Internship Overview

CS 497 - Internship

CS DEPARTMENT School of Science & Technology Sonoma State University
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Internship Objectives

To provide an opportunity for the student to apply his/her senior level computer science course training in a "real world" work environment.

Prerequisites

The student must be within 30 units of completion of the CS major. Generally, students are expected to have completed their lower division computer science coursework and CS 315 (Data Structures).

Units and Grading

Two units. Credit/No credit grading option only.

General CS 497 Requirements The internship is not just a job but also a form of instruction. It must provide close supervision and significant training. An internship is intended to provide a new experience to the student. Previous work experience or work that the student has already been performing for a long time do not meet the objectives of the internship. The work involved in the internship should be at a level equivalent to upper division coursework (i.e., work that can be done by a student without the knowledge of lower division computer science coursework is not suitable for internship credit). The starting date of the internship does not have to coincide with the start of the semester; however, approval for the internship must be received no later than the deadline for contract courses (about three weeks after the start of the semester). An Internship Agreement Form must be completed and signed by all parties (on-site supervisor, faculty instructor, student, Department Chair, and School Dean) before beginning internship hours. The hours of service required to receive credit (Credit/No credit grading only): 2 units (x 45 hours per unit) = 90 hours. Students must submit bi-weekly progress reports. See the discussion below on "Bi-weekly Progress Reports".

What to Do

Find an employer/organization/agency who is willing to provide internship training.
With the collaboration of the on-site supervisor, complete the Internship Agreement form through Part A. This portion provides details on:
1. The employer/organization/agency.
2. The name and title of the on-site supervisor.
3. Te term, schedule and planned hours.
4. The objectives of the internship.
5. The duties, responsibilities, projects, etc. to be performed.
6. The amount and type of training/orientation provided.
7. The process of evaluation by the supervisor.
Sign the form and obtain the on-site supervisor's signature.
Submit the Internship Agreement form to Prof. Stauffer, the CS faculty internship coordinator, for completion of the Part B of the Internship Agreement form. This will note the required submission of bi-weekly written progress reports, (submitted in person or via email to Prof. Stauffer) as well as any additional requirements specific to the internship. See below for more on the bi-weekly progress reports. Also, the CS Internship Evaluation Form must be completed at the end of the internship. The evaluation form will be kept in a binder so other students can read about others' internship experiences.
Submit the completed Internship Agreement form with all signatures to Admissions and Records before the applicable deadline in order to add the internship to your schedule.
Deliver a copy of the completed agreement to your on-site supervisor.

Bi-weekly Progress Reports

The written progress reports must be submitted every two weeks to Prof. Stauffer, the CS internship coordinator. The reports must address:

What the student has accomplished during the past two weeks.
Any problems that have arisen.
What the student plans to accomplish for the next two weeks.

FAQs

Q: Does the department find internships for students?
A: Generally, no. The student must find an employer who is willing to provide an internship. However, CS faculty and the department are often notified of internship opportunities so it is helpful to let your instructors know you are interested in an internship and to check out postings in the department office and on the department website.

Q: How do I find an internship?
A: There are a number of ways to go about finding an internship. Notify CS faculty that you are interested in an internship so that any opportunity can be passed on to you. Check the SSU Jobs link. The Sonoma County Internship Program publishes a monthly bulletin of internships, paid and unpaid. You may approach a company or organization that you would like to work with and develop an internship on your own. Many current CS students are working and may know of possible internships. Let your classmates know you are looking. The SSU Career Center maintains a listing of local internships. The Job Connection and MonsterTrak programs administered by the SSU Career Center may also help in finding agencies seeking interns.

Q: What forms need to be completed?
A: You must complete an Internship Agreement Form. It requires information on the specifics of the internship and must be completed by the student in consultation with the on-site supervisor and the CS faculty internship coordinator. The form requires signatures from the student, the on-site supervisor, the CS faculty internship coordinator, the CS Department Chair and the School Dean.

Q: When is the Internship Agreement Form due?
A: Although the starting date of the internship does not have to coincide with the start of the semester, the Internship Agreement Form must be submitted to Admissions and Records by the posted deadline for contract courses.

Additional Policies and Procedures

Additional policies and procedures affecting students, including the add/drop policy, cheating and plagarism policy, grade appeal policy, access to programs for students with disabilities, and the SSU statement on diversity are available online at http://www.sonoma.edu/uaffairs/policies/studentinfo.shtml.