MPA internship FAQ

General Questions

1. Why have an internship?
• Internships give students the opportunity to get hands-on experience applying the knowledge and practicing the skills taught in the MPA program. Internships also give students the opportunity to learn in the field, from practicing professionals, and to support meaningful work in the public sector. Additionally, internships allow students to begin developing a professional network.


2. Who needs an internship?
   • Students who do not have at least two years of relevant professional or managerial experience must complete an internship. Students who have the requisite experience may be granted when they are admitted to the MPA program. Students who gain the experience, through working full-time while enrolled in the program, can request a waiver by describing the details of their experience in a letter with attached resume addressed to the Program Coordinator.
   
   
3. What are the prerequisites to beginning an internship?
   • A student must complete 18 hours of credit with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher and completion of P ADM 503 (Research Methods) before they are eligible to do an internship. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the MPA Coordinator. In no case will a student be permitted to enroll for an internship during the first semester of graduate study, or if the current GPA is under 3.0.
   
   
4. How long is an internship?
   • Interns must complete at least 300 hours in order to fulfill the internship requirement for 3-credits internship. This is the equivalent of working 20 hours per week during the course of a 15 week semester, although internship schedules are flexible and may be determined on an individual basis. The internship requirement may be split among placement in two organizations.
   
   
5. How many credits is an internship?
   • The 300 hours of internship experience equal three credits.
   
   
6. How do I sign up for P ADM 595?
   • You must first secure an approved internship, then complete and submit the internship application. You'll then be registered for P ADM 595. You can submit the application and the learning contract together.
   
   
7. How do I find an internship?
   • Locating an internship is primarily the student's responsibility, as you best know your own interests and needs. The internship coordinator can provide assistance and guidance. In addition, there are a number of resources available to support your search for an internship placement, including the Nittany Lion Career Network and the Public Service Careers job and internship site.
   
   
8. What do I do when I've found an internship?
   • Contact the internship coordinator. Be prepared to talk about the internship placement that you've found, including the job description and major duties you'll be performing, your anticipated schedule, and how you see this placement relating to your studies and furthering your career goals. With the internship coordinator's approval, you should then complete and submit the internship application (Note: The coordinator will follow up with you regarding the application process).
   
   
9. How do I schedule my internship hours?
• You should determine your work schedule with your supervisor in the agency where you're interning. The internship coordinator will approve your schedule. You'll be responsible for logging your hours as part of your requirements for P ADM 595.


10. What are the requirements for P ADM 595?
    • You have two sets of responsibilities: as a professional, you are responsible to your host organization; as a student, you have responsibilities to the course. You must locate an appropriate internship placement and complete 300 hours of relevant, meaningful work. You'll maintain regular contact with, and give feedback to, your organization supervisor. As a student, you'll be required to submit the following to your internship coordinator:
      • weekly log and journal entries
      • professional research paper
      • academic research paper
      • final evaluation

Finding an Internship

1. When should I start looking for an internship?
   • You should begin looking for internship placements at least three months before the start of the semester in which you plan to take the internship.
   
   
2. How do I find an internship?
   • You are responsible for securing an appropriate internship, although the internship coordinator can provide a number of resources for locating internships. A good way to start thinking about internships is by thinking about the type of work you'd like to do when you complete your degree, as well as the skills you'd like to develop, and those that you can offer. The Internship Questionnaire can help you go through this thought process. The link to Internship Questionnaire is a pdf file. You can download the file, fill the form out, and send it to the internship coordinator.
   
   
3. How do I get help finding an internship?
   • Complete the Internship Questionnaire. Penn State's Nittany Lion Career Network and ASPA's career services are valuable resources. Both sites post searchable job and internship listings. While you may not find an internship in your area, these are good sources for thinking about types of organizations that host internships and may help you develop a list of similar organizations to approach in your area. Talk to the internship coordinator.
   
   
4. How do I know if I've found a good internship?
   • Complete the Internship Questionnaire. Does this placement help develop skills that you'll need for your professional advancement? Is it relevant to your career goals? Will it afford you the opportunity to work with a variety of people on a range of projects and begin developing a professional network? Do you have a good sense of the work you'll be doing? Does this sound like relevant, engaging, fulfilling work?
   
   
5. What do I do when I've found an internship?
   • Talk to the internship coordinator and confirm that you've found a good placement. The internship coordinator will follow up with you and have you complete the internship application. When your application has been processed, you'll be registered for P ADM 595.

Starting your Internship

1. What do I do after I've registered for P ADM 595?
   • Confirm your work schedule and start/end dates with your supervisor and the internship coordinator. Note the assignments due for P ADM 595. Have fun; do good work.
   
   
2. What do I need to do during my internship?
   • Communicate regularly with both your supervisor and the internship coordinator throughout your internship. You should have a regular work schedule. You may also have one or more large projects to work on; you should understand the expectations, standards and schedule for these. You'll also have a number of assignments due for P ADM 595 throughout the semester.
   
   
3. How do I complete my internship?
   • Contact the internship coordinator as you near the end of your placement. Make sure that you've completed all projects for your supervisor and turned in all assignments for P ADM 595. Complete the student evaluation. The internship coordinator will send your supervisor a final evaluation. Your grade will posted when all completed materials have been submitted.