Criminal Justice Internship Information
To complete the internship, the student must attend an internship meeting held the semester prior to the internship. The Internship Coordinator will announce the internship meeting, date, time, and location two to three weeks in advance. All criminal justice students will be notified by buff email about the meeting. Additionally, flyers will be posted in Old Main, and the Criminal Justice faculty will also announce the internship meeting in their classes.
Students attending this meeting will be given an intern data sheet to complete. The Internship Coordinator will go over the internship locations, the course syllabus, and requirements. Students will then list their first, second, and third choices concerning where they would like to complete the internship. The Internship Coordinator will then contact the Agency Coordinator to arrange an internship interview for the student. If successful, the Agency Coordinator will give the intern a start date. Prior to the student’s interview at the agency, the student must also complete a letter of application and have a current resume. Both of these items must be sent to the Internship Coordinator for approval before sending them to the intern’s potential agency. Background checks will also be completed prior to completing the internship. If you have a Class B conviction or higher, you cannot complete the internship, and other accommodations will be made for you.
The Internship Coordinator will enroll the students in the Capstone Internship course. Prior to starting the internship, the student will complete a waiver form which must be notarized. A copy will be given to the Internship Coordinator and the Agency Coordinator. The student will also complete an agency log while completing the internship. Using the agency log, the student will list the hours they completed at the agency. At the end of the internship, 240 hours, the student will have the Agency Coordinator sign the agency log. The student will then complete a 12- 15 page, double-spaced, personal reflection paper. Lastly, the student will contact the Internship Coordinator to arrange for an exit interview, where they will turn in the daily written log, agency log, and personal reflection paper.
Students completing the internship will also need to read and sign an ethics statement regarding their performance and conduct at the intern agency. If the student’s conduct violates the ethics statement, they will not pass the internship course, and they will need to take other courses to fulfill their degree requirements.
Any questions concerning the Internship Capstone Course should be directed to the Internship Coordinator, Dawn Marie Jordan djordan@wtamu.edu, or the Criminal Justice Program Director, Dr. Brandon L. Bang bbang@wtamu.edu.