.01
Rationale
The
university provides the opportunity for qualified, degree-seeking undergraduate
and graduate students to enroll in credit-bearing substantive work assignments,
either internships or cooperative education field experience (co-op),
under the guidance of a faculty member.
.02
Objectives
Internships
and co-ops allow students to explore options within or outside their
field of study (major-related or elective credit); put theory into practice, combining academic
and work assignments; and gain skills and experience that build career
development.
GO
TO TOP
.03
Definitions
An
internship or co-op is a combination of academic study and substantive
work experience, approved by a faculty member in advance of the beginning
of the assignment, which follows the basic guidelines established by
the university. Internships are
decentralized, administered by academic departments that elect to offer
them. Co-ops are centrally administered
by the Career Center and include career advising, job-seeking skills
development, the posting of substantive, often paid co-op positions,
and a co-op seminar conducted by Cooperative Education Program staff.
Faculty from the teaching units supervise internships and co-ops taken
for credit.
GO
TO TOP
.04
Eligibility
A.
To enroll in credit-bearing field experience courses, students must
be in good academic standing in their respective programs. The minimum
grade point average is 2.0 for undergraduate students and 3.0 for graduate
students. Teaching units may require a higher minimum grade point average.
B.
Undergraduate students enrolling in credit-bearing field experiences
must have completed 30 credit hours at the university, or, as a transfer
student, at least one semester (12 credit hours). Graduate students
must have completed one semester (9 credit hours) in their respective
programs at American University. Teaching units may require a higher
minimum for credits earned before enrolling.
GO
TO TOP
.05
Registration Procedures
A.
Registration for internships or co-ops is during the regular registration
period for a semester or any summer session. Student may add these courses
until the end of the second week of classes in the spring semester or
summer session and the third week of classes in the fall semester.
B.
Before processing registration for these courses, the student and the
supervising faculty member must agree upon and document the credit value
(1–6) of the field experience.
GO
TO TOP
.06
Standards for Credit for Internship and Co-op Field Experience
A.
All field experience courses should have both an academic component
and a work component. Evaluation of the field experience is the responsibility
of the faculty member, who considers the evaluation of the work supervisor
in determining the appropriate grade. Faculty should use the evaluation
of the work supervisor as no more than 50 percent of the student grade,
with greater emphasis on the academic component of the assignments whenever
possible.
B.
Field experience courses may be taken for variable credit. With faculty
and teaching unit approval, students may enroll for 1 to 6 credits,
depending on the nature of the academic component and the number of
hours required for the work component. With special permission, co-op
students may be able to enroll for 9 credits for a single co-op assignment.
C.
The recommended standards for academic credit may vary depending on
the requirements of the academic component, but typical minima for the
field experience are: 8-10 hours per week for 1-2 credits; 15-16 hours
per week for 3 credits; and 20-24 hours per week for 6 credits. In each
case students work throughout the term (12 weeks or more). Academic
units may designate higher minima.
GO
TO TOP
.07
Limits on Field Experience Credit
A.
The maximum field experience credit that undergraduates may count toward
their degree requirements is 12 credit hours of the 120 minimum required.
B.
The maximum field experience credit that graduate students may count
toward their degree requirements is 6 credit hours.
C.
The maximum number of field experience credits that a student may count
toward the academic major, minor, or graduate program is determined
by each academic unit. This limit may be lower than the university's
maximum but may not be higher.
GO
TO TOP
.08
Field Experience Credit Earned Abroad
Undergraduate
and graduate students who enroll in credit-bearing field experience
courses abroad (either internships or co-ops) should contact the international
coordinator of the Cooperative Education Program to provide an additional
contact point as well as pre-departure preparation and assistance with
re-entry, as needed. This does not include students enrolled in American
University's World Capitals Program, which manages its own internships
abroad.
Senate action and Provost approval, May 1999.
GO
TO TOP
