What are Internship Programs?
Internship programs allow students to perform on-the-job training in a sports-related organization based upon their desired future careers. The Academy has certain requirements that interns must meet to ensure students are taught by knowledgeable and experienced persons.
Students at all degree levels must be in full-standing status to register for a internship. Before beginning the process, students must read the Internship Handbook.
Internship Process
- Student selects a intern and internship site, following the requirements found in the Internship Handbook.
- Student and intern develop a minimum of five learning objectives, again following the format found in the Internship Handbook. Each learning objective must be measurable, written in active tense, and if possible, encompass a task from each course in the student’s program of study. Each objective must list the objective, its measurement tool (what will measure the accomplishment of the objective), and the expected outcome of the objective.
- Student submits the required forms (Appendix A from the Handbook, the intern’s resume*, and the learning objectives) to the Internship Office.
- If intern meets required criteria, a resident faculty member is assigned as a Internship Advisor, and this faculty member will review the learning objectives. Once the objectives have been approved, and the file signed by the Dean of Academic Affairs, the student will be notified that he/she can now register and pay for the internship.
- Internship hours may only be accrued after the student has officially registered and paid the tuition for the internship course.
*The intern’s resume must list the highest degree attained. All interns are required to have at least a graduate degree plus five years’ experience in the profession. If intern does not have the required graduate degree, but has many years of experience, the student can request an exception by providing justification for his/her selection of intern. For further information about the Exception process, contact the Internship Office.
Internship Experience
The student’s internship experience is designed to provide actual, in-the-field training within the sports profession. In addition, the internship can help build a professional network. Progression through the internship is documented as follows:
- Students have one year from the date of registration to complete the required number of internship hours.
- During the internship, each month the student must submit a brief report summarizing internship activities and listing the number of hours accrued for that month. These monthly reports represent 33% of the student’s grade.
- With the first monthly report, the student must submit a photograph of him/herself with the intern; an action photograph is preferred.
- Each month, the intern must submit a brief monthly evaluation of the student’s progress and attest to the hours worked.
- After the required number of hours is complete, the student will write a comprehensive paper in APA format about the experience. This paper represents 33% of the grade.
Refer to the Internship Handbook for details on how to structure the final paper, but briefly, it should be 12-20 pages in length and formatted according to APA rules. The student must list each learning objective and how it was achieved. The student must also provide an analysis of whether the internship prepared him/her for future employment.
- Also, after the required hours are complete, the Intern will submit a final comprehensive evaluation of the student’s performance. This evaluation represents 33% of the student’s grade.
- To complete the internship experience, the Internship Advisor will conduct an oral interview with the student via phone. This interview represents 1% of the student’s grade. At this time, the student must also complete an end-of-course survey.
- Internship grades are recorded as Pass/Fail.