Internship Opportunities

In addition to traditional courses, criminal justice students also have the opportunity to participate in an internship. Internships, serve to supplement your course work, by providing you with a real world work experience in a criminal justice agency. Students may complete internships with law enforcement agencies, prisons, probation/parole agencies, and prosecutor offices, just to name a few. Internships may be completed in the Shippensburg area, your home town, or even a different state. The Department of Criminal Justice has worked with hundreds of various agencies and will most likely be able to help you get placed in a type of agency you hope to pursue as a career.

Students can receive credit equivalent to up to four courses while participating in an internship, meaning you can work towards completing your degree and get hands-on experience at the same time! Each internship credit is defined as being the equivalent of a 40-hour workweek. Therefore, for every internship credit scheduled, you must work 40 hours (i.e., 3 credits = 120 hours; 6 credits = 240 hours; 9 credits = 360 hours; and 12 credits = 480 hours). Students may complete an internship during the Fall, Spring, or Summer semesters. In order to qualify for an internship, undergraduate students must have earned 60 credits and have a 2.0 QPA. Graduate students must have earned 9 credits and have a 3.0 QPA. (Graduate students are limited to a maximum of 6 internship credits). If you have any questions about internships, please direct them to the Department Chair.

Internship Application Process

1.) Secure approval for internship with a criminal justice agency: Students are encouraged to seek out agencies with which they are interested in interning. If you are unable to find a suitable agency, the department can provide you some guidance. You are also encouraged to review the agencies list provided in the resources below.

2.) Apply for the following:

a. Criminal Background Check: PA State Police Records Request

Instructions for PA Criminal Background Check

b. Child Abuse Clearance: PA Clearance Records Request

Instructions for PA Child Abuse Clearance

3.) Complete SU Internship Application Form:

Undergraduate Internship Application Form

Graduate Internship Application Form

4.) Sign the Internship Contract after reading through the Internship Handbook and Internship Syllabus, which can be located under the Internship Requirements section:

Internship Student Contract

5.) Submit All Materials to Department Secretary (321 Shippen Hall): This includes a letter from internship site supervisor indicating you have been approved to intern with their agency, Internship Application, Criminal Background Check and Child Abuse Clearance (All materials must be submitted together.) ONCE YOUR INTERNSHIP APPLICATION HAS BEEN APPROVED, THE DEPARTMENT SECRETARY WILL REGISTER YOU FOR THE COURSE. (YOU ARE UNABLE TO REGISTER YOURSELF FOR THE INTERNSHIP.)

The deadline to submit internship applications for Spring, is November 1. The Deadline for Summer/Fall applications is April 1. Please submit all internship paperwork via email to Bonnie Heming at bghemi@ship.edu.

Scheduling and Payment of Internship Credits

Fall/Spring/Summer Internship Credits: Internship credits are included on the bill with Fall/ Spring/Summer courses. Students will be registered for their internships by the Department when all approvals are completed. You will be notified of your academic advisor via your Ship e-mail.

During the first week of your internship you must notify the Criminal Justice Department at crimjust@ship.edu or (717) 477-1558 and contact your assigned internship advisor to them know you started the internship.

Internship Requirements

When beginning the internship, you will be assigned two supervisors: an agency supervisor and an academic advisor. The agency supervisor is the agency employee assigned to you by the agency for field supervision. They are responsible for assigning and monitoring students' day-to-day activities while working with their agency. The academic advisor will be assigned by the department chair and may not be the faculty member you see for schedule advising. They are responsible for reviewing the academic components of the internship and assigning the student's grade. The central requirements for students during the internship can be found in the file below.

Internship Student Handbook

Internship Syllabus