DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY

AND CRIMINOLOGY
INTERNSHIPS
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND CRIMINOLOGY
211 Oswald Tower, The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: 814-865-2527 / Fax: 814-863-7216
Email: sociology@psu.edu

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What is an Internship?
Internships are one of the most important steps you can take toward future employment.
Fifty percent of internships turn into jobs either with the original organization, or because
of a connection made through the internship. Internships can help you gain experience
for your résumé, aid you in making career choices, help establish credentials and
contacts in your job field, and integrate the knowledge you've learned in the classroom
with the realities of the world of work.

The internship program in Sociology and Criminology provides students with structured
work experience related to the field and an opportunity to earn academic credit. To
complete the internship, you must fulfill a time commitment in the work setting, compile
field notes recording your experiences, and complete several brief writing assignments
in which you systematically analyze that setting and your experiences. The assignments
are designed to merge what you’ve learned in the classroom, with the work you’re
completing in the internship.

How will an internship help me?

 Explore career options and professional interests
 Make connections with experienced professionals and potential mentors
 Develop professional experience and build your resume
 Gain marketable skills and self-confidence
 Apply knowledge you’ve learned in the classroom in a professional setting

When Should I do an internship?

Most internships are done during the junior and senior years of college. Completing
several internships can help build a resume and focus a career path for a student.
Internships can be taken during any semester.

What are some examples of internships

for credit in Sociology or Criminology?
 State Government Agencies
 Federal Government Agencies
  Juvenile Delinquency Detention and Treatment Facilities
 Probation and Parole
 Local, County, in State and Out of state Police Departments
 Corporate Security Divisions
 Law Offices
 Correctional Facilities
 JASI – Justice and Safety Institute
 Centre County Government Agencies
O-NET is an online database that contains hundreds of occupational definitions to help
students explore and search for occupations. Sociology students my find it helpful to
visit this article form ASAs’ website on strategies for internet job searches for students
with a sociology degree.

For information about the internship program please contact:

Amy Schmoeller, Undergraduate Studies & Internship Coordinator

als63@psu.edu or 814-863-0453

How Do I Find An Internship?

Finding an Internship
Locating an internship is the responsibility of the student. Talk to an advisor or
visit Career Services about your career interests and to obtain help in narrowing your
career focus.
The Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network posts a variety of internship opportunities
via Network Symplicity, including internships in government, law, corrections and social
service.
Develop a taylored résumé and cover letter. For assistance with your resume, we
encourage you to register for a Network Symplicity account through the Liberal
Arts Career Enrichment Network. Sample résumés and cover letters are also provided
in the internship planning guide.
To learn more about potential sites, you can also read through intern newsletters which
contain information about a typical day of work and what the student learned from their
internship.
Advertised opportunities
Advertised opportunities are those that are posted, much like traditional jobs, such as
company websites, job boards and other job posting systems. Many advertised
internships are a part of established internship programs that offer additional support
and learning opportunities.

A few examples include:

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania - The Commonwealth Public Service Intern (CPSI)

program provides a pathway for college students into commonwealth employment.
NYC Government - The City of New York offers many internship opportunities for
undergraduate and graduate students.
NJ Department of Law & Public Safety - The New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice
offers undergraduate and law students the opportunity to participate in an unpaid
internship.
Simply Hired – an employment website and online recruitment network
USA Jobs – the main job bank for federal government jobs
USA Jobs for Students - federal wide internships for students
InternJobs – a general internship and job search tool
Idealist – nonprofit organizations.
CampusGov – search entry level jobs and internships available with local, state, or
federal government
Gogovernment – a student oriented site for locating jobs and internship in the federal
government.
SocialService – offers a place to start looking for a social service or social work job.

