Course Syllabus
Course: NR 2997
Division: Natural Science and MathDepartment: Biology
Title: Natural Resources Internship
Semester Approved: Fall 2024
Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2029
End Semester: Summer 2030
Catalog Description: This course offers hands-on, field-based experiences in natural resources, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings. Internships enable students to connect with professionals, enhancing their job prospects post-graduation. They also help students explore various careers within natural resources and refine their interests early in their academic journey.
Internships, which can be paid or voluntary, involve collaboration between the student, a natural resource faculty member, and a workplace supervisor. Students arrange these placements individually. The course is repeatable for up to 6 credits, with a maximum of 3 credits per semester. Each credit requires 45 clock hours of internship experience.
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 0; Lab: 0
Repeatable: Yes.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Justification: “An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate them.” (NACE Definition, NACEweb.og)
As such, internships provide students opportunities to explore career options through an engaged setting, they help students apply academic materials and skill to practical work situations, they provide valuable professional experience, and they develop interpersonal skills.
Students who participate in internship opportunities secure work more quickly and are promoted more rapidly than students who do not. Often internships work well as capstone courses. All USHE institutions offer internship opportunities to their students.
Students at Snow can enroll in up to 3 internship credits in an academic semester. No more than 6 credits can count toward the associate’s degree. Duplicate experience for additional credit is not allowed.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Understand and apply classroom material to a professional work situation. Students will demonstrate that connection through a reflection paper, a research paper, and in conversation with faculty mentor and work supervisor.
Discover the educational and practical experience needed for multiple careers in natural resources. Students will demonstrate this in their reflection paper and in conversations with their faculty mentors.
Network with natural resource professionals Students will demonstrate this in their reflection paper and in conversations with their faculty mentors.
Content:
This will be determined collaboratively by student, faculty mentor, and job supervisor. The internship contract uses a student’s academic and professional interests to serve as the intellectual starting points for developing a semester-long project. Together the student, faculty adviser, and work-site supervisor will design a project that meets the following criteria:
1) Aligns with the student’s academic program,
2) Offers the student an opportunity to significantly expand their current knowledge and skill set; and
3) Aligns with the student’s professional pursuits.
To qualify for an internship, a student must be in good academic standing (2.0 GPA); have completed 30 semester hours or have instructor permission; and ideally have completed coursework that relates to the work experience.
Key Performance Indicators:
To receive credit for an internship, a student needs to work in the profession at least 45 hours for each credit. For each credit awarded, students must also write a 2-4 page research paper on a topic pre-approved by the faculty mentor relating to their internship experience.
Work Supervisor Evaluation 5 to 15%
Work Documentation 20 to 30%
Research Paper 40 to 60%
Reflection Paper/Journal 5 to 15%
Pedagogy Statement:
Experiential learning allows students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings and receive feedback to bridge classroom learning with practical skills. Reflection and research papers encourage students to critically analyze their experiences, integrate learning with practice, and self-assess their growth and challenges, fostering deeper understanding and personal development.
Instructional Mediums:
Internship
Maximum Class Size: 30
Optimum Class Size: 20