Required Internship in Gerontology Program
- The Internship course is GERN 592 and is taken with FCS students.
- The Internship course can be repeated for a total of 6 units if a student wants a full year’s experience in the field.
- The Internship includes a minimum of 120 hours of experience – approximately 8 hours per week.
- The Internship class does not meet weekly, but meets for a limited number of sessions throughout the semester.
- The internship course requires collaborative development of learning objectives among the student, a gerontology faculty, and the agency supervisor.
- The agency supervisor must have a minimum of a master’s degree.
- Internship sites for graduate and undergraduate students are developed on an individual basis. Each student’s internship is tailored to their program goals. No student is arbitrarily placed in an internship.
- An internship should be arranged with the Program Director or another Faculty Member.
- All internship sites must have an official contract with the University. Contracts can be obtained through the Program Director and should be initiated in a timely manner, prior to the semester in which the internship is planned.
- The internship course is usually taken later rather than earlier in the program. This will allow the student to build on previous coursework.
- Select an internship that a) lets you explore a new avenue in aging; and/or b) positions you for employment; and/or c) provides you with an opportunity to develop a thesis or project..
- GERN 592 requires a permit to register. See the Program Director to obtain this.
The Internship course requires extensive evaluations of the experience and the student’s performance by the internship supervisor.
