Placement resources
How do I find a field site?!
This is a common question! Think about what you're interested in and relationships you already have with people and institutions that might be able to teach you something new and/or support you in doing a special CD project. Keep your eyes peeled for postings on listservs, browse jobs databases, and approach organizations whose work you're interested in.
When you have a site in mind, approach them to discuss your goals (i.e., the field experience requirements) and whether they might be achievable at their organization. The field experience gives you considerable latitude to develop your own scope of work, so do not sit around waiting for the perfect job listing to appear in a database.
If you are uncertain or want support to think through your ideas, talk it over in office hours appointment with a full-time faculty member! If you are interested in a specific area of CD and want help identifying placement opportunities, talk to someone with expertise in that area. If you want to talk more generally, meet with the current instructor of USP 460. (As of spring 2022, Dr. McGrath is the instructor.) To figure out who to talk to and how to make an appointment, see the School of Urban Studies faculty roster (click on a name to read a profile); there is a link to office hours information at the top of the page.
Some key resources:
School of Urban Studies and Planning "non-campus jobs" listserv - this is where faculty post any opportunities we hear about! Messages appear in your inbox with the [usp-noncampusjobs-group] header in the subject line.
Check that you're subscribed or review recent postings by logging in with your ODIN at: https://groups.google.com/a/pdx.edu/forum/#!forum/usp-noncampusjobs-group (If you're not subscribed, contact askUSP@pdx.edu to ask that you be subscribed because you are a CD major.)
Overwhelmed by the number of e-mails you're getting? Change your Google Group settings so that they get delivered in batches: https://kb.unca.edu/help/google/groups/change-google-group-email-settings
Handshake, PSU's jobs and internships database: https://www.pdx.edu/careers/handshake
Advising and Career Services' page about Community Development: https://www.pdx.edu/careers/what-can-i-do-degree-community-development
PSU's Student Community Engagement Center: https://www.pdx.edu/student-community-engagement/where-find-community-based-opportunities
Mac's List, a Pacific Northwest jobs board: https://www.macslist.org/
Some key relationships:
faculty - Talk to people who are experts in areas you're interested in about organizations you might be able to work with; this is the kind of thing that office hours is for! You can go to someone's office hours even if you aren't taking a class with them. If you're unsure how to schedule an appointment, contact the administrative staff in the department where they work (look for a "Contact us" link on the website). Information for the School of Urban Studies and Planning is here. Please be mindful that part-time faculty (a.k.a. "adjuncts") are not compensated for advising work and do not offer office hours during terms when they are not teaching . . . so be judicious about requesting their time.
campus offices - Talk to cultural centers and student groups about partner organizations or off-campus needs they know about
leaders in your own community(ies) - Do you volunteer somewhere, participate in a faith community, have friends you admire? Talk to those people about projects that might let you build your CD skills!
Ed Abroad and virtual internships options
We encourage you to take advantage of Education Abroad and other experiential learning while you are at PSU! If you do a study abroad with an internship or independent field research component, you may be able to count it as your field experience. If this is of interest to you, talk to the USP 460 instructor right away--since it can take a bit of planning. Know that there is often money available to subsidize the cost of Ed Abroad.
many School for International Training programs are a great fit for the CD major; the virtual internships work well for USP 460
CIEE virtual internships - NGO (non-governmental organization) or Sustainability & Environment tracks
IE3 Global Internships that address CD skills, for example:
Public Health Rotations in India | Delhi, India
Agricultural Education in Thailand | Mae Rim (Chiang Mai), Thailand
Agriculture and Horticulture in Mongolia | Gachurrt, near Ulaanbatar, Mongolia
Artisan Chocolate Production | San Isidro de Heredia, Costa Rica.
Business & Woman’s Empowerment in Ghana | Cape Coast, Ghana
Cape Town Human Rights | Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town Human Rights (Virtual) | Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town Public Health (Virtual) | Cape Town, South Africa
Education and Sustainability in Thailand | Bangkok, Thailand
Education, Environmental Science, and Outdoor Leadership in Thailand | Chiang Mai, Thailand
Environmental Sustainability and Outdoor Education in Singapore | Singapore, Singapore
Fair-Trade International Commerce in the Birthplace of Chocolate | San Isidro de Heredia, Costa Rica
Horticulture, Environmental Science, and Business in India | Karkolli Village, near Sirsi, India
Housing Access & Social Services in Scotland | Edinburgh, Scotland
Human Development and Family Services in Cambodia | Cambodia
Human Rights in Barcelona | Barcelona, Spain
Humans and the Rainforest | Monteverde, Costa Rica
Humans and The Rainforest (Virtual) | Costa Rica, Central America
Migrant, Refugee, and Women’s Rights non-profit in Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Non-Profit Leadership in Scotland | Edinburgh, Scotland
Outdoor Youth Education & Empowerment in Japan | Tokyo, Japan
Planning and Public Policy in New Zealand | Various locations in New Zealand
PROMETRA: Traditional Medicine and Community Development | Kampala, Uganda
Public Health, Gender Studies, and Social Work in Malaysia | Selangor, Malaysia
Public Health, Social Work, and Crisis Support in Japan | Tokyo, Japan
Rainforest Eco-Tourism, Organic Farming, and Research in India | Madikeri, Karnataka, India
Social Work and Human Rights in Singapore | Singapore, Singapore
Social Work and Public Health Practicums in Ghana | Accra, Ghana
Sustainability and Environmental Policy in Barcelona | Barcelona, Spain
Sustainability and Humanitarian Issues in Japan | Tokyo, Japan
Udayan Care | New Delhi, India
Vietnam Virtual Internships | Vietnam
Zero Waste Field Studies | Turrialba, Costa Rica