Field Periods & Internships
3-credit Field Period™
During every one of your undergraduate years at Keuka College you get to embark on your own self-designed hands-on learning experience outside of the classroom. Whether in your hometown or another country, Field Period™ gives you an opportunity to build experience in the real-world and practice applying what you are learning in the classroom. That's a big advantage whatever your path!
Planning your Field Period
Criminology & Criminal Justice majors have unique guidelines for the various stages of the Field Period process. Be sure to review those guidelines to ensure you are on track with your specific requirements. Click the button below to locate guidance for your major.
Click on the button below to check out e-Field Period Resources!
Experiential Learning is a Key Principle
Education research shows that we retain: 10% of what we read 20% of what we hear 30% of what we see 50% of what we see and hear 70% of what we say 90% of what we say and do.
Source: “How Adults Learn” (n.d.). Trainer Development Conference. Available at http://www.people.vcu.edu/~albest/EDGE/Session2.pdf
The Kolb Model of Experiential Learning
Describes the process and key components to learning through experience. Ideally, your Field Period and Internship experiences afford you the opportunity to engage this process to maximize your learning and make the most out of your academic training and field experiences.
Concrete Experience = doing or having experience
Reflective Observation = reviewing/reflecting on the experience
Abstract Conceptualization = concluding, learning from the experience
Active Experimentation = planning, trying out what you have learned
2019 Field Period DOJ.pdfExample Field Period
Student: Kasey Washington, CCJ major, class of 2021
Date: January 2019
Site: U.S. Marshall Service, Department of Justice
How are Field Period experiences evaluated and graded?
The Field Period is a “pass/fail” class – the grade is either “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory”. This means there isn’t much room for shades of gray as with traditional courses. Therefore, it is very important that the criteria and expectations for passing the Field Period are clearly expressed. In addition to your Field Period site supervisor’s evaluation of your performance, there are four (4) separate requirements, or components, on which your grade of “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory” will be based: 1) a journal, 2) a summary paper, 3) unique documentation, and 4) a presentation.
The following is a guide to help you prepare and evaluate your own performance on each of these four components. This guide was developed based upon the guidelines for these products (journal, summary paper, documentation and presentation) set forth by the College. Under each component, you will find criteria in the form of a question; you should structure your work and evaluate it in order to answer “yes” to all of the questions posed for that component. These are the same criteria that I will be using to evaluate your work.
Your journal, summary paper and unique documentation are all due by the Friday of the second week of the semester immediately following the completion of the Field Period. Your materials must be submitted (by email) or made available for review (via your e-portfolio) to the faculty member who is evaluating your performance (typically your academic adviser).
Reflection and Journaling – Due on the Friday of the second week of the semester immediately following the completion of the field period.
Do you make observations adequate for good reflection? In other words, is there a sufficient amount of observations made in order to draw conclusions?
Beyond stating the facts, do you make reflective, thoughtful statements about those observations? In other words:
Do you make generalizations link those facts to concepts you have learned?
Do you demonstrate how observations and reflection (again, not just “the facts”) challenge or reinforce your previous knowledge, values, or experiences?
Do you discuss the knowledge that is gained, the skills that are developed, and the values that are clarified for you?
Journals should be written in “real time”; in other words, documentation should occur each day you perform a role in your field period work.
Summary Paper – In direct relation to the steps in the Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle; Due on the Friday of the second week of the semester immediately following the completion of the field period.
Do you move beyond a basic “catalog of activities”? If the answer to this question is no, then the summary paper will be rejected and will be returned to the student for rewriting and resubmission.
The summary paper should include the following components:
A summary of the concrete experience the you had during the field period. What did you do, what did you observe, what did you experience?
An abstract conceptualization of “so what?”
Do you demonstrate the knowledge and skills acquired and the values clarified here?
Do you combine or fuse together your experience and past knowledge? In other words, do you integrate your current experience into your overall understanding?
Do you discuss how the experience is similar or different to the expectations you had about the field period?
Do you draw general conclusions rather than simply providing specific examples?
An active experimentation of “now what?”
How are you “better” or “different” as the result of the field period experience?
How will the experience shape how you deal with future situations?
If you had the chance to do the field period experience again, how would you do it differently?
A conclusion where the student ties in theoretical concepts or general propositions/principles from your discipline.
The summary paper should be between 3-5 pages in length, typed using 12-inch font, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins.
