Course Syllabus

OLE 1997 Outdoor Leadership Internship I

Course Description

This course is designed to provide hands-on, field-based work experiences in outdoor leadership & entrepreneurship. Internships provide an opportunity for students to link theory with practice. Internships are also designed to help students network with professionals increasing their opportunities to receive full-time employment after graduation and provide resume-worthy experience. Internships can introduce students to multiple professions within the broad field of outdoor leadership, helping them narrow down their specific areas of interest early on in their college experience. Internships are temporary, on-the-job experiences intended to help students identify how their studies in the classroom apply to the workplace. Internships can be paid or volunteer with a business, organization, or government agency and are individually arranged by the student in collaboration with a faculty member and a supervisor at the workplace.
This course is repeatable for up to 6 credits, with no more than 3 credits per semester. Each credit requires 45 clock hours of internship experience. Internships are typically pass/fail credits. Students desiring a grade will need to negotiate a contract with significant academic work beyond the actual work experience.

Justification

An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate them.” (NACE Definition, NACEweb.org)

As such, internships provide students opportunities to explore career options through an engaged setting, they help students apply academic materials and skill to practical work situations, they provide valuable professional experience, and they develop interpersonal skills.

Students who participate in internship opportunities secure work more quickly and are promoted more rapidly than students who do not. Often internships work well as capstone courses. All USHE institutions offer internship opportunities to their students.

Students at Snow can enroll in up to 3 internship credits in an academic semester. No more than 6 credits can count toward the associate’s degree. Duplicate experience for additional credit is not allowed.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will understand and apply classroom material to a professional work situation.
2. Develop interpersonal skills by negotiating with faculty and supervisors as they design an internship contract.
3. Students will develop professionalism by developing self-initiative, time management skills, effective communication skills, punctuality, and professional conduct.
4. Students will connect something from the internship environment back to the outdoor industry.
5. Students will discover educational and practical experience needed for outdoor-related careers.
6. Students will network with outdoor professionals.

Course Content

This will be determined collaboratively by the student, faculty mentor, and job supervisor. The internship contract uses a student’s academic and professional interests to serve as the intellectual starting points for developing a project. Together the student, faculty advisor, and worksite supervisor will design a project that meets the following criteria:

1) Aligns with the student’s academic program,
2) Offers the student an opportunity to significantly expand their current knowledge and skill set; and
3) Aligns with the student’s professional pursuits.

To qualify for an internship, a student must be in good academic standing (2.0 GPA); have completed 30 semester hours or have instructor permission; and ideally have completed coursework that relates to the work experience.