Purpose:

Internships, along with cooperative education, field studies, service-learning, and practical, are part of the field of experiential education. Internships require students to apply classroom learning, theories, and experiences to professional settings. Internships or other forms of practical learning for students are part of Harbel College’s academic goals.

Hence, internships are required for all students enrolled in Harbel College Degree Program. The internship program within each school has goals designed to be flexible in a structure where the needs of our students and employers are achieved. In addition, the internship will provide a learning environment where students can experience real work experience and work on tasks and projects relevant to their academic programs and professional interests.

Goals:

While Many Goals Are Specific To Each Internship Program Or Course, The List Below Is Of Intended Benefits Or Goals For Students That Are Most Commonly Found:

Engaging The Intern In The Discipline Or Major.

Causing Interaction With A Variety Of Individuals, Systems, And Organizations.

Improving Self Confidence.

Using A Variety Of Learning Styles And Frequently Challenging Participants To Use New Ways Of Learning And Thinking.

Improving Skills In Research, Communication In Groups, Interpersonal Communication, And Observation.

Improving Critical Thinking And Problem-Solving Skills.

Personalizing Learning, Giving It Relevance And Meaning.

Putting Learning Into Context To Improve Understanding And Retention Of Concepts.

Providing Networking And Mentoring Opportunities.

Condistioning The Participant To Adapt To Change.

Frequently Challenging Attitudes And Beliefs, Which Often Change.

Helping A Participant Grow Emotionally And Learn From Failure And Success.

Helping An Intern Become A More Motivated Life-Long Learner.

Required Internship Experience:

All students are required to complete an internship before graduations including administrative experience depending on the area of studies. The purpose of these internship experiences is to:

Become Familiar With The Roles And Responsibilities Associated With The Day-To-Day Work Of The Professions.

Become Involved In Various Activities And Administrative Projects At The Internship Site That Achieves The Specified Goals Of The Learning Contract.

Implement, Complete, And Report On A Project(S) As Specified In The Learning Contract.

Additionally, it is expected that the student will be involved in progressive learning and will experience more complex and demanding activities in each successive internship. Usually, the second internship experience takes place at a different agency or unit/program in the same agency.

Recommended Internship Experience:

The program director determines the appropriateness of a student's previous health care experience, and if an internship experience - usually two semesters - is required as part of the student's academic program. The decision is based upon documentation of academic background, professional history, and area of major experience.

Eligibility and Time Frames for Scheduling the Internship:

As noted above, internship should be carefully planned. At the beginning of the experience, the student should identify some intentional, self-designed academic and personal learning objectives to be approved by their faculty supervisor (ordinarily a full-time faculty member in the department in which the student wishes to earn the credits. The first internship will be scheduled after the successful completion of no less than six courses in the bachelorship curriculum. For those with prior experience and those who must complete a second internship, the second internship should be scheduled immediately before or concurrent with the capstone integrative course within the department.

Generally, students may not complete an internship in their place of employment. Exceptions to this rule may be approved on a case by case basis by the Program Director.

As a general rule, the preceptor and the student should have the learning contract completed and signed no later than two weeks after the start of the semester. The student shall also provide the name, position, site, and overview of the preceptor. This information is to be provided to the Program's Director by email or hand delivered. Failure to meet the two-week time frame may delay the completion of the internship and require the student to retake the course. Further, a grade will not be provided if these requirements are not met.

Prior to the semester in which the student wishes to complete the internship, he or she should:

1. Identify the off-campus site (some on-campus internships may qualify if there is a clear linkage to off-campus people, organizations, and/or communities).

2. Make contact with the internship supervisor on-site and establish a schedule. Typically, a minimum of 160 hours should be devoted to the internship over an academic term(s) for 4 course credits, and 80 hours for 2 course credits.

3. Enroll in a 400 internship in the student’s department or program. The faculty supervisor and the director or preceptor will sign off on the student registration.

4. Begin to identify the learning objectives for the experience, usually in dialogue with the faculty and site supervisor.

Securing an Internship:

Past experience has demonstrated that the most effective internships are those selected by the students themselves. Faculty advisors may participate as facilitators for this process by allowing students to select a potential internship site from a list of institutions that offer internship opportunities to HARCO students. The Director has a list of Preceptors who may be available to work with the students should the student have difficulty selecting a Preceptor. In order to be successful and to avoid any delays, students should begin to identify potentials preceptors three to six months prior to the start of the internship.

The Student's Role:

Students should initiate the internship advisement process prior to the appropriate academic semester (see your program director) so that an appropriate experience may be arranged in the following term(s). All students requesting an internship slot must contact their faculty advisor at least thirty (30) days prior to the published registration for the requested semester and provide the advisor with the following information:

I. An up to date resume.

II. A summary of the student's goals for the internship.

III. A list of several choices of the preferred type of institution or program. HARCO will do its best to accommodate student interest but there is no guarantee that a specific internship site will be assigned. Next, the student meets with the prospective preceptor at the internship site to formalize the internship experience. This involves a written learning contract which specifies:

IV. Time schedule.

List at least three appropriate learning objectives for the internship (i.e. "To become conversant with the hospital's accounting system"; "to be involved in the agencies strategic planning and implementation process", etc.)

Initial plan for management project(s) and written report on the complete project(s).