Sonoma State University
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Criminology & Criminal Justice Studies

School of Social Sciences

Internships

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies requires all CCJS majors to complete 180 hours of CCJS 499 (Internship). We have partnered with many organizations and agencies to give our students the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real work situations and find out if a particular career path suits their interests.

If you are planning to start your internship soon, check out the available internship positions on our Internship and Employment Opportunities for Students page. If you do not find anything that interests you, our department Interim Internship Coordinator (23-24 Academic Year), Dr. Bryan Burton, can also help you identify other internship opportunities that suit your personal goals. 

Before contacting the Internship Coordinator, please review the information below on the internship requirement.  You will also find the answers to the questions we get asked the most at the bottom of this page.  

 

Things to Know about the Internship

The following are the important things that students need to know about the internship:

  1. Students cannot add CCJS 499 to their own class schedule.  University staff add CCJS 499 to the class schedule after students have submitted a completed Internship Agreement (PDF) form (i.e. filled out and signed by the student and the on-site supervisor) to the Internship Coordinator.
  2. Students can still enroll in CCJS 499 even if they have already registered for the maximum units set for the term.  There is no need to file a Petition to Take Additional Units. 
  3. Students need to get the completed Internship Agreement form approved by the Internship Coordinator before starting their internship. A TBA internship is not considered approved until the Internship Coordinator has received the revised and completed Internship Agreement form. Students will not receive any credit for the internship if they start without an approved Internship Agreement form.  
  4. Students need to set up an internship well in advance of the semester if they wish to finish it in the same semester they enroll for it.  Students must also indicate if they are graduating in the same semester. 
  5. Students who do not complete their internship in the same semester they enroll for it will be given an Incomplete in CCJS 499. The internship must be completed within a year from the time the Incomplete was assigned.

Internship Requirements

The following are the internship requirements:

  1. Attend the mandatory informational meeting at the start of the semester you plan to begin your internship. The department announces the schedule of the meeting in the first week of the semester. If you have previously registered for CCJS 499 and received an Incomplete, you do not need to attend the mandatory informational meeting.
  2. Complete the Internship Agreement (PDF) form and have it signed by the on-site supervisor.
  3. Submit the completed Internship Agreement form to the Internship Coordinator for approval. Students need to get the completed Internship Agreement form approved by the Internship Coordinator before starting their internship.
  4. Complete the 180 hours of service required for the internship.
  5. Maintain a reflective internship journal.
  6. Keep an internship time log to record the number of hours completed at the internship placement.
  7. Write a 3-4 page, typed and double spaced summary of your internship experience.
  8. Complete the Final Internship Evaluation upon completion of internship.   

Internship Forms

Internship Agreement (PDF)- Use this form when you are ready to start your internship. Complete the Internship Agreement form and have it signed by your on-site supervisor.  Submit the completed Internship Agreement form to the Internship Coordinator for approval. 

Request an Incomplete - Use this form if you are unable to complete the required 180 hours in the semester you begin your internship.

Internship FAQs

Yes and No.  Under certain situations, you can repeat CCJS 499 one time for a total of 8 units, but -

  • You can only do one internship per semester at only one site.
  • You can repeat an internship in a different semester and at a different site, or at the same site as your earlier internship but with substantially different duties.

CCJS 499 is normally added during the Add/Drop period. Notify the Internship Coordinator about your situation and it will be added asap. 

You are not given a permission number. You cannot add CCJS 499 to your class schedule. It is added to your schedule by university staff after you have submitted a completed Internship Agreement (PDF) form (i.e. filled out and signed by the student and the on-site supervisor) to the Internship Coordinator.

You are not alone. Many students feel the same way. Often times students have limited job experience and don't know what they are interested in or what they would be good at. It has been said that half of the job of doing an internship is figuring out what interests you/what your passion is, and then figuring out where/how you can best serve society. Volunteering is one way to find the answer to these kinds of questions (about yourself & available opportunities).

Our Internship & Employment Opportunities for Students page regularly posts internship opportunities, so you might find something there that interests you. Our Internship Coordinator can also help you identify other internship opportunities that fit your personal goals. 

Read the Things to Know about Intership and the Intership Requirements section of our Internships page to learn about the internship process and requirements. Attend the mandatory informational meeting on internship at the start of the semester.

No. If you cannot complete your internship during a semester that you enrolled in CCJS 499, you can fill out the Request for an Incomplete form.  Your internship must be completed within a year from the time the Incomplete was assigned.  You do not to enroll in CCJS 499 again while you are completing your intership.

If you fail to complete your internship within a year from the time the Incomplete was assigned, the grade will automatically be changed from an "I" to a "NC" or No Credit. An NC can only be changed for serious and compelling reason.

Yes.  CCJS 499 can be taken to meet CCJS minor requirements.

No, transfer students cannot begin their internship until they are enrolled at SSU and classes have begun. 

CCJS 499 (Internship) may be waived for students currently or previously employed in a criminal justice or related field, but it must be substituted with another 4-unit CCJS elective.  Check with the Internship Coordinator if you qualify for waiver of the internship requirement. 

You can enroll in CCJS 499 and start your internship as soon as you have reached junior status (60 units). Remember that you cannot add CCJS 499 to your class schedule. It is added to your schedule by university staff after you have submitted a completed Internship Agreement (PDF) form (i.e. filled out and signed by the student and the on-site supervisor) to the Internship Coordinator.