Graduate: Research Internship (GSR 718)

Overview

All matriculating students in the Graduate Social Research Program must complete 6 credits of a supervised internship. The internship may take place in an approved private- or public- sector research agency and must entail the execution of a research project applying research methods. The content and scope of an internship should be similar to work performed by an entry-level research assistant and must be supervised by a qualified research specialist.

Students may register for GSR 718 ("Research Internship") during the fall or spring semester for internships accomplished during the fall, spring or summer months. The process of identifying and obtaining approval for an internship should be initiated at least one semester in advance.

It is strongly recommended that students who are uncertain about where they might intern should schedule an Exploratory Meeting with the Internship Coordinator to explore placement options. When meeting with the Internship Coordinator for this purpose, students should furnish a current resume and a completed GSR Internship Assessment Form which is designed to evaluate the student's academic and professional interests and identify appropriate placement settings

It is not necessary for students who have already identified an internship setting to furnish a resume or GSR Internship Assessment Form. However, all students must submit an Internship Proposal, developed in consultation with and signed by the intern's supervisor, and including the following information:

• The learning objectives the student seeks to accomplish
• A brief description of the student's role and responsibilities
• A brief description of any special project to be completed
• The method by which the intern's supervisor will monitor and evaluate the student's work
• Performance targets
• The time commitment (hours per week, total hours)
• The anticipated internship start and completion dates
• Rate of compensation (if any)

The Internship Proposal must be approved by the Internship Coordinator before students can register for GSR 718 and initiate the internship. Furthermore, students should consult with their content area advisors prior to initiating the internship, as those faculty members may have additional requirements.

Requirements

Time commitment

Internships may be conducted on a full-time basis for approximately three months or a part-time basis for approximately six months. In total, a student must commit 450 hours.

Performance Evaluation

A student's performance in the internship will be evaluated based upon:

• The total number of hours worked
• An evaluation from the student's internship supervisor and, if applicable, faculty supervisor
• The submission of a Research Internship Report

Credits Earned

Students who have successfully completed the internship will receive 6 credits toward the MSSR degree. Grades will be given in the pass or fail format.

Internship Report Guidelines

Upon completion of an internship, every student is required to submit an Intern Report in addition to any other materials specified by their internship supervisor(s). The Report is intended to provide a systematic and concise evaluation of the internship from the intern's point of view and should include a discussion of the following items:

• Discussion of the agency/institution within which the internship took place including:
  • Lines of reporting (who is responsible to whom and for what)
  • Decision making processes insofar as the student's assignments were concerned
  • Description of work/services carried out/provided by agency/institution
• The learning objectives the student outlined at the outset of the internship and how well those were achieved
• A description of the student's role and responsibilities including job title, if any
• A description of any special project that was completed
• The method by which the intern's supervisor monitored and evaluated the student's work
• The internship start and completion dates
• The time commitment (hours per week, total hours)
• Rate of compensation (if any)
• Extent to which prior research training at Hunter proved sufficient with respect to the internship. Students are encouraged to identify the courses offered in the Graduate Social Research Program which proved most helpful for the internship
• Working relation between intern and agency supervisor
• Problems the intern might have encountered in the internship, including the extent and quality of supervision
• Extent to which the internship is thought to be helpful for future work with respect to (a) knowledge acquired, (b) contacts established, (c) work experience gained.
• Suggestions regarding the internship process and/or setting for the Internship Coordinator.

The Intern Report is a critical component of the internship experience. The Report is complemented by an evaluation of the student's performance by the professional that supervised the student's work.

Note: Internship credits will only be granted if the required Intern Report as well as the evaluation of the student's performance by the internship supervisor has been received by the Internship Coordinator and/or the faculty member responsible for the student.

Companies & Organizations

Some of the companies and organizations that have sought GSR students and alumni for jobs and internships: