Public Affairs Student Internships

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Criminal Justice Internship - Undergraduate

This course provides Criminal Justice seniors with applied experience in their field of interest. Students are typically placed in a government agency or nonprofit organization, where they will gain practical experience related to their studies. This course fulfills the practicum requirement for graduation or can also be used as an elective. Students are permitted to enroll into the course a total of two times throughout their undergraduate degree, earning a total of six units.. Throughout the internship, all students will work under the joint supervision of the Course Instructor and agency internship supervisor.

Public Administration Internship - Undergraduate

This course provides Public Administration seniors with practical experience in applying for professional positions and working in the public or nonprofit sector. They will typically be placed in a government agency or nonprofit organization, where they will perform administrative duties. This course fulfills a practicum requirement and. Students are permitted to enroll into the course a total of two times throughout their undergraduate degree, earning a total of six units. Throughout the internship, all students will work under the joint supervision of the course instructor and agency internship supervisor. Important Notice: PA 498 and CJ 498 are starting the process of merging together. In the meantime PA 498 has been removed and students will be allowed to take CJ 498 until merging is complete. Please follow the prerequisites and steps listed below.

Prerequisites:

Before enrolling in the internship course, students must ensure they satisfy the following prerequisites:

Criminal Justice undergraduate prerequisites:

• Cumulative GPA: 3.0 or higher
• Successful completion of CJ 300 with a grade of "C" or higher
• At least 90 units completed

Public Administration prerequisites:

• Cumulative GPA: 3.0 or higher
• Successful completion of PA 301, PA 330, PA 340, PA 450 with grades of "C" or higher
• At least 90 units completed

Please ensure that you meet these prerequisites before registering for the internship course in your respective field of study.

Internship Behavior Expectation and Importance of Professional Development:

Developing professional skills such as proficient resume and cover letter writing, along with conducting oneself effectively during interviews, are crucial skills to develop when entering the workforce. These skills are invaluable as they prepare interns for future career opportunities and demonstrate their competence to potential employers. It is vital to recognize that as interns, they are not only representing themselves but also embodying the values and reputation of San Diego State University. We have high expectations for our students to exemplify the university's standards and conduct themselves with professionalism throughout their internships. To facilitate the development of these crucial professional skills, we require all interns to watch informative videos available at the bottom of the main page of the Career Services Website.

Required Videos -

• Resume Basics Lab
• 3 Step Easy Cover Letters
• How to Prepare for an In-Person Job Interview
•  5 Top LinkedIn Profile Tips

By engaging with these resources, interns will gain valuable insights and practical guidance to enhance their professional development and effectively represent both themselves and San Diego State University. By embodying professionalism and maintaining high standards, interns not only contribute to their personal growth but also reflect the excellence of San Diego State University.

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MPA Internship

The internship course is the cornerstone of graduate students’ experience in public administration. A public service internship is essential for a student’s ability to practically apply classroom theory and successfully achieve employment in the public or non-profit sector following graduation. It is for this reason that all MPA students are required to register for and complete 12 units of PA 796, which includes a minimum of 480 hours of internship experience. Students who have had considerable experience in the public sector, or who are currently working in the public sector, will likely be permitted to waive some or all of the internship requirements. Please see the School of Public Affairs’ website for information on the Internship Waiver Request process.

MCP Internship

The internship in urban planning is an important component to the MCP program at it supports the student’s ability to practically apply classroom theory to addressing urban planning issues while successfully positioning the student for professional employment after graduation. Internships may take place in public or non-profit sector agencies or private firms and involve tasks such as the preparation of community plan updates, researching and compiling data, GIS mapping, facilitating public outreach and information campaigns and other duties to support important urban and regional planning policy.

MCJC Internship

This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to gain ‘real world’ criminal justice and/or related social services system experience, and to assess and compare these experiences with scholarly criminal justice/criminology literature on such programs, services, practitioners, offenders and/or victims. The class requires students to complete a minimum of 120 service hours in a criminal justice (or related) organization, attend workshops and meetings on professionalism and ethical decision making, complete professional development writing assignments and to write a research paper.