Obtaining an Internship

• Check eligibility
• Apply
• Accept the internship
• Begin the internship
• Review and discuss your mid-term and final evaluations with the internship sponsor
• Finish the internship

Check Eligibility for Internship

The first step in the process is to determine whether you are eligible for an internship. Students must meet these basic eligibility criteria to begin the internship process:

• Declared major in Environmental Health Science.
• Satisfactorily completed 6 credit hours of environmental health science coursework including EHSC 3060 Introduction to Environmental Health Science.
• In good academic standing (i.e., cumulative GPA of at least 2.0).

After meeting these criteria, you are prepared to apply for an internship.

Apply for an Internship

Eligible students may apply for an internship at any time but at least 10 weeks in advance of the academic term in which the internship is to begin. To apply, students must complete the following tasks:

• Prepare a resume of your academic and employment experience.
• Complete the internship preferences questionnaire, in MS-Word (RTF) format or in PDF format
• Submit your resume and questionnaire to Ms. Willingham.
• Meet with Ms. Willingham to review potential internship sponsors and to identify an internship assignment that satisfies your interests.
• Register for at least 3 credit hours of EHSC 3910 for the academic term that corresponds to the period during which you will intern.

When these steps are completed you are prepared to accept an internship.

Accept an Internship

Several forms must be completed by you, the EHS Department, and the sponsoring organization to establish your internship formally. This paperwork is intended to ensure that all three parties understand the terms and conditions of the internship. The paperwork is also intended to ensure that all parties are protected in the unlikely event of an accident.

• Complete the Internship Approval form. MS-Word (RTF) format or in PDF format
• Review and sign the Professional Internship Training Agreement. RTF format or in PDF format
• Complete the Student Internship Agreement form. RTF format or in PDF format
• Complete the Verification of Insurance Coverage form. RTF format or in PDF format
• Complete the Waiver of Liability form. RTF format or in PDF format
• Return the completed forms above to Ms. Willingham prior to the beginning of your internship.

Now you are ready to begin the internship.

Begin an Internship

As an intern, you are a representative of the Environmental Health Science Department, the University of Georgia, as well as yourself. The internship is a professional setting and is an opportunity for you to learn outside of the classroom. Be inquisitive, act responsibly, have a positive attitude, and be adaptable. Remember that what you get out of the internship will be directly proportional to what you put into the internship. Good luck and do well.

After settling into your internship, the sponsor will evaluate your performance and discuss their results with you.

Mid-Term and Final Evaluations

A designated member of the sponsoring organization will review your performance at the mid-point and end of your internship. Periodic review of personnel is a universal and essential element of human resource management in organizations of all types. One goal of the evaluations is to ensure that the sponsor and you discuss the internship experience from both of your perspectives. Another goal is to make you aware of your strengths in what may be your first professional work experience and to provide you feedback needed to help you develop professionally and prepare for a career in environmental health science.

The internship sponsor will complete the following forms in conjunction with your performance review and will submit them to the EHS Internship Coordinator. Please review them before beginning the internship so that you are aware of the expectations of your sponsor and the EHS Department.

• Intern Mid-Term Evaluation MS-Word (RTF) format or in PDF format
• Intern Final Evaluation MS-Word (RTF) format or in PDF format

After your last day as intern and your final evaluation is done, you are ready to complete the internship.

Finish

To complete the internship, you will complete two final tasks. One task is to evaluate the internship experience, both the sponsor and the EHS Internship Program, using the forms available below. The other task is complete a report on your internship. Complete both tasks and submit the forms and report to the Internship Assistant, Ms. Ella Willingham.

• Evaluate the internship and sponsor MS-Word (RTF) format or in PDF format
• Evaluate the EHS Internship Program RTF format or in PDF format
• Write a report on your internship that describes your responsibilities as an intern and summarizes what you learned from the experience. The report should be approximately 3 double-spaced pages in length.