GEOS 499
INTERNSHIP
Catalog Entry
GEOS 499. Internship. (T)
Credit Hours (2-9).
Application of skills and concepts learned in classroom to a real life problem. As a junior or senior, participating student drafts and submits a work proposal to sponsoring agency and supervising instructor. Agency may pay student for work. Grade of "P" or "F" given upon successful completion of project.
Detailed Description of Content of the Course
Contacts with city, county, and regional planning departments/commissions, as well as with the U.S. Geological Survey, the Virginia State Water Resources Board and others, indicate a willingness on the part of those agencies to accept out interns provided there are definite projects to be accomplished and payment to the intern is neither required nor extravagant. Each student will be supervised directly by a faculty member who will also be available to the student and the sponsoring agency for consultation. Actual assignments have a vast array of possibilities. Each project will vary in content and assignments. Projects suggested by sponsors include the following:
1. Analyze the adequacy of fire protection in a multicounty region.
2. Do a survey of city subdivision ordinances and make specific recommendation for
improvements.
3. Construct digital and/or analog maps of land use changes through examination of
aerial photographs, grounded studies, and interviews.
4. Learn all aspects of work performed throughout the various divisions of a federal
agency.
5. Participate in and conduct water sampling in a specific geographic area to help
develop policies and/or regulations pertaining to the use of drinking water.
Detailed Description of Conduct of the Course
The course emphasizes the application of skills and concepts learned in classrooms to real life problems. The student and the sponsoring agency are required to handle the internship like any employment situation with appropriate responsibilities for each party. Furthermore, it is expected from the sponsoring agency to provide agency 1specific job training for projects which the sponsoring agency has an interest in. The student, the sponsoring agency, and the instructor will remain in regular communication with each other throughout the semester to assess progress on the project(s).
Goals and Objectives of the Course
The goals of this course are as following:
1. the student will experience a real-world situation inwhich geographic learning
and skills are applied
2. the student will apply knowledge gained in other courses
3. the student will gain first-hand experience about that type of employment to be
able to judge if it suits the student's aspirations
4. the student will gain real-life employment experience to help the student in his
future search for employment after graduation.
Assessment Measures
Assessment of the student's success in the course is based on the performance rating provided by the sponsoring agency. This includes a completion of the assignment(s) as well as the student's performance as an employee in good standing.
Other Course Information
NONE.
APPROVAL AND SUBSEQUENT REVIEWS
DATE ACTION APPROVED BY
September 2005 Reviewed Bernd H. Kuennecke
February, 2010