ASU Online B.A. Psychology - Newcollege.asu.edu

Assignments & Grading CriteriaKnowing the expectations that guide the grading of internships is an important element in eachstudent’s success. This is an academic course and earning an “A” is not automatic; however, neither isit necessarily difficult if the precise requirements are met. Grades in this internship program arecomprised of academic assessments as well as a series of evaluations from the site and the student.Failure to perform well in either of these areas will result in a loss of points. Students must completeall required hours to receive a passing grade for the course.It is the job of the internship coordinator to track students through the internship so that the tasksassigned are directed toward that end. Students must stay in touch with the instructor periodicallyrather than simply submit a portfolio at the end of the session. In addition to being able to reflectthoughtfully on work experiences and the concepts presented in the course, seniors who are about tograduate are expected to have good time management skills; to keep their own records accurately; tosubmit work that is neat and complete; to pay attention to the details; and to read everything that isposted on the course Blackboard site.ACADEMIC ASSESSMENTFormal Papers #1 and #2Guidelines for both formal papers are posted on Blackboard. The first paper is designed to be anintroduction to the internship experience and is due no later than the deadline listed on the programtimeline. The second paper is due in the Final Portfolio and is designed to serve as a summary of theexperience. Interns will be asked to place the internship within the context of their overall career plansin the final paper. These are both formal academic essays and must be presented as such.Informational InterviewThis assignment involves interviewing someone in the student’s chosen profession and is required tobe included in the Final Portfolio submitted at the end of the session. Specific guidelines for theinterview and essay are posted on Blackboard. If the intern would rather complete a differentassignment, however, s/he may propose an alternate assignment to the internship coordinator no laterthan the midpoint of the session. The objective is for the assignment to be meaningful to the intern.Final PortfolioThe portfolio provides a complete summary of the work an intern has accomplished over thedesignated time period. Formatting requirements and a checklist are provided on Blackboard. Theportfolio must be complete and submitted electronically prior to the deadline. In order to complete thecourse, no documents can be missing. Portfolios are graded as professional submissions, so thequality and substance of the presentation is important. Interns may begin thinking about what toinclude early in the semester and they will want to make certain they ask for approval of the sitesupervisor when planning to include anything of a confidential or sensitive nature (e.g., photographs).EVALUATIONSSite EvaluationsThere are two evaluations expected from the site supervisor throughout the semester. The first is theMid-Semester Evaluation, which is due approximately one month from the start of the internship (seeProgram Timeline). The other is the Final Site Evaluation, which is due in the Final Portfolio at the endof the semester. Copies of both forms are included at the end of this handbook. The intern is expectedto prompt the site supervisor as to when evaluations are due. Supervisors should be given ample time(7-10 days, or more if required by the supervisor) to complete these documents so that the intern cansubmit them by the deadlines established. The deadlines must be respected. Evaluation deadlines willbe adjusted for students whose begin and/or end dates differ from the normal session.9

It is expected that the supervisors will complete evaluation forms thoughtfully and in detail, and thenreview them with the individual intern for their signature. The intern is responsible for submitting thecompleted forms to the internship coordinator by the previously determined deadlines. A site shouldnot forward an evaluation independent of the intern unless the intern has signed it. The more completethe feedback, the better for the intern. Interns can only improve with guidance, so supervisors shouldfeel free to discuss areas where the student may need further development.Student Evaluation of SiteStudents are asked to complete one assessment at the end of the internship. There is no midsemester evaluation for the student to complete. The Student Evaluation of Site is to be included in theFinal Portfolio and it gives the intern the opportunity to evaluate his/her own performance as well asthat of the site. Assessments of how an internship actually went can differ and all interns need to havea voice in this aspect of the experience.EXTRA CREDITStudents may complete a Book Review and/or Time Management Essay for extra credit. Guidelines foreach extra credit assignment are posted on the course Blackboard site.SUMMARY OF POINTSGRADE SCALEFormal Paper #1Formal Paper #2Informational InterviewFinal PortfolioSite Mid-Semester Evaluation of InternSite Final Evaluation of InternStudent Evaluation of Site10 points10 points10 points40 points10 points10 points10 pointsExtra Credit:Time Management EssayBook Review 5 points 5 pointsA AAB BBCDE97 points or above93-96 points90-92 points87-89 points83-86 points80-82 points70-79 points60-69 pointsBelow 60 pointsTime LogsInterns must use the Time Log (Excel file) posted on the course Blackboard site. Students are askedto round their hours to the nearest quarter hour. Students are expected to know how many hoursthey have logged at all times. Points are lost when time logs are late, not summed properly, missingdates or authorized signatures, or are generally disorganized. It is the intern’s responsibility to givethe supervisor the time logs in plenty of time to sign so that they can meet the submissiondeadlines. After supervisors verify the hours, the intern is responsible for submitting a copy of thesigned log to the internship coordinator.Hours are usually clocked within the start and end dates for the University semester. With permission of thedepartment and the internship coordinator, interns may begin earlier and/or end later, but these hours will falloutside the semester schedule and may necessitate an Incomplete (‘Z’) grade. Post-dating of hours the lastweek of the session is allowed with prior approval, but not at any other time during the session.10

