Susquehanna University Department of Political Science

Department Internship Guidelines
The following guidelines have been established by the Political Science Department in order to ensure a worthwhile and productive internship experience:

The primary responsibility for arranging an internship rests with the student.
Unless the Department waives the requirement in a specific case, Junior or Senior standing and a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 is required for internship participation.
Students desiring an internship must complete and submit a “Student Learning Contract” prior to the end of the academic semester preceding the internship.

These contracts, available through the SU Center for Career Services, specify the conditions of the internship and require prior agreement or approval from the following:

Supervisor in the workplace in which an internship is sought.
Political Science Department Intern Supervisor
Political Science Department Internship Coordinator, Dr. Michele DeMary
Career Services Internship Coordinator

Internships are available for either two or four credits. Two credit internships generally require at least 70 hours of work (five hours per week if undertaken for a semester), while four credit internships generally require at least 140 hours of work (ten hours per week if undertaken for a semester). Two or four credits will only be given if the internship spans a complete semester or summer. Shorter term experiences (e.g. winter break or a month in the summer) may qualify for one credit with previous permission of the Department. Also, any student may contact the Center for Career Services to register for an externship for short term experiences. Externships carry no credit, but they are recorded on the students’ transcript. (Note: unlike internships, which require at least Junior standing, externships are available beginning in the students’ first year.)

Students participating in an internship must, at minimum, keep a daily log of activities and complete a ten page evaluation paper (including a relevant literature review). This is due to the department internship supervisor by the start of finals week, if the internship is undertaken during an academic semester, and before the start of the fall semester if undertaken during the summer. The departmental supervisor may require additional work reflecting the intern's background and the nature of the internship experience.

Interns are expected to maintain regular contact with their departmental supervisor.

Only two internship credits are applicable to the 44 semester hours required for the Political Science major.

No student may receive Political Science credit for more than a total of eight semester hours of internship work; only two may count toward the major requirements. Internship credit is awarded on a S/U basis only.

If two or more students seek the same internship, Seniors normally will be given preference over Juniors.

Following completion of the internship, the student must secure a written performance evaluation from the workplace supervisor and submit it along with their academic work. This evaluation must be secured, and all required academic assignments completed, before the student can receive credit for the internship.

Students are also responsible for complying with any deadlines or additional requirements stipulated by the Center for Career Services.

Internships associated with recognized off-campus programs are not necessarily covered by these guidelines.