Instructions for Internship Prior to the Beginning of Class

These basic instructions are being provided to students who plan to take the internship class.  These instructions are intended to help you plan your internship.  This allows you to begin the planning process before class begins.

Volunteer Center of United Way of Stanislaus County

Registration

Registering for the internship class requires a special registration.
Do not attempt to register on your MyCSUStan account.  For this registration you and your instructors fill out a special registration form at the first class meeting.

It is imperative that you attend the first day of internship class listed in the schedule so you can register for the class.

Class Requirements

The purpose of the internship class is for students to work in the field of their desired career and/or to explore potential career choices.

Students will need to do their internship at an agency

The number of hours needed per semester for three units of credit is 120 hours at an approved agency. A maximum of three units of internship may be completed each semester.

Pre-Planning for Class

Faculty will provide placement help at the first class meeting.  However, it is highly advisable to begin planning for your internship placement prior to the beginning of class.  Students should be looking at potential agencies to do their internship.  Calls can be made to agencies to see whether they accept internship placements.

Another great source of agency information is through the local United Way agency in Modesto.  This organization has a large three-ring binder that lists many of the agencies seeking interns.This is the best resource to begin the process of finding an agency. 
Students can also seek ideas from fellow students who may have already completed their placements and own contacts in the community.

Agency Special Needs

Many Agencies have special requirements.  For example, to do your internship in most K-12 schools a live scan of your fingerprints is required.  It is extremely important to begin the process prior to the beginning of the semester. Finger print scans, for example, can take two to four weeks when there are no problems.  Some agencies, such as Haven Center, require over seventy hours of training before one can begin one’s internship.

Remember that there are many agencies seeking interns. The most typical agencies sought by students are ones dealing broadly with social services.  Students have selected a wide-range of agencies such as public and private schools, law offices, human resource departments, police departments, city, county, state and federal agencies, to name a few. 
Think creatively about agencies you wish to select for your internship.  Your placement should be a meaningful experience that will help you find future employment and career goals.

Remember

Students are not limited to the local community. Previous internship students have done their internships in the Bay Area, Stockton, Merced, and mountain communities.

The Department offers the internship class as a vehicle to gain agency experience and to allow students the opportunity to apply what one has learned in the classroom setting in an agency setting.

All faculty want you to have a good and meaningful experience.

 

Updated: August 04, 2023