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"Nearly everything you wanted to know about the internship but were afraid to ask"
The following information is to help you understand what the internship program involves and answer some of your questions.
Please take the time to thoroughly read this information. If you have additional questions please see one of the Criminal
Justice faculty members.
What is the internship requirement for Criminal Justice majors?
What is the Practicum and Practicum Seminar found on the bottom of the right-hand column of my check sheet?
Do I have to pay tuition for the internship?
When should I plan on doing my internship?
Are there any requirements that I must meet prior to beginning my internship?
Where and with whom should I do my internship?
How do I go about looking for an internship?
When should I begin to contact agencies?
Is there a list of agencies that have taken interns before?
Do I need to get approval for my particular internship?
How do I register for the internship course?
Is there any paper work to complete before I can get registered for the internship?
Where are the required forms I need for the internship?
Is there anything else the Criminal Justice Program needs from interns?
Can I take classes or work at another job while I am doing my internship?
Can the job I currently have count as my internship?
Is there anything different about doing an internship during the Fall or Spring semester?
What happens if I cannot complete my internship in one semester?
I am in ROTC and need to participate in a lengthy summer program. What should I do?
Are any internships paid?
What is the Washington Center?
When are the deadlines to submit my paperwork to be registered for an internship?
What is the internship requirement for Criminal Justice majors?
All Criminal Justice majors must complete an internship with an agency or organization whose responsibilities are related
to the criminal justice system. Such organizations may be governmental, private businesses, or non-profit agencies. The internship
is 480 hours (essentially 40 hours a week for 12 weeks) and counts as 12 credit hours towards a student’s graduation requirements.
Students may complete an internship with an approved agency in any geographic location. Students choose the agency with which
they intern depending upon their professional and intellectual interests as well as other considerations.
The purpose of the internship is to provide a real world learning experience for students. In particular, the experience will
allow students to see how things discussed in the classroom are applied in real world settings. Interns are not simply volunteers
who run errands or file paperwork, though these will likely be part of any internship experience. What an individual intern
does will vary depending on the type of agency and the unique circumstances at the time. However, it is expected that interns
will have numerous learning experiences such as interacting with a variety of agency and non-agency personnel and being involved
in a range of activities associated with the agency’s official responsibilities. TOP
What is the Practicum and Practicum Seminar found on the bottom of the right-hand column of my check sheet?
The practicum and practicum seminar are the names assigned to the courses for the Criminal Justice internship. Interns are
registered for 12 credit hours for the internship. The Practicum is a 9 hour credit course that is graded (S/U) and is based
solely on whether an intern completed all of their hours in a satisfactory manner based upon the evaluation from the supervisor
with the internship agency. The Practicum Seminar is a 3 credit hour course for which students receive a letter grade. The
grade is based upon written weekly reports, a major paper, and an end of the semester class meeting. TOP
Do I have to pay tuition for the internship?
Yes. The internship counts as 12 credits towards students’ graduation requirements. During their internship, students are
registered as full-time students and are required to pay tuition costs associated with such enrollment.TOP
When should I plan on doing my internship?
The answer to this question will depend upon a number of factors. The vast majority of students complete their internship
during the summer semester either before or after their senior year. However, it is possible for students to complete their
internship during one of the regular academic semesters (Fall or Spring). Typically this is not recommended because students
would then miss the required Criminal Justice courses that are only offered during that semester.
Therefore, the most important consideration should be the student’s remaining coursework and when those courses are offered.
Factors such as finances, where you will live, and availability of internships may also be important considerations. TOP
Are there any requirements that I must meet prior to beginning my internship?
Yes. The internship is intended to be a capstone experience for which students are both academically and personally prepared.
Therefore, the internship is available only to seniors and those students between junior and senior standing who are in good
academic standing. However, simply being a senior is not sufficient to begin your internship. Criminal Justice majors must
also have met two requirements prior to beginning their internships.
