Public Administration Internship Program

Program Goals

The purpose of the internship program is to provide students with work experiences that expose them to government and nonprofit organizations and their operations. It is designed to provide students with an opportunity to apply knowledge, theory, and concepts acquired in the classroom to the world of the practitioner. The goals of the internship are to ease the transition from student to practitioner, while providing students with opportunities to make significant contributions to society as public administrators; enhance student awareness of the professional obligations of public managers; provide students with an opportunity to employ conceptual training, within a professional work environment, using quantitative and analytical skills to solve policy problems; to provide students with opportunities to work for organizations that value diversity; to augment formal, generalized education with specialized competence in one or more areas; and to assist students in networking with potential organizations.

Qualifications for Internship

Undergraduate students must be a senior, have an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0, and have completed the core courses in the Public Administration program. The amount of academic credit awarded is dependent upon the number of hours contracted to work in the employing agency.

Eligible undergraduate students may opt for:

Three (3) credit hours  for 12+ hours of internship work per week;

OR

Six (6) credit hours for 25+ hours of internship work per week

Please note: all undergraduate students in the Nonprofit Management Minor/National Certification from the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Program must complete a 300 hour internship (this translates to 20 hours of work per week).

Eligible graduate students can receive three (3) credit hours total internship credit.

In order to receive internship credit for a position currently held with a non-profit or government agency, the student must: (a) work an additional 12+ hours in their internship capacity (for 3 credit hours), or 25+ hours in their internship capacity (for 6 credit hours-Undergraduates only); and (b) work on a project or in an area of study that is not a part of their usual scope of work. In this instance, the work must be beyond their usual work schedule. 

Please note...the department cannot guarantee that students will get an internship, even if they meet all requirements.

Placement Process

The Department recognizes that each student has different needs and professional aspirations.  To satisfy the diversity of our students, we attempt to have a variety of assignments from which to select.  Students seeking an internship placement should do the following:

1. Go to the Department Website to view placement opportunities.
2. Contact the desired placement on their own (unless instructed otherwise). 
3. Once an internship placement is secured, the student will inform the internship coordinator. 

Students who have arranged internships by their own efforts must seek approval from the internship coordinator prior to beginning work. If this process is not followed, the Department may not provide internship credit.

Students may or may not be paid for the hours devoted to the internship.  In most cases, there is little or no compensation for internship positions.  Some agencies in the Central Florida area are offering interns hourly wages or a stipend ranging anywhere from $500 to $2000 for the semester.  This arrangement is between the student and the agency and will not be mediated in any way by the Internship Coordinator.   Interns may only be placed in governmental or nonprofit-based organizations. Private sector organizations are not permitted for internship credit.

Student Responsibilities

Students must complete the Placement Confirmation Letter prior to the start of the internship.

Once the student is placed with an organization, he or she must register for internship credit in either the undergraduate or graduate internship class for three credits (or for six credits if the work will exceed 25 hours of work per week if approved by the intenship coordinator).  Once the semester has begun, student must check webcourses for access to the internship course.

Students are required to complete a Learning Agreement with the employing agency within the first two weeks of placement.  Students must also complete three (3) Progress Reports and a Post Internship Questionnaire. 

It is the student's responsibility to make sure that the internship coordinator receives all forms and reports on time. Failure to complete any internship paperwork may result in a lesser grade.

Grading Policy

Students will receive a final grade upon completion of all internship requirements. A positive attitude, professional demeanor, willingness to learn, and good attendance are very important components of a student's final grade. Active participation is expected at your internship placement, and it will only enhance your opportunity for future employment. If the agency has problems with the student or the student has problems with the agency which cannot be reconciled, the internship coordinator maintains the right to terminate the internship or move the intern to a more suitable placement.

Role of the Employing Agency

The agency is expected to provide interns with an atmosphere in which they will develop their professional and personal growth and facilitate the transition from classroom to the professional world. Agency supervision is expected to enhance the integration of the intern within the organization. It is expected that students will perform tasks and duties that are meaningful and substantial, and will contribute in a significant way to the overall agency operation. By no means should a student be used as a clerk or secretary to the exclusion of a meaningful and rewarding learning experience.

Within the first two (2) weeks of the start of the internship, a Learning Agreement is completed between the employing agency, the student, and the internship coordinator. This document is used to facilitate a thorough understanding of the student's role and duties in the organization.

Prior to the student completing the internship, employing agencies will be asked to complete the Internship Evaluation to assist in assessing the student's performance.

Paperwork for Internship Partners

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM OVERVIEW AND REQUEST FORM

PLACEMENT CONFIRMATION LETTER

INTERNSHIP LEARNING AGREEMENT

For more information, please contact Dr. Vanessa Lopez-Littleton at 407-823-3926 or vanessa.lopez-littleton@ucf.edu.