete midterm and final evaluations. Supervisors may not be relatives of the student.
• Tasks and responsibilities must support students’ career and specifically identified learning goals developed with the course instructor. Supervisors should serve as mentors to students in meeting these goals.
• Students complete a minimum of 3 credits during the first term of any internship. This assumes at least 9 hours/week at work on the internship site and at least 1-3 hours/week on course assignments for each of the 10 weeks of the term.
• Supervisors are asked to complete both a Midterm Evaluation and Final Evaluation of the student’s progress toward their learning outcomes.
• The most successful internships are those where learning and work expectations, communication channels, levels of supervision and mentoring, and opportunities for projects/applied learning, professional development, and networking are clearly defined.

For Students:

• Students articulate and assess achievement of individualized learning outcomes through task completion, reflective course assignments, and supervisor and instructor feedback in preparation for future employment applications and interviews.
• Student complete course work with the instructor focused on student metacognitive, professionally reflective, and academically connected assignments such as self-evaluation and site-evaluation report memos, annotated bibliographies, and informational interview reports.
• Students develop transferable skills as well as identify areas for further professional development through preparation and completion of work products that reflect application and achievement of internship learning outcomes.
• A minimum of 3 credits must be taken the first term of any internship. This assumes at least 9 hours/week at work on the internship site and at least 1-3 hours/week on course assignments for each of the 10 weeks of the term. Students should anticipate contributing at least 120 total hours over the term to the onsite work and assignments associated with this course.
• PPPM 604 Internship is not an open/entry exit course. It requires pre-meeting/approval and pre-authorization by the course instructor. Students should make an appointment with the Career Services Director: Book time with Julie Voelker-Morris
• Once the Career Services Director has verbally approved your internship, launch the registration preauthorization and Internship Agreement process. When all paperwork is appropriately submitted by the student and signed by the Career Services Director and the site supervisor, the student will be able to register for the course via Duckweb.
• An internship for academic credit must take place within a UO academic term. The student must be registered for PPPM 604: Internship/Internship Nonprofit during the term in which they are completing the internship. Retroactive credit for any prior internship experience is not allowable. Multiple terms of internship for academic credit are possible.  See details per degree program below.
• Additional requirements apply to remote internships. In order to be eligible for academic credit, students must discuss their plans with the Career Services Director before committing to a remote internship

International Students: Please refer to the PPPM student CPT requirements for internship. This document outlines the process to confirm Career Practical Training (CPT) credits for international students in association with an academic internship.

Prerequisites for credit internships

• • udents must complete at least one term of graduate coursework before taking PPPM 604 Internship. Exception: Laurel Awardees for whom internship credit is required.
    • • Meet with the PPPM 604 course instructor to discuss your professional and learning goals for the selected internship. Such discussion should ideally occur by Week 7 of the term that precedes the term of the internship.
      • Complete the PPPM Internship Agreement (see below for instructions). The final form, signed by the intern, the instructor, and the internship site supervisor, is due no later than Friday of week 10 of the term that precedes the term of the internship. It is recommended that students begin this form by the Monday of Week 9 of the term prior to the internship.
    • • You may not take PPPM 604 Internship if you are concurrently a board member at the organization where you plan to intern. Board membership applies to students taking PPPM Nonprofit Board Governance or serving as a board member from the community.
      • Internships must be 10 weeks in duration, and the first term of the internship must be 3 credits.

    Requirements

    Step 1:

    Meet with Senior Instructor II/Career Services Director Julie Voelker-Morris (jvoelker@uoregon.edu)

    Step 2:

    Research and Identify an Internship

    Step 3:

    Obtain the Instructor’s pre-authorization for PPPM 604 Internship. Complete the Internship Agreement and registration preauthorization form.
    Note: The form will ask you for some basic information about yourself as a student and the CRN for which you want to register for PPPM 604. You will also need to submit a minimum two-paragraph description of the internship position (e.g. role, responsibility, tasks) and at least three learning outcomes you have for yourself because of this internship. More information about this is described on the form.

    Step 4:

    Register for PPPM 604 Internship on Duckweb. Select the number of variable credits for which are registering for the course.

    Assignments for students in PPPM 604: Internship/Internship Nonprofit:

    • Pre-Course Survey
    • Introduction of Self
    • Finalized Internship Learning Outcomes
    • Annotated Bibliography of Peer-Reviewed Literature
    • 1:1 Meeting with the Instructor
    • Midterm Self-Reflection
    • Informational Interview Report
    • Final Self-Reflection (includes work product and internship evaluation)
    • Next Steps Survey

     

    MPA Students

    Internships (credit and noncredit) are expected for all MPA students. The ideal is a full-time summer internship and at least one additional internship completed during fall, winter, or spring terms.

    • Students with fewer than two years of relevant full-time professional experience are required to take a minimum of 3 credits* of PPPM 604 Internship. In addition, all students must take PPPM 623 Professional Development, a 1-credit course.
    • Students must complete at least one term of MPA coursework before taking PPPM 604 Internship.
    • Students may enroll in 3–10 credits of PPPM 604 Internship. A maximum of 10 credits count toward a student’s degree concentration. A minimum of 3 credits/term is required to ensure a substantive experience.
    • Students who have completed 12 credits of PPPM 404 Internship at one site must choose a different internship site for PPPM 604 Internship.
    • PPPM 608 CPW may be taken to fulfill the internship requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to complete an internship in addition to CPW.
    • Students with two or more years of relevant full-time professional experience in an MPA-related field are not required to take PPPM 604 Internship. Internships (credit or noncredit) are highly recommended. In lieu of the internship, 3 credits of elective courses must be taken and a waiver form must be completed by the student and signed by the Career Services Director, the student’s advisor, and the MPA Program Director. The waiver must include a copy of the student’s current resume or CV indicating their prior full-time professional work in an MPA-related field

     

    MCRP Students

    • PPPM 604 Internship is not required, but may be taken as elective credit that may apply toward a student’s degree concentration.
    • Students may apply no more than 9 internship credits toward their degrees. RARE participants who apply 9 credits from the RARE program are not eligible to apply additional internship credits toward their degrees. Students should see their academic advisors for additional information.
    • All students must take PPPM 623 Professional Development and PPPM 663 Professional Development II, each a 1-credit course.
    • Students must complete at least one term of MCRP coursework before taking PPPM 604 Internship.
    • Students who have completed 12 credits of PPPM 404 Internship at one site must choose another internship site for PPPM 604 Internship.

