Agency Guidelines
2013 - 2014

1. Length of the Internship.  Normally an internship will begin on the first day of the quarter and end on the last day of the quarter, so long as the student has completed 10 full weeks (or 400 hours).  The internship may begin earlier or extend longer than the ten week period, if it is mutually agreeable between the agency and the student.

2. Pay.  The University of Washington of has no requirement that the student be paid during the internship.  Obviously, students prefer internships which are paid, and are more likely to accept an internship offer from an agency or organization which is able to help them defray the cost of this experience.  Most students recognize the academic and professional value of the internship and would like to be placed in situations which will be most beneficial to them in advancing their career aspirations.  However, the internship, especially internships requiring that the student relocate for the quarter, can be very expensive.

3. Academic Credit.  The student will be registered for academic credit during the period of the internship.  Even though the course is graded as credit/no credit, the student must complete a series of requirements in order to receive credit for this experience.  (These are explained in the copy of the course syllabus which you should have received along with the confirmation letter.)  One of the requirements is for his/her supervisor to submit an evaluation of the student's performance during the internship (The evaluation form which was provided for your use is intended as a guide and you should feel free to answer only those items which apply or which you feel are appropriate.  If you wish, you may substitute an evaluation form of your own.)

4. Student Activities.  We have found that it is beneficial to establish a formal schedule for the students so that they are aware of what is expected of them.  This can be of immense assistance in providing the student with specific direction and reducing the total demand on your time and that of your staff.

5. Communications.  Communication from the student's supervisor should be done directly with the intern, rather than through a second or third party.  Where appropriate the intern should be included on the office distribution list so that the student is kept informed and up to date or current policies and information.

6. Supervision.  While the student intern may be working with a number of different agency staff, there should be one individual who is designated as the student's supervisor for the internship.  This helps facilitate the communications mentioned above and reduces the chance that the student will receive conflicting directions from agency staff.

The intern needs frequent feedback from his/her supervisor regarding how they are doing.  For a number of students, this may be their first work experience and they may not be used to the demands of the work world.  This is not to say that the student should not be held to the same standards as your employees.  They most definitely should.  Indeed, one of the purposes of the internship is to "socialize" the student to the work environment.  However, this "socialization" is facilitated through clearly communicating with the intern what your expectations are and how well he/she is meeting them.

7. Special Project.  We would like to encourage you, if at all possible, to have the student work on a special project or study in which he/she can operate somewhat independently to produce a concrete piece of work which will be beneficial to your agency.  It would be helpful if, prior to the student agreeing to the internship, you could discuss the possible projects in which the student might be involved with the student.

If you have any questions, or if any problems should develop, please do not hesitate to call Chuck Treser either at his office (206-616-2097) or on his cell phone (206-369-3408).

Again thank you for helping us provide a significant and meaningful part of the educational experience of our students