Hours
You will be expected to work 40 hours per credit earned. Many students opt for 3 credits (120 hours over the course of a semester), but you have the options including 1, 2, or 4 credits. UMass Amherst students can earn up to 18 internship credits during the course of degree completion. Resource Economics typically limits students to 6 credits in any one given term/semester.
Faculty Sponsorship
You are responsible for finding and working with a faculty sponsor in order to receive credit. Within
Resource Economics, the primary faculty sponsor for general internships is Colby Gray (c.gray@umass.edu).
Academic Requirements
Internships are Pass/Fail. In order to pass, you must meet the academic requirements you collaboratively set with your faculty sponsor. See sample expectations.
Sample Expectations for 3 Credit Internship (General)
(Note expectations increase or decrease based on the number of credits earned.)
Complete a Work Log: Submit weekly documentation of hours worked in the internship ensuring you have met the minimum work hours for the credits you are receiving by the end of the semester. If hours are split between multiple locations, indicate the location associated with all hours.
Attend Faculty Sponsor Meetings: Over the course of your internship, you will be responsible for scheduling and attending 3 check-in meetings with your sponsor.
Select and Complete 2 Academic Assignments:
• Summative Essay: 6 pages of reflection on your experience in the internship (training received, what you are learning, how you are growing, connections you are making, etc.) Students are limited to 1 summative essay per internship experience.
• In-Depth Self-Assessment: With employer support/permission, collect and write-up 360-degree feedback (feedback from supervisor, peers, and direct reports) regarding your current performance including suggestions for improvement. Submit this feedback along with a self-assessment of your work and a plan for self-improvement during the remainder of the internship. In total, this assignment should be 6 pages in length with at least 1 page devoted to self-assessment and 1 page dedicated to an improvement plan. Students are limited to 1 self-assessment per internship experience.
• Employer Interviews: With employer support/permission, select 3 employees with different roles or experiences within the organization. Conduct an interview with each using questions you develop and submit a 2-page summary of each interview (6 pages in total). Students are limited to 2 sets of employer interviews per internship experience.
• Project Summary: If your internship affords you the opportunity to create a specific presentation, project, or report, you may submit this item for review (adhering to the employer’s redaction/confidentiality expectations) along with a 4-5 page reflection on what you learned by completing the project. Students are limited to 2 project summaries per internship experience.
• Live Presentation: Develop an in-depth presentation with slides/visuals to be presented during one of your meetings with your faculty sponsor. This presentation may be an overview of your role/experience, an in-depth look at a specific job function, etc. Present to faculty and any other students in attendance (approximately 10 minutes in length). This presentation may be recorded and/or used for departmental purposes. Students are limited to 1 Live Presentation per internship experience.
• Marketing Pitch: Work with the Academic Programs Manager for Resource Economics to develop content for our website, social media accounts, or other marketing materials related to your internship experience. Use this as an opportunity to pitch your experience and gain marketing experience at the same time. May include (in consultation with you) classroom visits or RES events. Students are limited to 1 Marketing Pitch per internship experience.
• Propose Your Own Idea(s): Seek faculty approval for another equivalent assignment.
