Overview

The Environmental Studies Internship program offers ENVS majors the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge they possess and to gain new skills and knowledge through practical experience working in a professional-level capacity for an organization. government agency, research lab, planning group, advocacy organization, or other groups that solve problems and develop policies. The training gained and the contacts made become an invaluable asset in obtaining later employment. Academic internships are for credit and may not be paid. Noncredit internships are also possible, but are not coordinated through ENVS. The Center for Resource Conservation, Eco-Cycle, Sierra Club, the City of Boulder, the U.S. Geological Survey, and Camp, Dresser, & McKee are examples of previous Internship Host organizations.

Eligibility and Application Process

All Environmental Studies majors are eligible. Students are encouraged to complete an Internship Interest Worksheet Internship Interest Worksheet to inventory their interests, skills, and goals.

Deadlines

Students are encouraged to seek internships early. The Internship may be added to your schedule at any time up to the add/drop deadline each semester. However, many internship postings are filled quickly.

Work Requirements and Course Credit

Generally, intern positions are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Some Internship positions might require that you have completed certain courses or are at a particular academic level (sophomore, junior, etc.), which will be described on the Internship posting.

Available positions are listed in a notebook in the Environmental Studies office and under the Positions tab on this Web page. Students may also locate their own Host organization.

A student participating in an Internship is under the direction of the host organization, but also must fulfill requirements set by the Faculty Sponsor. The minimum time required to earn 3 course credits is 150 hours, which normally is 10 hours per week for the 15-week semester, but can be worked at a different pace. Students may receive 1 or 2 credits for their internships, in which case they must work 50 hours per credit hour. Students should arrange their anticipated schedules with their hosts and specify them on their Internship Agreements.

Students may receive up to 6 credits for internships during their undergraduate careers, but only 3 units of course credit will count toward major hours. The other 3 credits count as upper division elective hours. The student's grade in the internship course is heavily influenced by the host supervisor's evaluation of the student's performance and activities. The faculty sponsor makes the final determination of the grade.

Undergrad Program:

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Darin Toohey

Kinetics, spectroscopic, and field measurements of trace species in the troposphere and lower stratosphere; design and fabrication of fast-response in situ instrumentation.

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Farrand Dining