Department Policy on Directed Study Credit for Internships

Guidelines for Granting Credit for Internships under Directed Reading/Directed Study Courses (PolSci 199/698/699)
Adopted March 20, 2002

In the interests of minimizing confusion and ensuring coherence and uniformity regarding Directed Study credit for internships, the Undergraduate Committee has provided the following guidelines.

Preliminary Considerations

The L&S Policy Manual says:

Credit is earned in the College of Letters and Science by completing courses with academic content. L&S does not allow students to receive credit for internships. In some cases, students in internships may also register in the College for a course related to that internship. Credit may be received for that course. Some L&S departments offer "internship" courses that provide theoretical grounding and academic content in addition to work done in an internship. Students may also use academic material relating to an internship as part of the required work for a directed study course. (L&S Policy Manual, 2001-2002, 206, emphasis added)

According to the L&S Undergraduate Catalog,

Directed Study offers the student an opportunity to work with a faculty member on an individual study program. Directed Study courses (198/199, 298/299, 698/699) are made available by departments on the basis of a student's preparation and motivation and a faculty member's willingness to accept the student in such an endeavor.

A student who is stimulated by a particular concept or problem encountered in a course can pursue and develop that interest in depth through a Directed Study project. Programs of Directed Study can make a valuable contribution to a student's educational experience.

Prior to registration and before the end of the second week of classes, students are responsible for making all arrangements with the faculty member who agrees to direct their work (emphasis added). The student and faculty member should prepare a study plan, determine the time and place for regular meetings, the number of credits to be earned, and how to register for the course.

Directed Study courses with a number ending in 98 (for instance, 198, 698) are carried on a Credit/No Credit (Cr/N) basis. No grades are awarded for these courses. The student earns credit for the course if the instructor is satisfied with the work the student has performed. If not, there is no Failure; the student simply is not awarded any credit for the course. Not all departments offer Directed Study courses on a Cr/N basis. Courses ending in 99 are graded. All Directed Study courses (graded or not) count toward the maximum number of credits that may be counted in the major if taken in the major department. (UW Undergraduate Catalog, 2001-2003, 262)

Note that it is the academic content for the Directed Study, not the internship itself, which receives credit. Thus, students should not be receiving credit based on the number of hours spent in the internship unless the duties of the internship are such that they will add to the academic content of the internship (e.g., the internship provides an opportunity for a participant/ observer research project).

The department has adopted three Directed Study courses:

199 Directed Study. 2 cr. Prereq: Fr and So. Consent of instructor; prior course in political science.

698 Directed Study. 1-4 cr. Prereq: Jr or Sr st. Graded on Cr/N basis; requires written cons inst. (Advanced level)

699 Directed Study. 1-4 cr. Prereq: Jr or Sr st. Graded on lettered basis; requires written cons inst. (Advanced level)

Guidelines for Granting Credit for Internships

The Undergraduate Committee discussed the issue of Directed Study credit for internships and has agreed that if members of the faculty wish to sponsor Directed Study courses in these cases, these courses should contain academic content. The responsibility for arranging the internship, contacting the faculty member to plan the academic component and to work out registration for the course, and completing the work, rests with the student. The faculty member and the student will come to an agreement on the number of credits for the Directed Study.

As a guide, the Committee suggests the following requirements for Directed Study credit for an internship:

1. A letter from the internship supervisor at the beginning of the semester confirming the internship and indicating number of hours to be spent at the internship and the duties that will be required. To be eligible for credit, the internship must involve more than performing clerical duties (i.e., filing, stuffing envelopes, etc.). A letter must also be received at the end of the semester (no later than the last day of scheduled classes) from the supervisor evaluating the intern's performance and outlining the duties actually performed. These letters are to be placed in the student's file.
2. Internships may be completed under the course number PolSci 698, which is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.
3. Students can receive 1 credit of PolSci698 for an internship requiring an average of at least 10 hrs/week over the semester where the academic component is a paper (typically on the order of 10 pages in length) requiring the student to integrate the internship experience with previous coursework in political science.
4. Students may receive 2 credits of PolSci 698 for internships requiring an average of at least 10 hrs/wk over the semester and where the academic component includes a set of readings in addition to a paper (typically on the order of 20 pages in length) integrating the readings and the internship experience
5. Students may receive 3 credits of PolSci 698 for internships requiring an average of at least 10 hrs/wk over the semester and where the academic component includes both a set of readings and a substantial research paper (typically on the order of 30 pages in length).
6. Students may not enroll in 698 or 699 in a way that duplicates credit being received for the Legislative Internship course (PolSci 427) or Washington Internship (PolSci 478)...
7. PolSci 698 and PolSci 699 are included as upper-level credit in the major; there is a limit of 5 credits of PolSci 199/698/699 that can count toward the major. PolSci 199 and PolSci 699 are both graded on a letter basis (A-F) and PolSci 698 is graded Cr/N.