First, students are required to have successfully completed the required course that is most directly related to their internship
agency prior to beginning their internships. Depending upon where a student intends on interning, this will require having
completed different courses. For each type of agency, the requirements are as follows:
• Law enforcement agency – Law Enforcement in American Society (CRJU 220)
• Jail, prison, or parole agency - Corrections (SOC 442)
• Juvenile justice/youth service agency – Juvenile Subsystems (CRJU 330)
• Probation agency – Probation (CRJU 395) or Corrections (SOC 442) and Criminal Courts (CRJU 420)
• Court, Prosecutor, Public Defender, other Judicial agency –
Criminal Courts (CRJU 420) and Procedural Rights (CRJU 430).
If a student is interested in an agency other than those described above, they should meet with a faculty member to discuss
what, if any, course they will need to have completed prior to beginning their internship. It is very important to note that
most of these courses are only offered in a single semester. Therefore students should plan their schedules around meeting
their requirement for the internship. Those students interested in working with an agency directly involved in the judicial
process should be aware that the above requirements will likely mean that you will have to complete you internship in the
summer after your senior year.
Secondly, all students must have successfully completed Interviewing and Observation (DHS 330) prior to beginning the internship.
This is a core course requirement for the major and is generally offered in both the Fall and Spring semesters.TOP.
Where and with whom should I do my internship?
As previously noted, each student will have different concerns and interests regarding their internship. Generally, we suggest
that students consider their area of professional interest (such as law enforcement, probation, law school, etc.,) and if
they have any constraints on location. For example, many students need to do their internship near their hometown so they
can live with their parents during that semester and this may limit the range of available options depending upon your hometown.
If you have no clue about what you want to do following graduation, look for an internship in a field that you may consider
(to see if you enjoy it) or simply choose an agency that is convenient and/or sounds interesting. TOP
How do I go about looking for an internship?
Looking for an internship is like looking for a job with the exception that, since most interns volunteer their time rather
than get paid, it is a lot easier to find an agency interested in you. We recommend that students contact the agency they
are interested in (either in person or by phone) and ask for the office supervisor. Students should identify themselves as
BGSU Criminal Justice majors interested in talking with someone about the possibility of interning with their office. From
there, the supervisor should give you some indication of how to proceed. Many students will meet with a supervisor several
months before the internship begins for an interview or informal meeting. Other students are asked to submit a resume and/or
call back in the near future to discuss the internship in more detail.
After meeting or talking with an agency, it is really just a matter of waiting to hear back from the agency. If a student
has not heard back from the agency within 2-3 weeks, they should contact the agency to inquire about the status of any decision
on their request for internship. Realize that your internship may not be the most important issue with an agency. Do not be
offended if you do not hear back immediately or if you have to make several follow-up inquiries. But be careful not to become
an annoying pest to the supervisor.
Whether you meet with an agency in person or over the phone, remember that first impressions are important. Students should
be prepared to answer questions about what is expected of Criminal Justice majors, the internship program, their reasons for
being interested in that agency, etc… Furthermore, students should dress professionally for any interview and for their work
during their internship. TOP
When should I begin to contact agencies?
This will depend upon the semester AND the type of agency in which you are interested.
For most state and local agencies such as municipal police, sheriff, probation and parole, court officials, etc., students
should make first contact approximately 4-6 months before the internship is to begin. There is no absolute answer. We recommend
that summer interns contact their agency of interest by or during the break between Fall and Spring semester.
Many students are interested in interning with a federal agency such as the U.S. Marshals, Secret Service, etc… We have students
intern with those agencies nearly every semester and they typically are great learning experiences.
Please note however, that the deadline for many federal agencies will be approximately 6-9 months prior to beginning the internship.
Also note that federal internships tend to be quite competitive. Many federal agencies will not consider students with below
a 3.0 GPA and usually require an interview and extensive application procedures. This is not to scare you away, but to make
you aware of the challenges ahead. TOP
Is there a list of agencies that have taken interns before?
Yes. The Criminal Justice Program keeps a list of all the agencies and their addresses where our majors have interned in the
past. Students may review this by visiting the Criminal Justice Community page in MyBGSU and opening the Internship Info link.TOP
Do I need to get approval for my particular internship?
If a student is doing an internship with a law enforcement agency, a correctional department, or an agency related to the
criminal courts, the Program assumes that such an internship meets our general expectations as an appropriate agency. However,
if the connection between your agency and the criminal justice system is less clear, then students should ask a criminal justice
faculty member about the appropriateness of that agency BEFORE committing to them.