     

    MNM Students

    • Students with fewer than two years of relevant full-time professional experience must take a minimum of 3 credits* of PPPM 604 Internship Nonprofit. In addition, all students must take PPPM 623 Professional Development, a 1-credit course.
    • Students must complete at least one term of MNM coursework before taking PPPM 604 Internship.
    • Students may enroll in 3-10 credits of PPPM 604 Internship. A maximum of 10 credits count toward a student’s degree concentration. A minimum of 3 credits/term is required to ensure a substantive experience.
    • Students who have completed 12 credits of PPPM 404 Internship at one site must choose another internship site for PPPM 604 Internship.
    • Students must report to a paid staff member of a nonprofit organization; for example, a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4).
    • Students with two or more years of relevant full-time professional experience in an MNM-related field are not required to take PPPM 604 Internship Nonprofit. Internships (credit or noncredit) are highly recommended. In lieu of the internship, 3 credits of elective courses must be taken and a waiver form must be completed by the student and signed by the Career Services Director, the student’s advisor, and the MNM Program Director. The waiver must include a copy of the student’s current resume or CV indicating their prior full-time professional work in an MNM-related field

     

    Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management Students

    • • Students must complete at least one term of nonprofit coursework before taking PPPM 604 Internship Nonprofit.
      • Students may take multiple terms of PPPM 604 Internship Nonprofit, up to 6 total credits. The first term must be at least 3 credits.
      • When completing a second internship, it is recommended that a student work with another organization or agency to round out their experiences.
      • Students must report to a paid staff member of a nonprofit organization; for example, a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4).
      • You may not take PPPM 604 Internship Nonprofit if you are concurrently a board member where you plan to intern. Board membership applies to students taking 687 Board Governance or serving as a board member from the community.
      • Internships are strongly recommended, especially for students that do not have significant nonprofit experience.
      • Contact Dr. Dyana Mason or Book time with Julie Voelker-Morris, PPPM Senior Instructor II/Graduate Career Services Director, to discuss credit requirements.

    * 1 credit of PPPM 604 = 3 hours of internship/week during the course of a 10-week term. 10 credits = 300 total hours of internship during the course of a 10-week term. Students must take a minimum of 3 credits the first term. Internship credits may be completed over multiple terms.

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    Step 1: Meet with the Career Services Director

    By week 5 of the term prior to the start of the internship, graduate students should meet with the Career Services Director to discuss their career interests, learning goals, and possible internship sites.  Book time with Julie Voelker-Morris

    Step 2: Research and Identify an Internship

    There are many ways to research and identify an internship that will meet your career interests and learning goals:

    • • 1. Review all of the internship resources on this site (especially via the PPPM Finding Opportunities webpage). Particularly pay attention to recent announcements that have come into our office on the MS Teams site for PPPM Graduate Student Professional Development.
        2. Review the list of nonprofit and public sector organizations where students have interned in the past. Use these lists as a reference. The internship office also has hard copy internship evaluations completed by students at many of the sites. They are available anytime by requesting information from the Career Services Director.
        3. Sign up for Handshake to access the UO’s internship database.
        4. Read newspapers and journals and find organizations of interest.
        5. Conduct informational interviews. Review the materials under Informational Interviewing and Writing Professional E-mail for guidance.
        6. Use various Internet search strategies to identify organizations engaged in your interests.

    Step 3: Obtain Pre-authorization for PPPM 604 Internship

    The Career Services Director must approve your preliminary learning goals and internship site in the Internship Agreement and preauthorization form The form is due no later than Friday of Week 10 of the term that precedes the term of your internship.

    • • 1. Meet with the Career Services Director to discuss your internship interests or proposed internship site and learning goals.
        2. After approval, launch this PPPM Internship Agreement and preauthorization form.
        3. PPPM support staff will notify you when you have been pre-authorized to register. Their message will include a link to the PPPM Internship Agreement (IA). Complete and sign the IA. This will be forwarded to your internship site supervisor and the Career Services Director for review and approval.

    Step 4: Register for PPPM 604 Internship & Obtain Site Supervisor Signature on Internship Agreement

    To register: You will need to change the variable credit hours to reflect the number you have stated on your Internship Agreement. Credits are based on the number of internship hours projected per week (1 credit of PPPM 604 = 3 hours of internship/week during the course of a 10-week term). Summer term follows the 12-week schedule for the first 10 weeks of the term. The course syllabus and assignments are available on Canvas. Assignments include completion of Exhibit A: PPPM Internship Description, midterm assignment, and final assignment. The course is graded pass/no pass.

    Obtain Site Supervisor Signature:  Your site supervisor must sign the Internship Agreement before the end of the term prior to the start of your internship. Meet with your supervisor to review the Internship Agreement and obtain your supervisor’s signature.  You must submit a completed and signed Internship Agreement by 5 p.m. on Friday of week 10 per the instructions above.

    The PPPM Internship Agreement must be signed and submitted before you begin your internship.

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