Academics
Undergraduate Internships
The Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Undergraduate Internship Program offers Women鈥檚, Gender, and Sexuality Studies majors and minors, and minors in Queer & Sexuality Studies a supervised learning experience in a community/professional setting connected to class credit toward graduation.
Students enroll in WST 4940 Internship in Women鈥檚 & Gender Studies but the heart of the internship experience takes place beyond the classroom -- working directly on-site with an internship site for the entire semester. The internship experience allows students to develop their intellectual understandings of issues related to women, gender, feminism, and social justice while actively developing their own valuable skill sets under the direct supervision of someone in their field of interest. Individual and group meetings with the Dr. Wendland throughout the semester provide the classroom context for thinking about social justice, the role of non-profit agencies in American culture, and professionalization issues.
IS THE INTERNSHIP FOR CREDIT? DOES IT COUNT TOWARD GRADUATION?
The internship is a credit-bearing course (WST 4940 Internship in Women's and Gender Studies) and counts as an elective for the WGSS major or minor or for the Queer & Sexuality Studies minor. Students get valuable career experience while moving forward toward graduation. The internship course is like any other course at USF, requiring enrollment and payment of tuition and fees. For more information visit the .
WHERE DO STUDENTS INTERN?
Rather than slotting students in to pre-determined placement sites, students are matched with internship sites based on their particular interests, career goals, and skill sets. Placements run the gamut from national positions with organizations like The Trevor Project to specialized placements with local law firms or small businesses. Planned Parenthood, Equality Florida, and The Centre for Women are common placement sites but almost any career path and interest can be accommodated.
CAN STUDENTS CHOOSE THEIR OWN INTERNSHIP SITE?
Yes! In fact, if students already know a particular organization with which they want to intern they can speak with the internship director, who will contact the organization and set up the placement.
HOW MUCH TIME DOES THE INTERNSHIP REQUIRE?
An internship generally requires about the same amount of time you鈥檇 be expected to put into a regular three-credit course. Actual days and hours for the internship depend on the individual student and the internship placement site, but can accommodate student鈥檚 class, work, and family schedules.
WHY SHOULD STUDENTS CONSIDER AN INTERNSHIP?
Internships build your resume and demonstrate that you can balance multiple obligations at once. You鈥檒l get real life experience with a mentor who knows your skills and goals. You鈥檒l get a chance to figure out what careers and jobs fit your goals and which ones don鈥檛. You鈥檒l meet people in your field who may be able to serve as references for you. Some internships even lead to paid positions.
WHAT IF I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS OR I鈥橫 NOT SURE IF THE WGSS UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IS FOR ME?
Contact Dr. Milton Wendland. He鈥檚 happy to answer all of your questions, brainstorm options, and see if an internship fits your needs and goals.