COURSE OVERVIEW

The purpose of this internship is to provide Sociology majors and minors with an opportunity (a) to apply sociological knowledge and skills in a practical setting and (b) to obtain additional knowledge and skills in preparation for professional work or graduate school.

The internship consists of supervised work in a social service agency or other type of organization. Students should develop a work schedule with their supervisor as soon as possible and provide me with a copy of that schedule. Please include the name, business phone and address of your supervisor. During Drop/Add week, please have your supervisor send me a brief note confirming that you have been accepted as an intern. The note should describe broadly the nature of your work and specify the number of hours/weeks you are expected to work during the Spring semester.

Your internship must be unpaid. Subject to agency requirements, students should arrange to work 13 weeks between January 22 and April 30, 2007. The amount of work required is as follows:

• 4 credit hours = 10 hours/week (130 hours total)
• 8 credit hours = 20 hours/week (260 hours total)
• 12 credit hours = 30 hours/week (390 hours total)

COURSE ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES

Do not enroll in the internship program during pre-registration. To receive a permission number to enroll during Drop/Add, please provide me with the following information:

• The name and address of your internship site
• The name and email of your supervisor
• The schedule for your internship hours
• A brief email from your supervisor confirming your internship and hours

You can provide me with this information via email (tdowd@emory.edu) or via a hardcopy in my department mailbox (225 Tarbutton Hall).

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1) ATTENDANCE AT TWO SEMINARS: We will meet as a group once in the middle of the semester and once at the end. At both seminars meetings, each participant in the internship program will offer a brief paper presentation (see #3 below). I have scheduled these seminars for the following dates.

• First Seminar Meeting: We will meet on Monday, February 26th from 6 to 8:00 pm. I will announce our meeting room later in the semester.

• Second Seminar Meeting: We will meet on Monday, April 23rd from 6 to 8:00 pm. Once again, I will announce our meeting room later in the semester.

2) COMPLETION OF TWO RESEARCH PAPERS: Each participant in the internship program will complete two papers during the semester. The first paper is worth 20% of your final grade, and the second paper is worth 40% of your final grade. The remaining 40% of your final grade depends on your supervisor’s evaluation (see #4 below).

• Page Limits: The first paper is to be approximately 10 pages in length. The length of the second paper depends on the number of credit hours. For those interns receiving 4 credit hours, the paper should be about 15-20 pages long; for 8 credit hours, about 25-30 pages; for 12 credit hours, about 35-40 pages.

• Due Dates: The first paper is due at the beginning of our first seminar meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, February 26th at 6:00.

The second paper has two due dates. An initial outline of the paper is due on Monday, March 19th by 5:00 pm. The final version is due at the beginning of our second seminar meeting, which scheduled for Monday, April 23rd at 6:00.

Note that I do not accept late papers.

• Format: For both papers, please follow the standard rules about documentation and format and do not exceed the page limits.

• Content of the First Research Paper: The first paper should contain the following information:

o A brief history and overview of your organization (2 pages).

o A systematic discussion of the services the organization provides. Include, if appropriate, the organization's "mission" or purpose, the number and types of clients served, and any data on the success or effectiveness of the organization or the specific program/aspect in which you are involved. Also, discuss any problems the organization may be facing and its goals for the future (2 pages).

o A systematic discussion of how the organization is structured. Include such things as the number of employees and volunteers (including interns like yourself) and the types of activities in which employees are engaged. Feel free to include an organizational chart.

Depending on the organizational structure and your research interest (see second paper content), you may also wish to comment on the distribution of types of employees at specific levels within the organization's hierarchy (gender, race, etc.).

Also, discuss the relationships between your organization and other relevant organizations in the field or in the local community. For example, if you work for the county prosecutor's office, you may want to discuss relationships with other law enforcement agencies, the court system, and social service agencies (2 pages).

o A detailed discussion of the work you do for the organization (2 pages).

o A discussion of your qualification for this work (experience, academic courses, etc.) and a discussion of the skills and knowledge you will develop in the course of your internship (1 page).

o A description of the issues related to the organization that you find most interesting. This aspect of your paper serves as the foundation for the research question you will pursue for your final paper. Choose your question(s) well. The topic must be sociologically relevant (1 page).

o Please contact me if you are unsure about how to fulfill this or any other requirement.

• Content of the Final Research Paper:

o Consult your supervisor and ask if he or she would like you to write a paper on a particular topic of interest to your organization. You may be asked to write a funding proposal, do an evaluation study, review a specific set of literature, etc.

o If your supervisor has no preference, you may write the research paper on any topic, subject to my approval. Naturally, the ideal research project is somehow related to your substantive/professional areas of interest.

o Ideally, the paper should be based on library research and the analysis of data obtained from the organization or other sources. In that case, make sure you obtain your supervisor's approval to collect data or copy already available information about the organization. In instances where human subjects are involved, please see me about IRB procedures.

o I will be happy to advise you on basic research strategies and on the use of electronic as well as archival databases. It is your responsibility to ask for help when you encounter obstacles.

o Please contact me if you are unsure about how to fulfill this or any other requirement.

3) PRESENTATION OF TWO RESEARCH PAPERS: At both of our seminar meetings, each student will give a 10-minute presentation of her/his paper. The first seminar meeting involves presentations of the first paper, while the second meeting involves presentations of the final research paper.

• Please do not read your paper, but instead prepare a synopsis of the paper.

• It is important that you stay within the 10-minute limit because

o being able to provide a brief and informative summary is a crucial professional skill.

o you do not want to bore the audience or be responsible for your peers having to stay longer than necessary.

o you will benefit from having time to ask questions and discuss your internship experiences and motivations with others in the group.

4) SUPERVISOR EVALUATION: In late April, I will contact your supervisor in writing and ask for a written evaluation of your work as an intern. Please inform your supervisor early on that she or he will be asked to grade you and (if your supervisor wishes to do so) provide a more detailed account concerning your performance. This evaluation will comprise 40% of your final grade.

5) INDIVIDUAL APPOINTMENTS: Each student should meet with me on a regular basis. Please make an appointment ONCE a month (or more often if you feel the need). It is up to you to contact me for these appointments. Talking about the purpose of your internship and possible research directions will benefit you, especially at the beginning of the semester. Failure to meet regularly can negatively affect the final grade.

These appointments will help me see how things are going for you in your internship, and they will help you define your research question and initiate the appropriate literature searches. These appointments will also help you write your papers and prepare for seminar presentations.

If you cannot meet me on campus, I'll be glad to advise you over the phone. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (404) 727-6259, to email me (tdowd@emory.edu) or to make an appointment with me. If I am not available, please leave me an email or voicemail, indicating both where and when I can reach you. Make sure you are available at the times that you indicate to me.

6) REVISIONS: I reserve the right to change the syllabus as well as assignment due dates.