Academic Programs

Internships refer to work experiences, both with and without credit, which are part of curricular programs at the university. These work experiences may be referred to as cooperative education, internship, clerkship, externship, field experience, or practicum. The Curriculum Council and the Graduate Council endorse internships as an appropriate learning experience of academic value if properly planned, supervised, and assessed.

The course numbers 410, 510, and 610 are reserved for internship-type courses. Assigned credit must demonstrate that it is commensurate with the academic learning experience, rather than just on-the-job experience.

An internship course is recognized in the Banner Student Information System as a Schedule Type.

The proposed internship experience should not duplicate credit already awarded, either at OSU or at another institution.

Graduate-level Internships

To encourage educational quality in the use of internships carrying graduate credit, the Graduate Council endorses the following criteria:

• The academic unit plays an active and reasonable role in the course which could be provided through associated graded seminars, readings, papers, and/or examinations.
• A graduate faculty member is assigned to the course and provides a regular and workable supervision procedure.
• Appropriate evaluation and graduate procedures are employed.
• Credit earned is proportional to academic work involved.

Graduate-level internship courses may be offered on either a graded A-F or P/N basis (see policy on Grading Mode).

To activate an internship course number (510, 610), an expedited new course proposal is needed.

To register for an internship course, all students must have a syllabus or a learning agreement approved by the graduate faculty member assigned to the course that addresses issues such as:

• supervision;
• the content and clarity of contract or other agreement with the student and participating agency (including work description);
• the maximum number of credits;
• the relationship of credits to hours of work;
• the kind of academic performance expected (papers, seminars, reading and conference, examinations, or the like); and
• the evaluation of the student's performance.