Overlapping your internship experience and research project

Does my internship and research project have to be related? Most students meet their USP Senior Sequence research requirement (i.e., a 25 page scholarly thesis, scientific poster and video) by doing what we call “scholarship of engagement”. In such instances, the student collaborates with their internship supervisor to co-design an investigative strategy (e.g., case study, evaluation, survey, ethnography, policy analysis) that tackles a topic deemed useful to the organization providing the placement. One student, for example, did their internship for a community gardening organization. The student helped the organization create a community garden newsletter and contact database. In addition to doing these ordinary tasks, the student also completed a civically engaged scholarly thesis, poster and video focused on the economics of food in poor communities. But your internship placements does not necessarily have to involve research. You and your internship placement supervisor are free to work out a plan that suits your needs best. The following three slides suggest that you can relate your research and internship from none to extensively.

Internship Research Project Model A

Internship Research Project Model B

Internship, Research Project Model C