Unique Documentation – Due on the Friday of the second week of the semester immediately following the completion of the field period.
You should plan to complete the unique documentation as agreed in your Field Period contract. Keep in mind your unique documentation must be suitable for your field period. In other words, you may not be able to photograph or videotape participants under certain conditions, and this understandably will affect the content, but not the quality, of your work.
Keep it professional. Ask yourself…would I hand this to a prospective employer as evidence of my skills and quality of work I am capable of producing?
Presentations – It is your responsibility to schedule a time for your presentation with Dr. Bower. You must contact Dr. Bower within the first two weeks of classes the semester immediately following the completion of the field period to reserve a date and time to present your field period. If you wish, you may choose to record a 5-7 minute video and submit this to satisfy your presentation requirement.
You must present and discuss your unique documentation during the course of your presentation.
You must demonstrate at least one connection between the field period experience and your previous coursework, connecting specific concepts or theories that aids in your understanding or completing your duties.
You must describe your learning goals and objectives, and articulate how well you achieved them. How do you know you’ve met these goals and objectives?
You should also articulate how your experience was different or similar to your expectation.
Interested in learning where our students have interned in the past?
Check out our internship placement map!
12-credit Internship
The Criminology/Criminal Justice (CRM 401) Internship course is an optional 12-credit major elective course for which students must register. It involves guided, supervised field work in a professional setting to develop relevant skills and integrate the sociological perspective into practical application. In addition to direct field work experience, completion of journal, written assignments and special projects under the guidance of a faculty member in the program is required.
The internship lasts one full semester and is completed during the fall of the senior year. Internships can take place in any organization that provides students an opportunity to learn and practice using skills and knowledge in support of their program learning goals.
If you are planning an internship but unsure of those agencies or occupations that qualify for an internship placement with the Criminology/CJ Program, please talk with your Adviser or the Internship Coordinator for clarification.
Frequently Asked Questions
In what ways do internships and Field Period™ differ from wage-based employment?
The internship is associated with an academic program at an accredited institution of higher learning.
The internship is structured around a set of coherent academic goals and objectives, and consists of both field and academic work as demonstrated in the course syllabus.
The work performed in the course of the internship is primarily in support of learning goals and objectives.
A learning contract establishes an agreement between the internship site supervisor, student and faculty member.
Keuka College faculty oversee the internship program and provides educational credit upon successful completion of internship requirements.
The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment. The internship provides the individual with skills that can be used in multiple employment settings, as opposed to skills specific to a single employer’s operation.
The internship experience is primarily for the benefit of the intern.
The intern works under close supervision of existing staff and does not displace regular employees.
The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship.
Source: US Department Labor, Wage and Hour Division. (2010). Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under the Fair Labor Standards Act https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf
When is the senior internship course offered?
The CRM 401/SOC 401 internship is a 12-credit hour course that is regularly offered in the fall semester. Requests to enroll in this course during the spring or summer as an Individualized Directed Study should be initiated in writing to the BASS Division Chair at least 4 months prior to your intended start date.
Do I have the necessary prerequisites to enroll in the course?
To register for CRM 401/SOC 401, you must have completed at least 84 credit hours toward your degree, including 18 credits in the major (applies to students graduating in or after 2019).
You should register for the Internship course during your regular course registration, in consultation with your Adviser.
Who is responsible for locating my internship placement?
Like the Field Period™, your internship placement is self-initiated. This means that while the internship instructor and your faculty adviser will help you to identify and evaluate options, it is your responsibility to set up your internship. To research options for an Internship placement:
Browse the resources made available through the Center for Experiential Learning and Career Services through Career Connections at https://www.keuka.edu/student-success/career-connections.
Visit the Sociology, Criminology & Criminal (SCC) Justice Moodle page, where you can find information on Internship opportunities with non-profit, local, state and federal organizations and contact information on prior internship placements through our internship program.
Make an appointment to talk with your adviser and/or the internship instructor.
You should begin exploring your options 3-9 months prior to the date you plan to begin your internship.
How many hours do I need to complete for the internship?
You must perform at least 30 hours per week of work for 14 weeks with the organization are required. This totals to 420 hours of service with the organization for the semester.
In addition to your 420 hours of direct service with the organization, you will be required to participate in weekly Moodle forum discussions and complete course work (assignments, papers) as assigned (about 80-90 hours of academic work). Like your other courses, the information on the course work requirements may be found in the course syllabus.
