Internships provide students with the opportunity to earn academic credit for relevant workplace experience. Internships are an excellent opportunity to put classroom theory into practice and explore how to apply the skills and concepts you acquire in your degree program to community and workplace settings.
All Department of Interdisciplinary Studies degree programs (GWS, GLS, and IDS) have internship courses:
- Gender, Women's & Sexuality Studies: GWS 4900 (1-6 credit hours)
- Global Studies: GLS 4900 (1-12 credit hours)
- Individually Designed (BA & BS): IDS 3900 (3-12 credit hours)
- Nonprofit Organizations minors visit this page for information about completing your internship for your experiential learning component
INTERNSHIP DATA SHEET (below) SUBMISSION DEADLINES
- Spring internships - submit by reading day of the previous fall semester
- Summer internships - submit by reading day of the previous spring semester
- Fall internships - submit by reading day of the previous spring semester (preferred) or August 1 (latest)
IMPORTANT: You MUST get your internship approved by the university prior to starting your internship if you want to receive academic credit!
Step-by-Step Approval Guide and Checklist
- TALK TO YOUR ADVISOR
Talk to your major advisor about your interest in an internship. They can help you navigate the process so that your internship credit counts toward your degree program and supports your program of study - DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Begin looking for internship opportunities at the start of the semester prior to the semester you want to intern. This will give you time to assess your options, apply to organizations, and get the appropriate departmental and university approvals in place before your internship term begins. It is important that you find an organization that will allow you to gain relevant and useful applied experience. There are resources available to help you identify internship opportunities and the Career Development Center is a great place to begin! - MEET WITH THE IDS DIRECTOR OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES (DUS)
Once you have decided you would like to do an internship through the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, email the DUS, Dr. Kelly Ann Renwick, and let them know of your interest. You will meet with them briefly to discuss the approval steps and any questions you may have. - KNOW YOUR MAJOR-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
Each degree program (GWS, GLS, and IDS) allows a minimum and maximum number of credit hours that may count toward your degree. Each one also recommends organizations that are appropriate for your major.- For GWS Majors: You can receive 1 – 6 hours of internship credit in this program. You will need to make an appointment with the Director of Gender, Women's & Sexuality Studies, Dr. Emily Lutenski, for additional approval.
- For GLS Majors: You can receive 1 – 12 hours of internship credit in this program. Internships may occur at the local, regional, state, national or international levels, but must be relevant to global studies. If your internship is part of an international experience, you will need to have your international internship certified through the Office of International Programs. Certification information is available through their website. No more than 6 credit hours can count in your focus area, and no more than 6 credit hours can count as credit toward required electives in your major.
- For IDS Majors: You can receive 3 – 12 hours of internship credit in this program. Your internship will automatically count toward your electives in this major. If you are substituting internship credit for a course (or courses) already approved and appearing in your individually-designed program of study, you will need approval from the IDS department chair for that substitution.
- CONTACT A FACULTY MEMBER TO REQUEST A FACULTY ADVISOR
You will need to identify an App State faculty member to serve as your internship faculty advisor. Major advisors often serve in this capacity, but you can ask any faculty member you feel would be appropriate for this role. The DUS, Dr. Renwick, is another internship faculty advisor option. - CONFIRM YOUR DETAILS
Your internship site supervisor should email Jeff Porter and Dr. Renwick a list of your specific internship duties and your total hours of internship activity. Note: for a 3-credit hour internship, you will need to complete 120-150 hours over the course of the semester (in other words: approximately 40 - 50 hours of internship = 1 hour of academic credit). - COMPLETE THIS DATA SHEET
We cannot begin processing your internship until the data sheet has been submitted. If you have any questions about completing this form email Dr. Renwick. See the data sheet submission deadlines above! - GET YOUR SIGNATURES
Once we receive the completed data sheet and the statement of internship duties from your site supervisor, we will generate a contract that will be sent to you electronically via Docusign. Once signed it will automatically be sent to the next signatory. Both you and your site supervisor will need to sign the contract. Afterward, the contract will automatically return to the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences for final approvals.
Once the College of Arts and Sciences approves your internship, you will automatically be registered for the appropriate internship course. You must have all signatures and all approvals prior to the end of the add/drop period.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
- You cannot begin your internship until all approvals are in place and you are registered for your internship course.
- Internship start and end dates generally follow the academic calendar, running from the first day of classes to the last day of exams.
- If your internship straddles semesters, multiple contracts must be generated for an internship that extends through multiple semesters. This is a university policy, related to insurance policies.
Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
Living Learning Center
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
Department Chair, Dr. Maria Pramaggiore, pramaggioremt@appstate.edu
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Kelly Ann Renwick, renwickka@appstate.edu
Administrative Support Specialist, Jeff Porter, porterjd1@appstate.edu