Sociology Internship Program Overview

Explore the Sociology Internship Program for the academic year 2020-2021, designed to provide students with hands‑on experience in sociological research. The program focuses on connecting academic studies with real‑world applications, offering valuable career insights and fostering essential career skills. Learn about the internship process, credit hours conversion, student steps, and application flow to kickstart your sociology internship journey. COURSE DESCRIPTION SOC 497 Sociology Internship The internship is a basis for performing sociological research. Work assignment to a governmental or private agency and a related research project explicitly grounded in sociology. Joint supervision by agency representative and departmental faculty. Prerequisites: departmental permission, plus SOC 255 (FORMERLY 370) and 260 (FORMERLY 380). 3 credits. PURPOSE & LEARNING GOALS OUTCOMES OF INTERNSHIP Purpose 3 credit internships fulfill the Sociology program capstone requirement for both B.A. Sociology and B.S Sociology with Criminology concentration. Internships provide students with an opportunity to make connections between their academic study in sociology/ criminology and potential career paths. Learning Goals/Outcomes Conduct sociological analysis of internship experience. Explore career opportunities related to professional goals. Develop/ enhance/ demonstrate marketable career skills (e.g. professional writing, collaboration, data management/ analysis, oral presentation, etc ) CONVERSION - CREDIT HOURS/INTERNSHIP HOURS A three‑semester hour internship fulfills the required capstone for the major. Additional hours may be taken in Sociology Electives and/or Free Electives. Discuss these options with your academic advisor. 3 semester credit hours = 135 hours on site (equivalent to 10 hours per week for 15 weeks). You may complete up to two unique internships (6 credits) prior to graduation for both BA‑SOC & BA‑SOC/CRIM majors. 6 semester credit hours = 270 hours on site (equivalent to 20 hours per week for 15 weeks). For feasibility, 6 cr internships are typically spread over 2 semesters. 135 hours/semester INTERNSHIP STUDENT STEPS Attend the Internship Orientation session in the term prior to desired internship. Select a SOC faculty member to serve as your academic internship advisor. Identify appropriate internship sites. Contact internship sites and complete their application process. Note that some sites require extensive background checks begin early! Secure a written confirmation of acceptance at internship site as well as a list of tasks/duties for the internship. Internship Site List of Tasks/ Duties Complete the A&S internship application form. See here. Write internship proposal essay and attach to A&S internship application form. Submit A&S internship application: A&S Internship Form. INTERNSHIP APPLICATION FLOW Submit Internship Application to Sociology Department for SOC approval. SOC submits approved Internship Application to A&S. Student receives approval & registers for SOC 497. Identify Faculty Internship Advisor. A&S Secure Internship Site Offer, approves/denies Internship. INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS Internship may not commence until: Complete and submit the following to your Internship Faculty Advisor: student is officially registered for the course *AND* all assigned academic requirements and tasks by assigned deadlines the semester officially begins. Meet with Faculty Advisor in first week of semester to identify appropriate meeting schedule and academic deadlines for assigned coursework/tasks. Internship Hourly Log (signed by internship site supervisor). Internship Student Evaluation. Internship Site Supervisor Evaluation (signed letter in a sealed/signed envelope). Complete required hours at the internship site: 135 hours (3 credit) + portfolio; 270 hours (6 credit) + portfolio. INTERNSHIP FACULTY ADVISOR Students must secure a faculty advisor who will oversee their internship. Below is a list of eligible faculty and their areas of research/ teaching interest. Note: Only SOC full‑time faculty may serve in this role. Dr. Gregory Adams (criminology/deviance, drug policy, economic sociology, statistics) Dr. Amanda Bertana (environmental sociology, gender, qualitative methods) Dr. Jessica Kenty‑Drane (social inequality, childhood studies, education, statistics) Dr. Cassi Meyerhoffer (race & ethnicity, residential segregation, urban sociology, qualitative methods) Dr. Adam Pittman (criminology/ deviance, drug policy, social inequality, qualitative methods) Dr. Janani Umamaheswar (criminology, gender, qualitative methods) SUGGESTED INTERNSHIP SITES Law enforcement agencies (e.g. police departments, Connecticut Judicial Branch (probation), DoC (parole), juvenile detention centers, DCF, district courts) State agencies (e.g. Department of Children & Family services, Division of Criminal Justice, Emergency Management & Homeland Security) Educational Organizations (e.g. public/ private k-12 schools, alternative education programs, adult education programs, literacy programs, ESL programs, tutoring/ mentoring programs) Non‑profit organizations (e.g. research organizations including advocacy groups and think tanks, soup kitchen, homeless shelter, domestic violence organizations/ shelters, immigrant services, halfway home, alcohol/ drug addiction programs, alternative education program) For‑profit organizations (e.g. research/ consulting firms, law office, marketing/advertising firms, human resource departments) INTERNSHIP SITES 2015 INTERNSHIP SITES 2015- -2020 2020 SCSU Campus:Women s & Gender Studies Program, Department of Athletics,Track & Field Program State Agencies:Judicial Branch (Probation,Juvenile Probation, Bail Services), Department of Children & Family Services, Parole & Community Services Federal Agencies: United States District Court (Probation) Police Departments: Seymour,Hamden,SCSU Campus Police,Cambridge (MA),Bristol, Derby, Connecticut State Police, Yale University Campus Police Non‑profit Organizations:New Haven Pride Center,Columbus House, Permanent Supportive Housing,Goodwill Western & Northern Connecticut -Transitional Services Program,Chapel Haven,Planned Parenthood of Southern New England,Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS), The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), Project Fresh Start, Emerge, St. Agnes Home, The Kennedy Center CT Addiction and Recovery: Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR), New HavenAware Recovery Care Schools & Youth Organizations: Clintonville Elementary School (North Haven),Carver Foundation, SCSU Wellness Center,New Haven Youth Services Department, Adelbrook Behavioral & Developmental Services, Inc., Children s and Community Programs CT, Private Employers:J. DiMauro Law, LLC, AFLAC Insurance HOW TO FIND AN INTERNSHIP Identify your personal, academic and professional goals for your internship (e.g. skills, certifications, credentials, graduate program requirements, etc). Consult with your peers, internship faculty advisor and other faculty for potential internship sites ideas. Conduct a web search for potential internship sites using these relevant websites/ search engines/ documents: Idealist.org: New Haven area non profit groups: (go to FIND/ View all nonprofits) State of CT non profit groups: content/uploads/2020/08/2020Directory_8X11.pdf Indeed.com: (Search: Sociology *or* Criminal Justice) State of Connecticut State Agencies: INTERNSHIP APPLICATION ESSAY 250-500 WORDS SUMMARY AND EXPLANATION OF INTERNSHIP SITE RELATIONSHIP TO YOUR CAREER PATH & SOCIOLOGY Identify the organization, division within the organization, the organization s purpose/goal. Explain why you selected this internship site. Describe the internship s relevance to your personal and professional goals. Present a summary of the internship duties you will be expected to perform. Describe the internship s relevance to the discipline of sociology. INTERNSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINES For a Spring Internship For a Summer or Fall Internship Please submit all signed internship application materials to your faculty internship advisor by the conclusion of the Fall semester. Please submit all signed internship application materials to your faculty internship advisor by the conclusion of the Spring semester. #J-18808-Ljbffr