CSC399 - Internship
Internship Coordinator: Dimitris Papamichail
COVID-19 UPDATE:
To accommodate students that may be planning to register in CSC 399 in the Fall for a summer internship, we are making the following changes to the internship requirements:
1. Although the 200-hour work requirement remains, work does not need to be on-site.
2. The on-site visit will be conducted virtually (via teleconference) in all cases.
Background
For the purposes of this course, an internship is an applied
experience. That means that the student must apply what she/he has
learned in the classroom.
Students can (and are encouraged to) pursue job opportunities,
independent of whether they receive college credit for them. Below you
can find information about the requirements and process to enroll in
our internship course, CSC399.
You cannot register for CSC399 through PAWS.
You have to fulfill the requirements listed below and follow the
process described below.
The department offers the option to register in CSC399 in the Fall for
an internship taken in the summer.
Requirements
- Attendance of a single internship information session (offered once or twice
per semester, watch for announcements)
- Minimum GPA of 2.5
- Course prerequisites: CSC 325, 335, 345 and 415
- Permission of Department
- Internship requirements:
- Minimum 200 hours of work (on-site, remote, or combination)
- Work applies and/or extends classroom experience
- Appropriate professional oversight/management and mentoring
provided
- On-site visit
- Upon completion:
- Comprehensive end-of-experience report (20 pages, double-spaced)
- Poster presentation (see hallways)
- Reflective 2-page essay on professional development / life-long
learning
Please read carefully the following:
The Process
Step 1: Attend an internship information session
Internship information sessions are offered twice in each of the Fall
and Spring semesters. Announcements are made starting approximately a
month within the semester. Slides can be found here.
Step 2: Find an internship
While the department attempts to promote and locate internship
opportunities for its students, you are ultimately responsible for
obtaining the internship. There are many methods to secure an
internship including the following approaches:
- Access Handshake and other resources at the Career
Center
- Check on-line sources such as NJ.com,
Monster.com, Indeed.com, Internships.com, Craigslist, etc.
- Talk to friends and associates about companies near your home and
the campus
- Email the HR department of a company and inquire if they seek
interns
- Participate in hackathons, competitions, open source projects and
communities
Step
3: Apply for and register in CSC399
Once these documents
are reviewed and approved by the department, they will be forwarded to
the Assistant Dean of the School of Science for further review and
approval, after which Records and Registration will register you for
the course.
OVERLOAD: If you plan to overload on the semester you are registering
for CSC399, you will have to fill a Request
for Increase in Maximum Course Load and deliver to the CS
Department Chair.
DEADLINES: Please submit all documentation as early as possible. For
summer internships for which you plan to register in the Fall,
documentation should be received by May 15th. You are not guaranteed
registration in CSC399 in the Fall if you submit your material after
May 31st.
Step 4: On site experience and visit
Try to achieve internship goals as early as possible. Keep track of
your activities and update a working copy of your Internship Report.
Site Visit:
- You are responsible for arranging and coordinating the site visit
(including scheduling, parking, access, directions, etc.)
- Approximately one week prior to the visit you have to submit by
email a one-page update/summary, approved by your supervisor
- For summer internships the visit usually takes place in late June
/ early July
- Usually lasts 60-90 minutes
- For internship locations ouside the driving range a
teleconference will need to be arranged and scheduled.
Step 5: Deliverables - Report, Essay, Presentation
If you perform your internship in the summer and register for CSC399 in
the Fall, you are required to deliver electronic copies of the Internship
Report, the Poster, and the Reflective essay before the first day of classes in the
Fall.
FAQs
Does my internship qualify for CSC399
credit if unpaid?
Receiving payment is not one of the requirements for registering in
CSC399.
Can I register in CSC399 during a
Summer session, Winter session, Spring semester, etc.?
You can register during any period during which requirements can be fulfilled, and the process remains the same.
For any semester/session other than the Fall, please contact the
internship coordinator for more information about feasibility, timeline, and
deadlines.
I am uncertain of the eligibility of
my internship offer for CSC399 credit. How do I find out?
Please read carefully the requirements above. If in doubt, please
contact the internship coordinator by email, visit during office hours,
or request an appointment. Be ready to provide a detailed description
of internship job responsibilities and mentoring plan.
I need to graduate and have not taken
one or more of the prerequisite courses. Can I still apply for CSC399?
Requests to waive prerequisites are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Be prepared to justify the reason you have not satisfied the
prerequisite requirements before your senior year.