By what date should my internship placement be established?
To guarantee your internship, you must 1) be registered for SOC 401 (12 credit hours) for the semester you intend to do your internship, and 2) have your Internship Contract completed, signed by you and turned in to the Internship Coordinator (or the case of Individualized Instruction during Summer or Spring terms, the professor supervising your internship) by the following dates:
Fall Semester Internships
Deadline: June 15 before your internship begins; contract must be approved by the internship coordinator no later than July 15 to avoid delays.
Summer Internships (Individualized directed study only)
Deadline: April 15 before your internship begins, or by the date indicated by the professor supervising your internship. Contract must be approved by the internship coordinator no later than May 15 to avoid delays.
Spring Internships (Individualized directed study only)
Deadline: 1 before your internship begins, or by the date indicated by the professor supervising your internship. Contract must be approved by the internship coordinator no later than December 15 to avoid delays.
Failure to complete the necessary registration and paperwork on time may result in a delay in your completion of the internship requirements, and potentially delay your graduation. To avoid any delays, be aware of and meet the deadlines indicated in this manual, your syllabus, and by the college in the Keuka College Record.
Are there other requirements in addition to the work requirement?
Yes, you will be required to maintain a daily time sheet verified by your internship supervisor and submit weekly journals and complete a manageable amount of written assignments designed to help you reflect upon and get the most of your internship experience. The course syllabus will be provided by the Internship course instructor 2-3 weeks prior to the start of the semester.
In addition, you will be expected to analyze and reflect upon your internship experience through a series of written and oral exercises in the SS 402 Seminar in Applied Social Sciences capstone course, which follows the completion of your internship.
Once I have started my internship, what role does the Internship Coordinator have?
The Internship Coordinator is the faculty member who is the instructor for the SOC 401 course. They will evaluate your academic and field work, and assign you a grade upon your completion of the internship placement and course.
The Internship Coordinator will be in occasional communication with your site supervisor. They will send your supervisor an initial letter along with a copy of the course syllabus and request that they approve and sign the Internship Contract. They will also request from your supervisor that they complete both a mid-term and final evaluation of your performance. They may also telephone or email your supervisor to see how the internship is going.
Over the course of your internship, you are responsible for checking your Keuka email regularly and promptly responding to communication from your professor.
In addition, you will be in communication with your Internship Coordinator in the following ways:
Weekly through Moodle forum discussions;
Submitting written work to the Internship Coordinator regularly via Moodle;
A scheduled telephone or Skype contacts (scheduled at the start of the semester) will serve as a virtual ‘site visit’ to evaluate your progress.
Remember, you should contact the Internship Coordinator immediately if you have any concerns about your internship experience.
Ongoing communication with the internship coordinator is critical to your success. Over the duration of the internship, 1) failure to respond to email or telephone communication from the Internship Coordinator as requested, 2) repeated failure to submit academic work according to scheduled due dates, or failure to notify the Internship Coordinator of changes in contact information, supervision, start and completion dates, or 3) failure to report significant changes to the type of activities indicated on the signed Internship Contract to the Internship Coordinator in a timely manner, may result in the suspension of your internship until the matter is resolved and ultimately hinder your ability to successfully complete your internship.
Can I take classes along with my internship?
Yes, you may take classes along with your internship. Keep in mind issues related to housing, transportation, and time management conflicts when attempting to take classes and complete this full-time internship requirement.
How can I find an internship? Can I find my own internship?
In addition to the resources above, students should utilize the college's Handshake platform which includes information on previous field experiences of our students. Furthermore, your Advisor and Internship Coordinator can support your efforts. Ultimately, you are responsible for securing an appropriate internship placement. All internship placements must be approved by the Internship Coordinator, as indicated by a signed Internship Approval Form.
How many credits will I earn?
If you successfully complete the internship course requirements with a passing grade, you will have earned 12 credit hours toward the completion of your degree.
Can I get paid for my internship?
Generally, no. Internship work, as articulated in this manual and in the syllabus for the CRM/SOC 401 course, falls within the guidelines of the Department of Labor (DOL) regulations for an educational internship. Generally speaking, the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.
For more information, consult the US Department Labor, Wage and Hour Division. (2010). Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under the Fair Labor Standards Act https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf
Who can I contact with additional questions about internships?
Dr. Janine Bower, Professor of Sociology and Criminology
Email: jbower@ keuka.edu