Internship Opportunities List - List of agencies in which Sociology and Criminology

students have found internships.
Job & Internship Fairs
Penn State offers several career fairs throughout the year. The department also hosts
an annual mentoring workshop for all students.
Hidden opportunities
Hidden opportunities are primarily identified through networking with friends, family
members, former employers, classmates and other personal contacts. See Penn State
Career Services for guidelines.
Local Internship Opportunities
These are just a few examples of internship possibilities. Conduct your own online
search, talk to other students and faculty members.

LIST OF LOCAL INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Internship Timelines
Many organizations, including some government agencies conduct their recruiting well
in advance of their start dates, while others hire on an as-needed basis. Start your
internship search 1-2 semesters before you plan on completing an internship.

Can I Get Academic Credit?

Receiving Academic Credit
To complete the internship, students fulfill a time commitment in the work setting,
compile field notes recording their experiences, and complete several brief writing
assignments in which they systematically analyze that setting and their experience.
Thus, the internship provides students the opportunity to integrate the knowledge they
gain in their course work with the realities of the world of work. Most students find this
experience invaluable for testing (and sometimes revising) their career goals and for
establishing credentials and contacts that aid in finding a permanent position after
graduation. The internship is highly recommended for all criminology majors, regardless
of their long-term career goals.

To earn departmental credit you must be in good academic standing, meet the
requirements outlined below and the internship must relate to the field of Sociology or
Criminology. Students may enroll in LA 495 for 1 or 3 credits (some exceptions may
apply). Up to 3 of those credits maybe used to fulfill degree requirements toward a 400-
level course, beyond the core 400-level course requirements. The remaining internship
credits will be used as electives. Students earn credit based upon the number of hours
spent working at the internship and the number of papers they submit.

If you decide to receive credit or would like more information please contact
the Undergraduate Studies & Internship Coordinator, Amy Schmoeller, als63@psu.edu .
Eligibility Requirements to Complete an Internship for
Credit
Any Penn State student majoring in Sociology or Criminology may apply for an
internship for credit, providing they meet the following requirements.

 Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.

 Have earned a C or better in CRIM 250 (CRIM majors) or SOC 207 (SOC
majors).
 CRIM students should meet this additional requirement: Because internships are
intended to provide practical experience relevant to issues previously studied,
CRIM students should have completed the basic CRIM course (CRIM 100) and a
400 level CRIM course directly related to the employment setting in which they
intend to accept an internship.
 The internship must involve work in the sociology or criminology field.
 Attend required meeting with the Internship Coordinator. Approval for registration
will only be granted after necessary paperwork is completed and students have
attended this meeting or made alternate arrangements. Please contact the
internship coordinator to be added to the meeting schedule.
I do not meet the above requirement but still want to
receive credit
Students who have secured an internship but do not meet the department's internship
course eligibility requirements may want to consult the LA 495 internship course
information on the Career Enrichment Network website and request registration for the
non-departmental/college section of LA 495. Credit earned in the Liberal Arts program
will not apply to your major, but will count toward your general graduation requirements.
How Internship Credit Works
 For every 50 hours interned, a student will receive 1 credit. (3 credits = 150 hrs)
 Students can earn 1 or 3 credits per semester per internship
 Hours are determined by the number of credits a student wants to receive.
 Students have from the first day of classes until the last day of classes to
complete their internship hours.
 Individual work schedules are negotiated between agencies and interns
 Students must pay tuition for the academic internship (including summer
internships)
 Internship must be approved by the Internship Coordinator
Assignments
 Complete written assignments in a timely manner as outlined by the internship
grader.
 Students must earn a favorable work evaluation from their supervisor
 Interns are required to submit a time sheet with their total hours worked at their
internship.
 Complete any additional departmental assignments
Deadlines
All students completing the internship for credit must attend a MANDATORY orientation
prior to starting your internship. These meeting are held each fall and spring semester.
For those considering a fall internship you must attend the meeting at the end of the
spring semester. Please contact Amy Schmoeller (als63@psu.edu) for more
information on the meeting dates and times.
Will I get paid?
It depends. We believe interns provide meaningful service to their supervising
agencies. However, many organizations view the time and effort they devote to training
interns as compensation for the learning opportunities gained by the students.

