Overview
A 3-credit internship is required for the MA in Philosophy and Social Policy, and can serve as an elective for the MA in the History of Philosophy. An internship provides the opportunity to test the claim that philosophy is the kind of discipline that teaches transferable skills such as critical reading, analytical problem solving and clear and persuasive writing. These skills are desirable since many legal services, research institutes, non-profit organizations, think tanks and business organizations, all of which happen to reside in Washington and offer internships, are in search of individuals with such skills. Click here for a partial list of institutions where students have interned.

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Internship Coordinator
Ellen K. Feder: The internship coordinator oversees, supervises, instructs, and grades all internships.

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How to get the most out of your internship experience
It is important to start thinking now about what you would like to accomplish in your internship semester. The clearer your objectives, the more likely it is that you will find the right place. If you are working toward your MA, you should think of the internship as an element of your training that reflects both your competence in theoretical work and your ability to apply that theory in evaluating current problems and issues. In thinking about what sort of internship to pursue, let your interests determine which place can offer you the richest experience. To accomplish this, you need to start your search in the Spring Semester of your first year. AU has an excellent Career and Internship Office that can assist you in your initial search. Once you’ve identified the appropriate site, visit and meet with people – maybe you can talk to someone who is currently interning there. Speak with the internship supervisors at the site, and discuss with them your academic interests to find out whether there is any work and research to be done in your area. If so, Congratulations!!! If not, keep looking!!!

Finding the perfect match could lead to future employment!

Requirements

1. To earn 3 credits, you are expected to work16 hours per week for 12 consecutive weeks (24 hours will earn 6 credits).
2. The majority of your time should be devoted to substantive work. No more than 15% of your time should be spent doing clerical work. You must appreciate, however, that at many non-profit organizations, and in legal settings, for example, answering phones and filing papers and even making photocopies is not mere "clerical work." This is work shared by members of the organization as a whole, and may exceed the "15% rule." In these cases, it is important to appreciate that this is not simply "grunt work," but labor essential to the particular job or the running of the organization, and so, it is essential to your experience of working in and learning about, a particular field or work environment.
3. You must successfully complete a substantive paper of 25-30 pages, which includes a bibliography and theoretical analysis of the internship experience.
4. At the end of the internship, the student must provide his or her supervisor with an Internship Program Evaluation Form, which the employer should fill out, sign and fax to the internship coordinator. At the same time, the student should fill out a Faculty Evaluation form and return it to the internship coordinator. Both forms are available in the main Department office (Battelle-Tompkins 120).

Procedures

1. Find an internship.
2. Fill out an Internship Registration Form, which the registrar's office requires in order to register for an internship. Obtain the appropriate department signatures.
3. Fill out an Internship Consent and Release Form and submit to the registrar's office with the form above. Both of these forms are also available in the Schedule of Classes.
   
   Steps 1-3 should be completed before the student starts her/his internship.
   
4. Submit a reading list to the internship coordinator.
5. Submit the final paper and all evaluations no later than the last day of classes.

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