UNCG Internships - So What is an Internship Anyway?

SO WHAT IS AN INTERNSHIP ANYWAY?
(or frequently used terms describing experiential learning opportunities)
Sometimes just using the same definitions for experiential learning opportunities can be a challenge. Here are the definitions agreed upon by the ACUOPS subcommittee on Internships as part of their 2001-2002 Task Force on Internships. The definition for internships has also been approved by the UNCG Curriculum Committee and is the official University definition.

Experiential Learning: Learning that takes place through direct experience/contact with a business, non-profit agency, in an on or off-campus setting usually outside of a classroom, laboratory, or other structured university learning environment. Experiential learning includes a wide range of opportunities, such as internships, practica, and service learning. It can also be described as a process through which the student reflects upon an applied experience and from that reflection gains new insights and learning.

Internship/Practicum: Any career-related, supervised learning experience of limited duration in which an individual takes on a responsible role in a setting outside the traditional university environment. The setting may be a non-profit organization, a government office, or a private/public, for-profit business. An internship may last for a month, several months, or a year; be paid or voluntary; be taken for academic credit or not; be full-time or part-time. (Ideally an internship should include a process of engagement, learning, and reflection.)

Internship/Practicum Course: A structured, supervised internship activity related to a student’s academic program that provides academic credit. An internship course has specific learning objectives, requires specific projects or assignments, includes supervision by both the employer and a faculty supervisor, and includes periodic and/or a final evaluation of the student and a grade determined by the faculty supervisor (with input from the on-site supervisor).

Practicum: A part-time supervised training/exposure opportunity. Placement is usually part of a specific course rather than part of a broader program of study (i.e., an accounting major) with an intention of illustrating practical application of a theory being studied in the course. Typically a practicum requires fewer hours than an internship. The term “practicum” is sometimes used synonymously with “internship”.

Co-op: A co-op experience integrates participation in a work environment related to the student’s major with alternating semesters of coursework. Co-ops are most often used in applied areas of study, i.e., engineering, sciences.

Service Learning: Service Learning is a pedagogy that integrates explicit academic learning objectives, preparation, and reflection with meaningful service in the community.