Early Release and Termination of InternshipThere are situations that arise which may necessitate early release from an internship before all therequired hours/work can be fulfilled. If a student can demonstrate ‘just cause’ for an early release,credit will be adjusted to reflect only those hours worked (45 1 credit; 90 2 credits; 135 3 credits,etc.). Submission of a final portfolio is required and must include the final paper and final evaluations,and will be graded per the standard elements required. Should a student be asked by the site toterminate the internship due to unacceptable behavior or performance, the student runs the riskof receiving a non-passing grade.Extensions (‘Z’ Grades)A grade of ‘Z’ is the equivalent of an Incomplete (‘I’) Grade. An extension may be granted on aninternship (1) when the end date agreed upon in advance falls later than the end of the session, or (2)in the case of an emergency when a student falls ill or progress is slowed for some unexpected reason.Poor planning is not acceptable as justification for an extension. “Reasonable progress” must bedemonstrated; this means that 50% of the hours must be clocked in order to justify an extension of thistype. If this cannot be demonstrated, then the student will be asked to withdraw from the course for thesession. If a student is enrolled for more than 3 credits and runs out of time, they will be asked to bringthe internship to a close once they have reached 135 hours and submit a final portfolio at that time.Requests for a Z grade must be discussed with the internship coordinator by the midpoint of thesession and submitted in writing prior to the deadline for final portfolios. The form required forrequesting a ‘Z’ grade may be found on the course Blackboard site.11

SECTION II:GETTING STARTED12

Setting Up an InternshipThe following documents must be signed and approved before a student may begin accruing internshiphours. These include: Internship Agreement Job Description Student Placement Agreement Liability Release Ethical GuidelinesInternship AgreementOnce a student decides on a site, s/he should contact the site and set up an initial meeting. At thatmeeting, the prospective supervisor will want to address the intern’s availability and what hours theywish to work, and how this fits in with the organization’s schedule, etc. Supervisors are never obligatedto accept an intern with whom they do not feel comfortable. If that situation happens to arise, theinternship coordinator or program director should be contacted. Once a schedule has been agreedupon, the supervisor will need to complete an Internship Agreement, which confirms the intern’sworking schedule. All three parties—the site supervisor, the intern, and the internship coordinator atASU—must sign this agreement. The form also stipulates the start date agreed upon. Usually thisdate cannot fall before the first day of classes, nor do internships continue after the last day of classesat the University for any given semester, unless agreed upon by all parties at the outset. With thewritten approval of the internship coordinator, this schedule may be adjusted to accommodate specialcircumstances or requirements of the internship site or the student.Job DescriptionSite supervisors may complete the Job Description form in this handbook. Alternatively, if this is acustomized internship being created specifically for a particular student and this internship most likelywill not be repeated by other students, then the guidelines on the one-page Sample Statement of Goals& Objectives, also included in the Handbook, may be followed.Student Placement AgreementThis form is considered to be a formal agreement between ASU and each site. This document isnecessary in order to establish the relationship between the University and the organization. It coversliability issues, so it must be completed and signed by the site. If supervisors would like a completedcopy of this form returned to them once the instructor has signed it, they may request one.Internships at a Current Place of EmploymentMany working professionals who are returning to school to complete degrees find that the time theyhave to devote to an internship is significantly limited by full-time work commitments. It is possible tocreate an internship at the student’s current place of employment and tailor it to suit a specific project orarea of the organization the student wishes to investigate, as long as it falls outside the boundariesof the student’s existing work responsibilities or job description. In this case the student mustfirst secure an individual at the work site who is willing to participate as a supervisor for this project.Secondly, the student must submit a proposed job description that outlines the nature of themeasurable objectives that the student hopes to accomplish during the internship. Once this jobdescription has been approved by the internship coordinator, this internship is facilitated in the samemanner as all other internships.13

