253.535.7324
www.plu.edu/~intern
The Academic Internship Program, formerly the Cooperative Education Program, is a unique program that offers "hands-on" job experience. Through internships students weave opportunities for working and learning at the same time. The program features systematic cooperation between the university and an extensive number of employers in the Puget Sound community, though a student may participate in an academic internship experience anywhere in the world.
Although the program's career-related advantages are obvious, its main benefits are educational. Students gain an appreciation of the relationship between theory and application, and may learn, both early and first hand, about new developments in a particular field. The Academic Internship Program can enable students to become aware of the changing dimensions of work in present-day society. It is a key program in PLU's fabric of investigative learning.
FACULTY: Herbert-Hill, Director
TWO MODELS: The Academic Intership Program accommodates both part-time and full-time work schedules. Part-time work allows students to take on-campus courses concurrently. A full-time work experience requires students to dedicate the entire term to their co-op employment. In most cases, students will follow one or the other, but some departments or schools may develop sequences that combine both full-time and part-time work options.
THE PROCESS FOR STUDENTS: To be eligible for admission into the Academic Internship Program a student must have completed 30 semester hours and be in good standing.
Students who wish to enroll in an Academic Internship must interview with their department faculty or the Director of the Academic Internship Program to determine eligibility, terms for placement, areas of interest, academic requirements, and kinds of positions available.
Students are responsible for completing a Learning Agreement including learning objectives, related activities, and academic documentation of learning during their Academic Internship experience. Each student must seek out and arrange for academic supervision from a faculty coordinator or sponsor. Faculty are responsible for ensuring that the work experience provides appropriate learning opportunities, for helping to establish the learning agreement, and for determining a grade.
Learning is facilitated through: (1) use of a "Learning Agreement";
(2) completing an academic project; (3) periodic contact with the
faculty sponsor; and (4) an on-site supervisor who accepts the
responsibility to function in a resource role.
The Learning Agreement, developed by each student with the
assistance of a faculty sponsor, lists learning objectives with
measurable indicators of learning, and incorporates supplementary
resources such as reading materials and participation in work-related
training sessions. The Learning Agreement is signed by the student, the
faculty sponsor, the program director, and the work supervisor, each of
whom receives a copy.
Contact between the faculty sponsor and the student must be
sufficient to allow the sponsor to serve as a resource and provide
academic supervision. Sites visits help to accomplish this. Site visits
may be made by the faculty sponsor or the program director in agreement
with the faculty sponsor. Students in a part-time Academic Internship
may arange to meet with the sponsor on campus. Thoses involved in
full-time programs some distance from campus may maintain contact
through periodic phone or electronic communication, when site visits
are impractical.
Employers are responsible to: (1) provide opportunities for students to achieve their learning objectives within the limits of their work settings; (2) help students develop skills related to the contextual aspects of the work world (such as relationships with co-workers); and (3) facilitate students' integration into their work setting so that their employment proves valuable and productive.
Students are required to register for at least one credit hour after accepting an Academic Internship position. Throughout an undergraduate academic career a student may receive a maximum of 16 semester hours of credit through the Academic Internship Program.
276 Work Experience I
A supervised educational experience in a work setting. Requires the
completion of a Cooperative Education Learning Agreement in
consultation with a faculty sponsor. (1–8)
476 Work Experience II
A supervised educational experience in a work setting providing for
advanced level of responsibility. Requires the completion of a
Cooperative Education Learning Agreement in consultation with a faculty
sponsor. (1–8)
477 International Work Experience
To be arranged and
approved through the Wang Center for International Programs and a
faculty sponsor. Prerequisites: completion of a minimum of one full
year (32 credits) in residence prior to the program start. Recommended:
a minimum GPA of 3.00, relevant work experience or academic
backgraound, language competency and significant cross-cultural
experience. (1–12)
576 Work Experience III
A supervised educational experience at the graduate level. Requires
completion of a Cooperative Education Agreement in consultation with a
faculty sponsor and the student's graduate program advisor. (1–4)