Internship Program

Overview

All four-year degree students at Columbia are required to complete an internship to practice key areas of learning within their program major. The internship program facilitates knowledge and skills practice, personal and social development, along with opportunity to pursue vocational direction. Students develop personalized learning objectives that are met with 300 hours of supervised work alongside a series of reflective assignments. 

The Director of Integrated Learning oversees all internships in collaboration with the Program Directors at Columbia.

Prerequisites

Columbia students are invited to begin thinking about their internship after they have completed all of the prerequisite courses:

• 75 credit hours
• Service Practicum I, II, III, and IV
• LDRS 101 Intro to Leadership Studies

How to Get Started

1. Attend Internship Orientation.

The Internship Orientation is a required class to attend prior to making internship arrangements with a church or organization. The student should first learn what the internship program is designed to accomplish and the requirements for placement organizations, before assuming that their opportunity meets these expectations. The orientation is usually 1-2 hours in duration and covers all of the information needed to begin the process of finding a placement and getting started.

Internship orientations are held three times per year:

September (for internships beginning in January or later)
January (for internships beginning in May or later)
April (for internships beginning in September or later)

2. Meet with your Program Director and the Director of Integrated Learning.

After attending the Internship Orientation, and preferably within a few weeks of the orientation, students should contact both their Program Director and the Director of Integrated Learning to schedule one-to-one meetings.

Program Director guides the student through discerning an internship placement that would be a good fit. The primary job the Program Director is to help the student choose an internship that gives opportunity for the student to apprentice in areas of work that align with their degree program.

Director of Integrated Learning guides the student through assessing an internship placement that meets Columbia’s internship requirements. The primary job of the Internship Director is to help the student choose an internship that meets all of the internship requirements, including making sure there is a supervisor who demonstrates the competencies that are required for the student’s area of study.

After meeting with the Program Director and the Director of Integrated Learning, the student is now ready to pursue possible opportunities for their internship. The student should also keep in mind to register for internship credits for the semester they plan to do their internship.

3. Complete the Learning Contract.

Before a student begins working at a church or an organization as a part of their internship hours, they should meet with their placement supervisor and complete the Learning Contract. The Learning Contract establishes the nature of the work that the intern will do, the time frame, the goals and desired outcomes, and other logistical details. The student and the supervisor should complete the contract and submit it to the Director of Integrated Learning. Upon approval from the Director of Integrated Learning and the student’s Program Director, the student may now begin their internship hours.

Internship Reports

Internship Reports perform two essential functions in the internship experience: The first is a basic check-in to see how things are going, to make sure the intern feels safe and has clear instructions for their work, and likewise that the supervisor has a clear sense of their responsibility. Because these reports are confidential, it is a safe place to red flag any ongoing issues that either the intern or the supervisor might have during the internship. The second is to give space for theological reflection on the intern’s experience and integrate learnings and practice as a part of their discipleship and apprenticeship.

Student Internship Reports – Interns are required to complete three internship reports throughout the internship. The dates for these reports are established in the Learning Contract and should be essentially the same dates as their supervisor’s reports.

Supervisor Internship Reports – Internship Supervisors are required to complete three internship reports throughout the internship. The dates for these reports are established in the Learning Contract and should be essentially the same dates as Intern’s reports.

Internship Placement Posting

Columbia Students, click on the various tabs below to search for churches and organizations that have posted internship opportunities just for you!

If you are a church or organization who wishes to post a placement for our internship students, please complete the Internship Placement Posting Form (currently under construction – thanks for your patience). The following criteria will be helpful for you to know:

• each student is required to complete a minimum of 300 hours in their internship program experience
• the duration of an internship can be anything from 4-8 months (15-30 weeks)
• internships can be remunerated
• internships require a qualified supervisor
• supervisors are required to meet with the intern, supervise their work, and report and evaluate their work