Intern’s Rights and ResponsibilitiesListed below is a brief overview of selected rights and responsibilities that interns are asked to considerwhile fulfilling internship requirements.RIGHTSRESPONSIBILITIESTo be interviewed and, if accepted, tobe assigned to specific, varied, andappropriate tasks To respect confidentiality To know as much as possible aboutthe agency/organization (e.g., policies,people, programs, activities) To be open-minded and respectfultowards opinions shared with them To receive orientation, training andongoing supervision for the jobexpected To demonstrate respect for culturaland gender-based differences and toconsciously seek to understandperspectives that differ from their own To be given meaningful and satisfyingwork To understand commitments of timeand tasks and to fulfill them To be treated as a co-worker To follow organizational policies andprocedures To communicate their learningobjectives to the people with whomthey’ll be working To be given an opportunity to voiceopinions and ideas; if possible, to beincluded in the planning of programsand activitiesTo maintain professionalism (e.g.,observe dress code, avoid gossip) To be given opportunities to pursueleadership roles To seek honest, constructivefeedback To be evaluated and to receive lettersof commendation based on quality ofservice To be effective advocates for changeand goodwill as needed To enter into the internshipexperience with enthusiasm andcommitment To complete field service hours andall other department internshiprequirements14

What an Internship Is Not“TIME-OUT”Although an internship is usually pursued outside of the college setting itshould not be viewed as a “time-out” from school to go to work. Aninternship is a learning experience. Some people learn more effectivelythrough experience, and internships provide that opportunity.Remember, a grade or credit for an internship is based on what thestudent can show or demonstrate they have learned during theinternship, not solely on the evaluation of their performance. It is alsobased on the extent to which students can demonstrate that they haveintegrated their experience with their academic training.“AN EASY GRADE”Most students report working just as hard if not harder on theirinternships as they do for classes on campus. Pursuing an off-campusinternship along with several other classes creates a demandingschedule and requires a lot of time and energy. Students should takecare not to plan an internship during an otherwise “heavy” semester.VOLUNTEEREXPERIENCERegardless of the financial arrangements, an intern is not the same as avolunteer. An intern earns credit or a grade based on what is learnedfrom the internship experience. A faculty sponsor evaluates the qualityof the learning experience. A volunteer may perform the same tasksequally well but may or may not be deliberately reflective upon thelearning derived. As an intern, students must be deliberately reflectiveupon what they are learning and strive to meet identified learning goalsin order to successfully earn credit or a grade.“RESIDENTEXPERT”Student interns bring special skills, knowledge, and fresh ideas to anorganization. It is not appropriate, however, for an organization toexpect an intern to be the “resident expert” or to fill a gap in an area inwhich the staff lacks basic skills or knowledge. They should besupervised by a professional staff person who has some expertise in thearea in which they are working.“GO-FER”An intern is not supposed to perform all the routine or uninteresting workwithin an organization. An internship should be a meaningful learningexperience; whether or not it is meaningful is a judgment they mustmake in conjunction with their faculty sponsor. Most positions andprojects will involve some routine work; however, it is recommendedthat it be limited to twenty percent of their time as an intern.A GUARANTEEDJOB OFFERSometimes interns are offered part- or full-time employment as a resultof contacts made during their internships but there is no guarantee thatan internship will get a student a job. Many employers value hiringsomeone who has had an internship experience; therefore, whenstudents are competing for a particular position in a given field, theirinternship may prove beneficial. The best way to gain career and jobadvantages from their internship is to get to know the p

tmb@asu.edu. If approved, students will be given instructions regarding next steps. _ 2. Secure a site. If you have yet to locate a site, you may want to go through ASU Career Services and the Sun Devil Career Link (https://eoss.asu