University of Oregon

OIMB Marine Biology Internship

BI 406 Practicum: Marine Biology Internship pass/no pass credit

This page outlines the details and logistics of undertaking a marine biology internship for UO credit. It emphasizes that earning academic credit for work experience requires more than just showing up for work and doing a good job. You will be required to complete a series of assignments designed to encourage thoughtful reflection on your internship experience. You are expected to be self-motivated and able to complete course assignments without reminders. In order to receive a passing grade, you must complete all assignments by the due date.

What you need to do to register for credit for an internship:

Each credit for which you register requires 30 hours of work for the term

1. Apply to the Internship program, identifying the partner institution you hope to work with and why. If you are selected…

2. Connect with your site supervisor and discuss your internship project. Your internship needs to involve professional-level skills and experiences. Internships normally are associated with institutions in the Coos Bay area (ODFW, South Slough NERR, Coos Watershed, BLM) but there are other internship opportunities that are posted on the internship page on the OIMB web site that may be eligible for UO academic credit. If you have an internship away from OIMB however you cannot use that term to replace one of the three that you need for your marine biology major.

3. Complete the paperwork needed for the internship.

A. Internship Description. You must do this before the Internship begins, or within the first week of the term so that you are pre-authorized to register for internship credit. Arrange to contact or meet with your internship supervisor and determine what you are going to do for your internship and the details of your work arrangement. Please be sure to let your supervisor know that he or she will need to sign your time sheets and complete a brief evaluation form at the end of your internship.

Submit a 1-2 page internship description to Maya Watts – mwolf1@uoregon.edu that includes:

1. Title: “Title of Internship, Location of Internship”, your name and term.
2. Position Description. Provide a detailed description of your internship, including:

a. Goals. These can include both the goals of the organization (specifically why do they want an intern, and broadly what is their larger mission and goals) as well as your general goals in pursuing this internship.
b. Your Learning Objectives. These should be stated in the format: “By the end of this internship I will be able to: X, Y, Z.”
c. Work Plan. This should detail the tasks you will be undertaking as part of your internship.This work plan should provide tentative tasks for the whole term. In some cases you may not know all the details so include as much information as you can.

3. Academic Reflection. This should include discussion of how the internship experience will enhance your program of academic study here at the U of O.

B. Internship Agreement Form
This form should be signed by you and your internship site supervisor and e-mailed to Maya Watts You must do this before you are pre-authorized to register.

Course Requirements:

Summary:

Assignment

Expected Length

Week Due

#1: Internship Description

1-2 pages

Friday of week 1

#2: Midterm Update

~2 pages

Friday of week 5

#3: Final Report, timesheet, and supervisor’s evaluation

~2 pages for report, plus attachments

Wednesday of Finals week

Midterm Update

A two page midterm update should provide a thoughtful overview of your internship to date and is due on Friday of Week Five. This report should be typed in a word document, spell-checked and proof- read, and then submitted to Maya Watts via email as an attachment.
The subject line should say: BI 409 Internship Midterm Update: Your Name

The basic format for your midterm report should be as follows:

1. Title: “Midterm Update, Title of Internship, Location of Internship”, name and term.
2. Work Description: A description of the duties or tasks you have performed to date and any changes from the work plan outlined in the original contract.
3. Work Reflection: A statement about how those duties or tasks have helped to further the organization’s mission.
4. Academic Reflection: An analysis of how your experience relates to your academic studies. In
particular, describe how your experience relates to the principles, concepts and knowledge you have gained in your academic career so far.
5. Timesheet: A timesheet signed by you and your site supervisor, documenting how many hours you have completed to date.

Final Report, Time Sheet and Supervisor’s Evaluation

A two page final report should provide a thoughtful reflection of your internship experience and is
due on the Wednesday of Finals Week. This report should be typed in a word document, spell-checked and proof-read, and then submitted to Maya Watts via email as an attachment. The subject line should say: BI 409 Internship Final Report : Your Name

1. Title of Internship, Location of Internship, Your Name, Term.
2. Outcomes: Discuss what you gained from the internship in terms of specific skills and/or knowledge. Offer reflections on the goals you set for the term in your project/work description.
3. Strengths of the Internship: Comment on the tasks, training, supervision, work environment, etc. What was particularly effective or beneficial?
4. Weaknesses of the Internship: Comment on the tasks, training, supervision, work environment, etc. What could have been improved and how? Please include specific suggestions for improvement.
5. Advice for Future Interns: What should future interns know to be successful at this site?
Comment on how this organization helps to further the goals of marine biology majors.

Internship Timesheet and Supervisor’s Evaluation Form

In addition to your reflections on your internship, you will need to include these two items with your final report.