Social Change and Development

Internships in Social Change and Development

The Department of Social Change and Development (SCD) believes that a crucial component of the educational experience involves student learning to apply knowledge gained in the classroom in practical situations. Through practice, students discover the usefulness of social theory and method. To meet this need for practical know-how, SCD has developed an internship program and is now placing most of its students in various organizations covering a wide range of interests.

SCD's internship program is rooted in the idea that the modern university in a democratic society should play a role in preparing students to participate actively in shaping their communities. Internships encourage students to think seriously about what they have learned in the classroom in the context of everyday activities meant to bring about progressive social change. Through its students, the university increases its presence in community life.

In light of the fact that so many Americans have become distressingly apathetic and increasingly disinclined to join civic organizations and share in political activities, SCD's emphasis on democratic participation takes on a special significance. The extent of political disaffection may be attributable, in part, to a sense that politics is too far removed from the daily realities facing most Americans. Internships provide access to local politics so that students may feel that they can make a difference.

And, of course, the SCD internship program helps students prepare to take their place in society upon graduation from UW-Green Bay. Students, by working directly with community organizations, develop ideas about where they want to work in the future, and they can develop further the skills and experiences that will prove useful throughout their careers.

We encourage students to find internships they wish to pursue and then work closely with the department to arrange the field work and other internship components. There are four reasons for this: (1) There is a better match between student interests and the needs of external organizations when students seek out opportunities; students know themselves, their interests, and the capabilities. (2) By student's personally establishing contact with an organization/activity of their interests, the working relationship is strengthened. (3) There is a great diversity of interests among SCD majors; students often have more knowledge of opportunities than do their instructors because students are intimate with their field of interests. (4) Searching for and obtaining internship opportunities prepares students for life beyond college, where success depends on knowledge and initiative.

Nuts and Bolts

The basic requirements for doing an internship in SCD are as follows:

• Students must be majors in Social Change and Development.
• Qualified students must have a minimum of 45 credit hours prior to doing an internship.
• Students must perform 45 hours of service for each hour of academic credit, up to a maximum of six credit hours.
• Internships can be undertaken during either the Fall or Spring semesters, or during the Summer.
• Students are expected to keep a daily journal of activities.
• Students are expected to write an 8-12 page issue-oriented paper on a topic to be worked out with the sponsoring professor (for internships worth more than three credits, the paper will be proportionately longer).
• Students will also write a 2-3 page paper summarizing what they have learned during the internship.
• The field supervisor will submit a written evaluation of the student's performance in the internship.