Criminology Internship FAQ

What is the purpose of a supervised internship?

The supervised internship is designed to prepare beginning professionals for careers in a variety of settings related to their major and aspirations.

What do I need to do before I can enroll for an internship?

Students must complete Real World Criminology (CRIM 367) before they can enroll in a college credit internship. This is a one credit hour class.

How many credits is the internship?

Students may receive six to nine credits for completing Criminology Internship (CRIM 568). Students can also receive an additional three credits for completing Field Experience in Criminology (CRIM 569). This allows you to integrate what you learn in the field and the classroom.

How many hours are required for the internship?

This is dependent upon individual internship sites and the number of credit hours in which you enroll. Students typically work between 10-30 hours a week, though there have been situations where students work up to 40 hours per week.

Can I get paid for my internship?

Yes, paid and unpaid internships are both permitted for this class.

Where have students interned in the past?

FBI, Highway Patrol, Coroner, U.S. Marshall, Community Corrections, Legal Aid and Law Firms, Child Welfare, Fraud Detection Departments, Police Departments, Domestic Violence Crisis Centers, Prosecutor’s Office, Attorney General’s Office, and Anti-Human Trafficking Organizations.

Can I intern somewhere not listed above?

Absolutely! Just make sure you have permission from Dr. Melander beforehand.

What are the requirements for the field journal?

When you are in your internship, you will complete weekly journals that connect your applied experiences to the information you have learned in your classes (e.g., theories, concepts, issues). You can also mention who interact with, what you enjoyed and what you found challenging or uncomfortable.

Will I have to write a paper?

Yes, your reflection paper will help you integrate classroom knowledge with experiential learning. This is an easy task as you respond to a series of question prompts, which will form the body of the paper.

Will I be evaluated by my internship supervisor?

Yes, we want to ensure that students are doing the work they say they are doing and know that K-State is being reflected well in the community. You will receive a copy of this form prior to starting the internship so you will know what the evaluation will consist of.

What steps do I follow once I have decided to do the internship?

1. Decide what general area you would like to learn more about. For example, are you interested in working with children or adults? Are you thinking about working in law enforcement, corrections, juvenile diversion, victim services, legal services, or courts?
2. Decide when you will do your internship
3. Meet with Dr. Melander.
4. Decide where you would like to intern. To find an internship you can search generally online, tap into some of your social network resources, or even explore your Handshake account via Career Services. It might take you some time to find an internship so you must be willing to devote time to this task.
5. Once you have located a place you would like to intern at, contact the agency to see if they have an internship coordinator or director or if they accept student interns. If they work with student interns, inquire about their application process.
6. Once this occurs, reach back out to Dr. Melander for the next steps.

Can I do more than one internship?

Yes, but you can only count up to nine credit hours of CRIM 568 and three credit hours of CRIM 569 toward your graduation requirements. That means you could split those hours up between more than one internship, or that you do your second internship for the experience and not for course credit.

Can an internship I completed before enrolling be applied to the degree?

Unfortunately, no. Internships that students completed prior to enrolling in CRIM 568 cannot be applied toward degree credits.