The Internship Experience

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Endicott is a pioneer in offering comprehensive internship experiences in every program of study. The founders of the College believed that students working in their intended career areas could gain practical experience, sharpen their insights, and increase their skills. In many cases students are employed after graduation at their internship sites.

Internship education at Endicott involves varied experiential learning activities which include student teaching and clinical education experiences for Nursing and Athletic Training students. A philosophy of “learning by doing” permeates the College curriculum in which students are encouraged to integrate theory and practice in all of their studies.

The Endicott Internship Program

Bachelor degree candidates complete a sequence of internship courses: two 120-hour internships, each worth two credits; and one full-time, semester internship worth 12 credits. Bachelor degree students entering Endicott College with 30 or more credits are exempt from one 120-hour internship.

The 120-hour internships are completed in January during the first and second years of study. Most students arrange to do internships in their home locale. Students may also live on campus during the January session for a fee, or may apply to participate in the London Internship Program. Students who would like to request a delay to complete their internship in the summer must submit the Request to Delay form to their internship coordinator by the beginning of December.

Prior to the beginning of the 120-hour internship, first and second year students will be required to submit assignments preparing them for the internship experience. First year students will participate in a monthly class as well as an online class through the campus learning portal, Gullnet. Second year students will complete their preparation assignments entirely using Gullnet.

Internship coordinators will assist students in developing an appropriate site. All 120-hour internship sites must be approved prior to the start of the internship.  After the site is approved, coordinators will send confirmation letters to the site supervisors. At the beginning of the internship, students will identify three “learning” goals in consultation with their site supervisor and submit these goals to their internship coordinator.

At the conclusion of the 120-hour internships, the supervisor completes an evaluation.  Students are also required to submit a paper, updated resume, time sheets, and other assignments. Upon return to the College, all students attend required group conferences in which academic advisors and students discuss experiences and field-related trends. Individual faculty conferences are held in February in order to discuss the internship experience and to reassess or confirm academic and career goals.

The semester-long internship may be completed either the spring semester of the junior year or the fall semester of the senior year. Fall athletes should strongly consider completing the internship during the spring of their junior year. The internship is a fourteen-week, full-time, field-based professional experience, which is individually planned and closely supervised by qualified faculty members. Students must submit their internship proposal by the published deadline in order to remain enrolled in the course. All proposals must be approved by the internship coordinator, the Dean of the relevant academic School, and the Dean of the School of International Education, when appropriate.

As part of the semester-long internship, faculty make on-site visits, and students participate in bi-weekly, on-campus seminars designed to supplement the field experience. To participate in full-semester internship, students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0. The College will assess the preparedness of each student before he or she begins the semester-long internship.

Distance Internship

Students interested in completing the semester-long internship at a distance, which precludes their return for the bi-weekly seminar meetings, must plan their programs of study by the fall of the junior year. In order to complete their semester-long internship at a distance, students must: schedule the Thesis I class, as it cannot be taken at a distance; have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5; and submit a Distance Internship Application to the Internship Office by October 7^th for the spring semester and April 1^st for the fall semester. While on distance internship, students must have reliable Internet access that can be used on a regular basis. Gullnet, the campus online learning portal, will be used for the seminar portion of the class.

International Studies Majors

International Studies students (formerly Global Studies) are required to complete one of their internship experiences in another country. Please see the program description for details.

Other Models for Internship

The structure of internship education at Endicott is shaped by program and individual student learning objectives. Nursing and Athletic Training internship credits are earned in clinical education experiences over the course of the four-year program. Education and Physical Education students complete 120-hour internships, but devote their semester-long experience to student teaching.

Community Service Projects

As an alternative to one of the 120-hour internships, students may elect to participate in the Mexican Culture and Community Service Project. Students who elect to use this course as one of their internships may need to take another course or an additional internship in order to fulfill the credit requirements for their major.

The College coordinates an internship program in London during the month of January. Students in all majors have secured internships in settings related to their major fields of study. Students live together in apartments and are accompanied by a faculty member. Interested students should contact the School of International Education.