Internships

In an internship, a student can learn experientially at a social institution, cultural organization, community-based organization or corporation, gaining firsthand work experience, learning about the activities in a particular setting, developing skills and knowledge that may lead to later employment and exploring connections between academic ideas and practical knowledge. Internships are a key element of the Gallatin program, and they are often among the most memorable and useful student experiences. An internship is a credit-bearing work experience in a non-classroom environment, and internships are typically unpaid positions, although students in paid positions are permitted to receive credit.

Internships are available in a variety of areas, including business, education, legal services, journalism, film and theater. Some examples of internships include:

  • Tutoring elementary school children in a settlement house after-school program.
  • Designing Web pages for a start-up Internet company.
  • Conducting a survey on housing conditions for a local community organization.
  • Leading tours at a famous art museum.
  • Assisting a strategic planning committee in a major corporation.

The possibilities are endless. Gallatin students can avail themselves of the vast resources of New York City, which provide a myriad of opportunities for practical experience and fieldwork. Each semester many students are placed in internships with such organizations such as Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Bellevue Hospital Center, Manhattan Theatre Club, 20/20 (ABC-TV), Capitol Records, Sony, Inc., Working Woman Magazine, and Merrill Lynch. These placements are just a small sampling of the many interesting and challenging internships that help undergraduate students to obtain hands-on training in their fields.

Arranging an Internship

Internships require the approval of both the faculty adviser and the director of external programs. To locate internship opportunities, students can consult with the director and look through the internship listings that are available at the Gallatin office (1 Washington Place, 6th floor). The faculty adviser may also suggest a particular internship, the student may pursue his or her own search process, or the student can also consult with NYU's Wasserman Center for Career Development. Once the student has found an internship that seems appropriate to his or her goals, the student should meet with the director of external programs to help secure the internship. Students who find their own internships must provide the director with the name and location of the internship and the on-site supervisor.

The On-Site Supervisor

The student/intern is essentially an employee of the institution or organization where the internship takes place, and the on-site supervisor is the person to whom the student is directly responsible. The on-site supervisor is responsible for overseeing the student's day-to-day work and providing guidance and feedback. During the course of the semester, the director of external programs may make a field visit to meet with both the student and the on-site supervisor. In addition to supervising the student's work, the on-site supervisor has two other responsibilities:

  1. At the beginning of the semester, the on-site supervisor must submit a confirmation letter (on official letterhead) to the director of external programs, detailing the student's internship responsibilities and work schedule.
  2. At the end of the semester, the on-site supervisor must complete a two-page performance evaluation of the student. The supervisor's performance evaluation will be forwarded to the adviser and will be considered when the faculty adviser determines the final grade.

Undergraduate Student Grading Options

Beginning in Fall 2009, undergraduate students may opt to take the internship either for a letter grade or pass/fail. If s/he elects to receive a grade, s/he attends a biweekly, 75-minute seminar which considers issues of organization structure and dynamics, the larger organizational environment, and work cultures and practices. The instructor of the seminar assigns the letter grade based on participation, written work (including a journal), and the supervisor’s evaluation. If the student elects the pass/fail option, s/he meets periodically with the adviser, submits a journal and writes a final analytical paper. In that case, the adviser assigns the pass or fail based on the meetings, the journal and the written work, as well as the supervisor’s evaluation.

The Student's Responsibilities

In addition to performing the work duties of the internship position, the student has the following responsibilites:

  1. If s/he is receiving a letter grade, the student attends the biweekly seminar regularly and completes various assignments (including a journal describing the mission and daily workings of the organization, the activities s/he engages in, and his/her reflections on the learning experience.) If s/he is taking the internship pass/fail, s/he submits the journal to the adviser on a schedule determined by that person, as well as a final analytical paper (usually 10-20 pages) addressing themes connecting the experience with academic and professional concepts, or pursuing academic inquiries related to the internship.
  2. By the end of the second week of classes, both letter-grade and pass/fail interns submit a learning contract, signed by the student, the supervisor and either the seminar instructor or the adviser. A copy is submitted to the director of external programs.
  3. Pass/fail interns attend two workshops (one early in the semester and the other just after mid-term) to learn strategies for learning from the experience and for writing the final paper. They also submit a mid-term progress report to the director of external programs, assessing their progress toward meeting goals outlined in the learning contract.

Registration Procedures

Approval Process

Enrollment in an internship requires the approval of the Gallatin School. Students should bring the completed proposal form to the Gallatin Office where it will be reviewed by the director of external programs. Upon approval, the director will give the student the 4-digit access code required for registration. The student may then register for the internship on Albert, or in person if Albert is not available. Please note: the student is responsible for the registration process.

Deadline for Submitting the Proposal

Students must adhere to the following deadlines for submitting an internship proposal to Gallatin:

  • Fall and Spring semester: the last day of the second week of classes
  • Summer Session: the first day of classes of the session
Deadline for Registering for an Internship

Students must adhere to the following deadlines for registration as they will not be permitted to register for an internship after these deadlines whether or not they have received prior approval or an access code. Fall and Spring semesters: the last day of the third week of classes Summer Sessions: the third day of classes of the session.

The Mike Bender Award

Each year a $500 internship award is presented to a student whose internship work demonstrates and personifies the ideals of compassion, understanding, and tolerance. It is named after a man who had great respect for knowledge, a wide range of interests, and a great curiosity about the world. This internship was designed to afford students the opportunity to incorporate personal and academic growth in a variety of different ways. For more information on the Mike Bender Internship Award, please contact Faith Stangler at faith.stangler@nyu.edu.

Office of Career Services

In addition to the internship resources/directories available within the Gallatin office, students may also access the Wasserman Center for Career Development. The Office of Career Services assists students and alumni from NYU in formulating career goals and objectives in obtaining internships and professional employment. The OCS receives listings of over 5,000 academic year and summer internship positions. NYU CareerNet is an on-line computer system that allows students to search for internships as well as part-time and full-time jobs. Job listings are available 24 hours a day via terminals around campus and on the World Wide Web.

Internship Forms

For further information about internships, please contact Faith Stangler: (212) 998-7376 or e-mail: faith.stangler@nyu.edu