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Biology 398/498R: Ecology/Natural Resources Internship

SYLLABUS SUMMARY
Department of Biology
Biology Internship Coordinator / Robert Coleman
Brigham Young University-Idaho
118 Benson Building
Rexburg, ID 83460 / Office:
Email: / (208) 496-4611

Credits / This is a variable credit course with a maximum of 4 credits. A minimum of 100 hours of internship experience is required for each credit hour earned.
Prerequisites / Although not mandatory, it is strongly recommended that students complete either Biology 211 or 302 before enrolling.
Text / There is no specific text for this course. However a work-journal will be required. The work-journal can be completed either by e-mail or can be a hard copy journal, depending on the work location.
Internship Requirements & Qualifications / When searching for an internship, students should look for an opportunity that will FACILITATE their CAREER. One should ask, “Does the internship prepare me for professional work or graduate school and/or will the internship open doors for me in the future?” Students should also keep in mind that the internship is designed to be a “capstone experience” and as such it should utilize, enhance and allow each student to apply the skills learned in his or her specific area of Biology.
Use the following guide when searching for your internship:
1.  Intern with an organization where future career options exist. “Do you want to work for this company long term?”
2.  Work for an organization with great networking opportunities. The student may not have the opportunity to work for this organization long term, but the networking and exposure to world class organizations is highly valuable.
3.  Intern where skill development opportunities go beyond what one would learn in the classroom. “Does the internship provide a chance to gain a new skill or new technology that will market you upon graduation?”
4.  Intern at an organization where the experience itself is highly marketable to future employers. “Is this experience something that recruiters/admission committees will view as valuable?”
5.  Work with an organization that will provide hands-on experience in your area of Biology. Mere observation will not utilize or enhance your skills learned as a Biologist and cannot be counted as a “capstone experience.”
All internships must be a minimum 10 hours per week and a minimum of 10 weeks. A full-semester, full-time internship, during the junior or senior year, within the career area of the student's choice, is optimal.
Course Description / The Biology internship is an evaluated work experience program in biology related fields. Internship experience could involve a work related project for a government agency, industry, academic institution or any organization that employs biologists on their staff. Internships should be selected according to needs and training objectives of the individual student.
Course Objectives / §  Learn important skills and gain professional level experience in the work place.
§  Integrate and apply biology concepts and skills learned in the classroom to on-the-job practices and procedures.
§  Cultivate future employment opportunities and professional connections. / §  Gain a greater understanding and vision of career options and possibilities.
§  Prepare for professional level employment or the graduate school experience.
Course Registration Process / 1.  Student finds an internship/job opportunity.
2.  Student fills out the Initial Internship Approval Form.
3.  Pre-internship interview with Internship Coordinator discussing the approval form and internship.
4.  Student takes signed approval form to Internship Office with needed exceptions documentation.
5.  The University Internship Director approves the internship.
6.  Student ensures employer is registered online and has signed a “Master Internship Agreement”. / 7.  BYU-Idaho Internship Office emails student the “Student Internship Agreement.”
8.  Student completes “Student Internship Agreement” and submits by clicking “I accept.”
9.  Signed “Student Internship Agreement” is automatically emailed to the Coordinator.
10.  Coordinator reviews, signs, and gives final approval.
11.  Internship Office registers student for internship.
Course Requirements / §  Initial Internship Approval Form completed
§  Master Internship Agreement (Employer)
§  Work Assigned by provider fulfilled (hours and tasks).
§  Academic Requirements fulfilled, including:
§  Weekly reports / work journal
§  Work summary report
§  Supervisor job evaluation
§  Online survey from Internship Office
§  Weekly Reports should be submitted via your specific discussion board forum on I-Learn. If you do not have regular internet access during the course of your internship you should keep a work journal. The contents of your work journal should be posted as weekly discussion board threads as often as circumstances allow. Your weekly posts should include: a brief summary of your work experience during the previous week, a log of hours worked and any concerns regarding the internship (this is done so that concerns can be addressed appropriately, in many cases a reply will be given to the entry with questions about the internship, living conditions, treatment by your supervisor, etc.)
§  Work Summary Report should be a one or two page paper that summarizes your experiences during your internship. This should be submitted to me two weeks before the end of the semester. It should contain a summary of your research or activities, techniques or other skills you have learned, work environment and overall impressions about your experience. We would appreciate your recommendation as to whether another student would have a good experience with your experience provider or whether there may be something that would have made your internship better. This report will be graded for carefulness of preparation as well as content. / §  Supervisor Job Evaluation: This should be a short summary report from your supervisor indicating their impressions of your job performance. This evaluation should be one or two paragraphs that: describe your strengths and weaknesses; critique your interactions with the experience provider and the other personnel that worked with you; give an account of your overall performance; describe any note worthy accomplishments; and provide suggestions for better preparing our students for serving internships. This report should be submitted via e-mail during the last week of your internship. Note: It is your responsibility to inform your supervisor of this requirement and make sure that it is completed.
§  End of Course Evaluation is a short survey that you should fill out before you finish your internship. Those evaluations consist of a few short questions that will be e-mailed to you from the Internship office. Complete the form and submit it. The results will be forwarded directly to me. The Internship office will not allow the Internship coordinator to assign a grade until this is completed.
Evaluation & Grading / 1.  Timely report or completion of personal work journal (40%)
2.  Work Summary Report (30%)
3.  Job Evaluation Report by Supervisor (20%) / 4.  End of Course Evaluation by Student (10%)