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All externships include a seminar component or other faculty-guided reflection. This component assists students in identifying future employment goals, plans, and opportunities. Students must complete all course requirements, which include reflective writing assignments, timely hour tracking, and discussions with other students in the Externship Program.
Self-reflection is at the core of the seminar component because it plays a fundamental role in the development of professional identity among aspiring legal professionals. Self-reflection facilitates the examination of real-life experiences, ethical dilemmas, and challenges encountered during the externship, enabling students to extract valuable lessons and insights. By critically analyzing these experiences, students can refine their decision-making skills and develop a clearer sense of their professional identity as ethical, effective, and socially responsible lawyers. Self-reflection fosters a deeper understanding of one's role as a legal practitioner and encourages a commitment to lifelong learning, growth, and continuous improvement in the pursuit of justice and ethical conduct within the legal profession.
Requirements During the Externship
Review the MSU Law Externship Handbook (PDF).
Track your hours throughout the externship in CASE in the Experiential Learning tab under the Hours Log. A 3-credit externship requires 135 hours of work, a 6-credit externship requires 270 hours of work, and a 9-credit externship requires 405 hours of work. Students must complete these hours over 13 weeks during the spring or fall semesters. Students may not complete more than 9 externship credits.
Seminar hours DO NOT count toward hour requirements.
Students must attend all seminar meetings and complete all assignments.
Students may not participate in a clinic and an externship in the same semester.
Students may not participate in a study abroad program and an externship in the same semester.
Requirements After the Externship
Confirm with your Supervising Attorney that they have completed an Employer Evaluation Form. CSO will send the link to your Supervising Attorney.
Complete a Student Evaluation of the Externship Site.
Complete the SPLS Survey for the Seminar.
Finalize your hour log in CASE and click “Submit for Approval”.
Your Seminar Professors
Your Seminar Professors
Planning and Evaluating:
Planning and Evaluating:
At the beginning of the experience, students are asked to create a learning plan to identify goals and determine a method to achieve and measure those goals.
At the conclusion of the experience, students are asked to reflect on the plan and consider whether those goals were met.
Reflections:
Reflections:
Students are asked to reflect on their experience on a bi-weekly basis to consider their experiences, including the tasks accomplished, the feedback received, and their own observations.
Externship Hours Tracking:
Externship Hours Tracking:
Completion of all field placement working hours, required to obtain the requisite credit hours—both hours, and weeks requirement must be met. Students are responsible for tracking and completing hours.
Hours must be documented on a weekly basis through CASE. To enter hours, click "Hour Log" at the top of your screen and then "Add Hours." The status at the top of the Experiential Learning record must say “In Progress” to do this. Please contact CSO with any questions at law.extern@law.msu.edu.
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