HMSV 4490. A directed and supervised internship or practicum. Requires permission of program coordinator and Director of Experiential Learning.

HMSV 4500. In this capstone experience students will carry out a major project in an internship/practicum setting, prepare a written report on the project illustrating how it reflects the outcomes of the program, and share the results with fellow seminar members.

The internship/practicum courses offer an opportunity for students to apply in real world settings what they have learned through courses in the major.  Each human services internship requires a minimum of 150 hours of field experience spread evenly across the semester, five on-campus class meetings, and one or two individual meetings with the instructor. 

A given internship may emphasize one or more of the following options:

• direct service (working with clients individually or in groups)
• program development (designing and/or modifying strategies for addressing a need)
• administrative support (doing research, developing or refining marketing tools, and/or fundraising)
• advocacy (lobbying for a group, organization, or agency on a local or state level through face to face contacts or by writing advocacy statements, legislation, or other public documents)

Students may select their internship site, subject to the approval of the course instructor, or they may contact the instructor for suggestions.

Students are responsible for arranging the initial, exploratory visit with the potential supervisor in the internship site prior to the beginning of the semester.

Students should make arrangements for their internship prior to the first class meeting on August 24. All internship documentation must be completed, signed, and submitted by that date. 

The requirement of 150 hours at the internship site can be met in a variety of ways.  Students may choose to work 15 hours a week for 10 weeks, 40 hours a week for a month, or any arrangement in between, as long as the hours are approved in advance by the supervisor. However, plan to have finished your hours before April 14; any extension beyond that date will need written justification from your site supervisor. Students enrolled in HMSV 4500 should get written approval from your supervisor to work on a project that benefits the organization; projects might include setting up a database, creating brochures or a website, or helping to develop a program for the organization. 

Written evaluations from your site supervisor are due within one week of your completing the 150 hours.  Students are responsible for making sure that the evaluation is received by the professor in a timely fashion.

During the initial meeting students will share information on their Experiential Learning Agreement Form.  During the second class meeting, each student will share information about his/her site, including the organization's goals and objectives, an organizational chart of the staff, and a description of the advantages and disadvantages of the internship site. The second class meeting will include discussion of your experiences with your sites.

Biweekly reflections may address significant experiences and feelings about them, issues and questions that arise, about stress, ethics, training, or procedures, and ideas and suggestions you have. A minimum of two pages double-spaced should be written every other week.  Journal entries should be grammatical and written in complete sentences.  (Incomplete, ungrammatical sentences are sometimes vague or confusing and do not communicate your experience well.)

The last three class meetings will center around student PowerPoint presentations and reports about the internship. Students will include information about the site, duties during the internships, and personal reflections.  HMSV 4500 presentations should describe in detail your project and the product you created as a result of the practicum.