The internship semester is a capstone experience and mandatory requirement of the undergraduate program in Criminal Justice at the University of Georgia. The primary purpose of the internship is to provide students with an opportunity to integrate academic knowledge with experiences obtained during their time as a major in an agency setting. The internship experience also develops skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career in a criminal justice field. These goals are accomplished through the careful placement of students in agencies that adhere to the highest ideals of professionalism. Responsibilities The internship is student-driven. Ordinarily, the student applies to an agency and, if accepted, works in the mainstream activities of the organization. Their agency supervisor will assign them tasks which represents what the intern might reasonably expect to encounter should the student pursue a career within this sector of the criminal justice system. The agency supervisor is asked to view the intern as an apprentice who is learning to perform the major tasks associated with the job at hand. In this way, the intern learns the organizational routine and benefits from the experience and expertise of the agency supervisor. The internship is also an academic learning experience. Each student is assigned to a faculty advisor who supervises the student interns’ academic work, including an original research project and a series of analytical essays. Requirements During the internship semester, students will be registered for and earn 15 semester credit hours, and will be required to work full-time, approximately 40 hours per week, in the agency. Students must complete all of their relevant CJ coursework (with grades of C or better) prior to doing the internship. During the internship students are prohibited from taking other courses, and student should not expect to work for compensation in other jobs part-time. Financial planning for the internship semester is essential. Time Off Spring and Fall interns spend the duration of the entire semester, following the University calendar, working in the agency. Approximately five days will be taken off intermittently during the term to do research, work on fulfilling academic requirements, and consult with the internship professor. Summer semester interns spend the duration of the extended summer term working in the agency, with approximately three days off spent for similar activities. This allows an agency experience for summer interns which is comparable to that of the Fall and Spring interns. Consult the internship coordinator for more details regarding exact starting and finishing dates. Agency Listing We have a partial listing of agencies that have previously offered internships to Criminal Justice Majors. Previous Internship Placements