For example, although some students may be interested in interning with a law firm or private security, this may not be appropriate
for a criminal justice internship. A student will likely need to demonstrate the specific activities and responsibilities
they would be engaged in to justify such an internship. Again, if there are any questions about the appropriateness of an
agency please see a Criminal Justice faculty member. TOP
How do I register for the internship course?
Students cannot register themselves for the Practicum or the Practicum Seminar (CRJU 491 and CRJU 492). The Program will register
students for these courses after we have received all of the required paperwork completed by students and the internship agency.TOP
Is there any paper work to complete before I can get registered for the internship?
Yes. Before we will register a student for their internship we must receive two completed forms.
First, the student “Intern Data Sheet” (LINK) is to be filled out by students and returned to the main office (223 Health
Center).
Secondly, the agency “Acceptance of Intern” (LINK) form must be completed by the agency, signed by the internship supervisor,
and returned to the Criminal Justice office prior to the deadline for that particular semester (see “When is the deadline
for internships?” below). If we do not receive a completed acceptance form, we will not register students for their internship.
An introductory information sheet must also be given to the agency that they will keep. TOP
Where are the required forms I need for the internship?
All required forms are available from the Criminal Justice Community Page. In addition, copies are available from the Criminal
Justice web site (LINK). Students should wait to give the agency supervisor the acceptance form until the student has been
being notified by the agency that the internship has been approved. We recommended that students politely stress the importance
of returning that form to the Criminal Justice Program as soon as possible (the address is on the form). TOP
Is there anything else the Criminal Justice Program needs from interns?
All students must provide a good quality, color photograph of themselves that will go in their internship file. A composite
or yearbook style (2” X 3”) photograph is fine. Do not photocopy your driver’s license or cut out your face from a regular
photograph. A close up 3”X 5” photo will suffice.
There are also several other forms that all interns must fill out prior to beginning their internship. However, these are
distributed during an orientation meeting with the faculty who will be coordinating the internships for that semester. Therefore,
students should not worry about these forms. TOP
Can I take classes or work at another job while I am doing my internship?
It may be possible for students to work part-time at another job during their internship. However, students’ primary responsibility
is to the internship agency. Time off for work is at the discretion of your agency supervisor. In our experience, students
who are doing a full-time internship typically do not have enough time to work at another job. Students may register for courses
during their internship semester as long as they do not violate the "15 credit rule" - students may not be enrolled for more
than 15 credits in a semester in which they are enrolled for internship credits. Thus, full-time interns (12 credits) may
take one additional course (3 credits) and part-time interns (6 credits) may enroll in 3 additional courses (total of 9 credits).
TOP
Can the job I currently have count as my internship?
That depends. First, your job must be clearly related to the criminal justice system. This means that continuing your job
with loss prevention at a retail store will likely NOT meet the requirements for your internship. Second, your internship
experience is supposed to be a learning experience; therefore any internship in which you would simply be doing the same job
that you have been doing will not qualify.
Those students who currently work with a criminal justice agency should contact either Dr. Lab or Dr. Holcomb to discuss their
specific situation. There may be available options, but do not assume that your current job can be used as an internship.
TOP
Is there anything different about doing an internship during the Fall or Spring semester?
Yes. Most students do their internship during the summer semester. Therefore, we hold a mandatory internship meeting the first
week of May for students doing their internship in the summer. The exact date and time will be provided via e-mail to all
Criminal Justice majors. Those students doing a Fall internship may want to attend to the May meeting to eliminate the need
to meet with an individual faculty member during the summer for the same information. This meeting provides an orientation
for interns, describes the requirements for the internship and other important information, as well as answers remaining questions.
Students who plan on completing their internship during the Fall or Spring will have no organized meeting. Instead, it is
the student’s responsibility to schedule a meeting with either Dr. Lab or Dr. Holcomb the semester before the internship is
to begin. Students can contact the main office (372-9540) to schedule an appointment. The purpose of this meeting is to review
all of the material typically discussed in the Spring meeting. There are additional forms to complete and information to provide.
Students will not be allowed to begin a Fall or Spring internship until they have met with Dr. Lab or Dr. Holcomb.
A second difference is that summer interns are required to return to BGSU at the end of the summer for an all-day class meeting
to discuss the internship experience with the other interns. Participation during this meeting is graded and calculated into
the student’s final grade for the Practicum Seminar. Students interning during the Fall or Spring do not have such a meeting.
Instead, the major paper and weekly reports (discussed during the orientation meeting) will make up the percentage points
typically based on the participation in the meeting. The internship meeting at the end of the internship is considered an
important learning experience and is another reason why students are generally discouraged from beginning their internship
during the Fall or Spring. TOP
What happens if I cannot complete my internship in one semester?
Students who are enrolled for the entire internship in one semester and are subsequently unable to complete all 480 hours
(for whatever reason) are given an “Incomplete” for the internship and required to complete those hours by a deadline during
the following semester. Typically, the major internship paper is still due at the end of the first semester.
Students may intentionally divide their internship across two semesters, and may do half with one agency and half with another.
However, students cannot extend their internship over three semesters.
Although it is possible for students to complete their internship on a part-time basis, students are generally advised against
such a plan. The main reason is that such a plan would likely interfere with a student’s ability to enroll in any remaining
classes needed for graduation or would extend their graduation date. All students must have their internship completed within
two semesters or they will receive a failing grade for the internship. Unless there are compelling reasons to do otherwise,
we simply recommend that students complete their entire internship in one semester. TOP
I am in ROTC and need to participate in a lengthy summer program. What should I do?
ROTC students may count their summer program (Advanced Camp, etc.,) as half of the internship requirement. Those students
will need to complete the remaining 240 internship hours with a regular internship agency within the same or subsequent semester.
Therefore, ROTC students need to find an internship agency just like our “civilian” students. ROTC students will need to provide
documentation of their program prior to the internship and after completing their summer program. Please notify the internship
coordinator prior to the semester deadline that you wish to participate in a ROTC program. Further information is available
from Dr. Lab or Dr. Holcomb. TOP
Are any internships paid?
Very few of our students are paid during their internship. Because few students have the training or certification to independently
perform agency tasks, agencies rarely see the justification for paying interns. There are some paid internships, such as the
Ocean City (Maryland) Summer Police Officer Program and some internships with private companies. However, students will need
to actively search for such gems and should not expect to be paid during the internship.TOP
What is the Washington Center?
The Washington Center is an internship program run by a non-profit agency in Washington, D.C. The Office of Continuing Education,
International, and Summer Programs (contact Nancy Alfeiri at 419-372-2451; alfieri@bgnet.bgsu.edu) is responsible for coordinating
any Washington Center internships. Such internships will count as your entire internship requirement for the Criminal Justice
major. The internships are available any semester and require that students live in Washington D.C. (they have dormitory style
apartments available). Students generally intern with a federal agency related to their area of interest. In the past we have
had students work with the Department of State, the Washington Public Defender’s office, INTERPOL, and among others.
Washington Center internships provide an excellent learning experience in the heart of the nation’s capital. The program is
competitive and requires a good GPA. Students will have some input on where they do their internship but the Center makes
the final selection. The major drawback to the program is the cost of living expenses combined with the tuition costs for
the internship. Interested students should contact either a faculty member or the Summer Programs office directly. The application
process begins two semesters prior to the start of the internship. TOP
When are the deadlines to submit my paperwork to be registered for an internship?
This will depend on the semester.
Generally, Fall and Spring internships are slightly more flexible (at present) because few students need to be registered
at one time. We recommend that students have all of their paperwork submitted by August 1 for Fall internships and by Thanksgiving
Holiday for Spring internships. Though there is some flexibility, late requests for internship registration will be handled
on a case-by-case basis and approval is at the discretion of the internship coordinator. Minimally, students should have completed
the “Intern Data Sheet” and have met with either Dr. Lab or Dr. Holcomb by those dates. If the agency acceptance form has
not been received, students will need to contact the agency to determine if there is a problem.
Summer internship paperwork is due by mid-April. Students will receive an e-mail notice of the exact date through their BGSU
e-mail account. Students should also ask faculty during the Spring semester about the exact deadline.
Please note that both the Data Sheet and the Agency Acceptance form are required by those dates. TOP
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