Occupational Internship (ISAT-419)

Each student is required by the school to secure an internship at a business/industry work site which engages in activities related to the student's academic program and career objectives. The student will perform duties and services as assigned by the work supervisor and internship coordinator. Reports and assignments are required to be completed by the student. Information Systems Technologies majors are required to enroll for a minimum of four hours. Not for graduate credit. A grade of C or better is required.

Requirements

  1. All IST students are required to complete a four-semester hour internship, and all internships must relate to the student's academic and career goals. Exceptions require prior approval of the Director, School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies.
  2. The student is required to complete an Internship Agreement and Internship Objectives prior to beginning the internship. Students may select from previous internships or find a new one.
    1. The student, with the guidance of the faculty member, is responsible for identifying a suitable occupational internship site and for negotiating the structure and terms of the internship. This includes the internship location, assigned duties and responsibilities, work hours, and objectives. An Information sheet for potential site-supervisions explains the duties of such person.
    2. The faculty member is responsible for ensuring that the approved internship is consistent with the student's academic program and career goals. Occupational internships must provide the student with an opportunity to apply skills gained in the academic setting to real work situations; must be directly related to the student's academic and career objectives; and are expected to serve as a supplemental source of learning.
  3. Prior to the internship experience, the student and faculty member must communicate, preferably meet in person, and the student must complete the Internship Agreement and Internship Objectives forms. The forms should be copied into a text file and completed on the computer. Each form must be signed by the student and the work site supervisor.
  4. The student must maintain an Internship Journal during the time of the internship to record experiences that surface in work-related activities during the term, citing specific experiences dealing with problems (technical and/or organizational), criticism, individual differences, cultural biases, hours worked, tasks, and objectives accomplished. The student and the work site supervisor must sign all journal pages. Students must keep originals and turn in copies.
  5. The student must provide the work site supervisor with copies of the Midterm and Final Internship Evaluation forms. Original signed evaluation forms must be returned to the faculty member (and one original kept by the students).
  6. Each student completing an internship in the local area must schedule an appointment for the faculty member and the work site supervisor to meet with the student at least once during each internship.
  7. The student must contact the faculty coordinator in the following manners.
    1. A student completing the internship requirement away from the Carbondale area is expected to FAX weekly journals to the faculty coordinator once a week so that the student's progress can be monitored. In addition, the student is to contact the faculty coordinator, via phone, during the midterm week.
    2. A student completing the internship requirement in the Carbondale area is expected to deliver or fax the weekly journal entries to the faculty coordinator so that the student's progress can be monitored. In addition, the student is to meet with the faculty coordinator in person during the midterm week.
  8. The student must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 225 hours of internship experience.
  9. During the semester in which the student is registered for the internship course, the student must provide the faculty member with originals of all of the following by the dates posted on WebCT:
    1. Signed midterm and final evaluation forms.
    2. Signed weekly journals (copies are okay for journals).
    3. Computer Manual/Project.
    4. An Internship portfolio containing a typed final report and other required items.

Faculty Contacts

Mr. William Devenport, Director
Dept. of Information Systems and Applied Technologies
Phone: 618-453-7270
E-mail: wdev@siu.edu
Fax: 618-453-7254
Mail: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901-6614

Dr. Diane C. Davis, Professor
Faculty Internship Coordinator
Phone: 618-453-7296
E-mail: dcdavis@siu.edu
Fax: 618-453-7254
Mail: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901-6614