Cost
Penn State's tuition rates vary by campus, program, student level, and residency. Use
this student tuition calculator to determine your tuition rate.
Enrichment Funds
An important goal of the College of the Liberal Arts is to involve undergraduates in
appropriate enrichment activities. Accordingly, the College, as well as a variety of
Academic Departments, has modest funds available to assist students participating in
activities such as internships, education abroad, or undergraduate research. Liberal Arts
majors seeking financial support for such enrichment activities are encouraged to read
the information on the Liberal Arts, Career Enrichment Network site.
How to register
 Meet all eligibility requirements (see above)
 Attend a mandatory orientation session (contact the internship coordinator for
dates)
 Upon attending the orientation you will receive information on how to register for
course credits in LA 495

Insurance
Insurance during your internship
The University does not provide nor purchase liability insurance coverage for students
engaging in an intern program or fieldwork experience nor to the host sites. Because
some host organizations require that interns have liability or malpractice insurance,
students need to personally purchase intern liability insurance when required to do so
by the cooperating institution/agency/company. The University should NOT be listed as
a named insured on the student’s personal policy. This is between the student and the
host site only. University personnel must not obtain nor direct students to specific
insurance providers

In addition, the University is not liable for accidents or harm that may occur while
students are transported to internship sites in non-University vehicles. Information on
supplemental insurance available to undergraduate students is available through
the Penn State Student Insurance Office.
Students must provide copies of insurance, if required, directly to the site or through a
third party service The University will not maintain evidence of such records on behalf of
students.

FAQ
I don’t have the finances to register for the internship for
the semester
Can I take the internship now and register for it another semester? This is not an
option. Senate policy 34–81 states that students must be registered for the course
during the semester in which the course requirements are completed and a grade must
be assigned at the end of that semester. The Registrar’s Office will not permit you to
take the internship one semester and register for it another.
Requesting a signature
Some institution applications require a representative at Penn State to sign documents.
If your employer asks for this information please contact the internship coordinator who
will read and sign the requested forms at his or her discretion.
What do I do if I already have an internship?
Contact the department internship coordinator to ensure the agency meets the
requirements and be added the the mandatory meeting schedule.

How long does the internship last?

The internship length ranges from 50-150 hours depending upon the number of credits
for which you register Hours are determined by the number of credits a student wants to
receive. Students earn 1 credit for each 50 hours.

1 credit = 50 hrs / 3 credits = 150 hrs

Contact information
For further information on the internship program and process, please contact
the Undergraduate Studies & Internship Coordinator:
Amy Schmoeller (als63@psu.edu)
Department of Sociology and Criminology
Penn State University College of the Liberal Arts
211 Oswald Tower
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: 814-863-0453
Fax: 814-863-7216

Internship Information for Agencies

The internship program is recognized by both students and alumni as one of the most
valuable experiences of a student’s academic career. It provides students the
opportunity to integrate their classroom experiences with work experience preparing the
students by exposing them to other professionals in the field and to the work
environment in a way that cannot be duplicated in the classroom. Serving as a
supervisor for an intern not only permits you to participate in student growth, but also in
the development of your organization’s future work force. Interns often bring new skills
and knowledge with them to apply in their new work setting. They can add a fresh
perspective and make a real contribution to your agency.

Supervisors are expected to:

 Allow the student the opportunity to apply classroom learning in an agency

setting.
 Encourage the development of a professional identity and appropriate set of
skills.
 Provide the student with a broad overview of the operations of the agency.
 Help students identify and clarify their career interests.
  Evaluate the student’s professional performance on the internship.
The internship will also allow you to observe and evaluate potential staff members.

If you or your organization would like to provide an internship opportunity for a current
student, you can get started with the recruitment process by registering with the Liberal
Arts Career Enrichment Network Symplicity system to post positions and to receive
applications