Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies internships provide students with the opportunity for hands-on application of the research and theories they've studied in their classes. For a 3-credit internship, students volunteer 10 hours per week for a term in an organization whose work benefits women. Many of our students complete their internships in local, regional, or campus organizations. Other students complete their internships in feminist agencies around the country and the world. For many students, the internship is a path to a career. For others, it is an experience that helps them develop valuable skills that they are able to use in whatever work they choose. See the "Internship Placement Possibilities" link for possible internship placements.
The internship is a requirement for Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies undergraduate majors and minors. It is also a requirement for MAIS students with a primary area in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. However, it is open to all undergraduate and graduate students who have completed some coursework in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and desire to hone their skills in a feminist work setting.
Students interested in doing an internship in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies should contact Dr. Mehra Shirazi before registering for WGSS 410 or 510. Some students complete their internship by working with a Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies faculty member as a teaching or research assistant.
WGSS 4/510 INTERNSHIP
Course Description
The internship experience provides the opportunity to gain experience within an off-campus private, public, or community agency or organization which has as one of its goals the improvement of the status of women in society. Students work with an on-site mentor who guides their field experience in collaboration with the internship coordinator in the WGSS program.
Internships may be taken for 1-12 credits. A typical 3-credit internship requires 100 hours of work in the internship agency or organization.
Course Objectives
As a result of having completed this internship, students will:
- Be able to apply feminist theories in organizational settings
- Develop skills in feminist organizing
- Develop professional relationships in feminist settings
- Be able to assess the effectiveness of work in feminist organizations
Each student will also develop individual, personal objectives for the internship in consultation with the on-site supervisor.
Course Assignments
1. Internship Agreement - form (pdf)
Each student will work with an on-site supervisor to complete side 1 of the internship agreement form. A copy of the completed form must be sent to the instructor by the end of Week 1. At the end of the internship, the on-site supervisor will complete side 2 of the internship agreement form. The original form must be sent to the instructor by the end of week 10.
2. Journal
Each student will keep a weekly journal of the internship experience. The journal must include an entry for each occasion the student participates in the internship. Journal entries should include the date, the number of hours spent working in the internship during the occasion, and the tasks completed that day. The remainder of the journal should be a 1-2 page reflection on what the student learned during the experiences of that weeks internship.
3. Class Participation
Students are required to attend a one hour weekly class session to discuss and process their internship experiences with their classmates and instructor.
Grading
The internship is graded on a pass/fail basis. To pass the internship, each student must turn in a completed internship agreement form, complete 100 hours of internship experience including regular class attendance, and satisfactorily complete a weekly internship journal.