Notable Alumni

Patricia Pantoja (VU '02), special agent, Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Steps for getting your internship

1. Interested students must first apply to the internship program early in the semester immediately prior to the one in which they wish to be placed (with placement in Federal enforcement positions a minimum of four months may be needed, if not longer).
   
   
2. Next, the student must secure an internship position with an agency as soon as possible. A prospective internship student applies and interviews for an internship position with an agency much like one would do for employment. It is primarily the student's responsibility to get placed in an internship position, although the student will receive guidance from the internship coordinator in finding an internship. A student majoring in sociology/criminology must find an internship position in a criminal justice or criminal justice-related agency. The appropriateness of a position is subject to the discretion of the faculty in the Sociology Department.
   
   
3. Further, the student must register for the course portion of the internship-SOC 386 or 486--in the same manner as other courses. Students must be registered for the internship course during the semester in which they complete the internship.
   Students earn 3 credit hours for every 128 hours worked. The internship may be repeated once. Students cannot receive credit for agency work completed on their own; they must be approved by the appropriate faculty in the Sociology Department since there are specific expectations and requirements which must be completed (under supervision) during the time credit is received.

As part of the course, students will be provided with a Learning Contract, which is similar to a course syllabus. The Learning Contract specifies and explains the requirements of the internship course. Unless a student is doing a semester away from campus, Fall and Spring internships require attendance in 1-hour biweekly classes. Summer internships (away from campus) typically follow a "distance learning" style format, using e-mail and/or Internet communication between the internship coordinator and student.