Department of Environmental Sciences

The Requirement

Every student who majors in either Environmental Studies (ENST) or Environmental Sciences (ENSC) is required to perform an internship. The internship must consist of at least 32 hours of educational (i.e., training, one-on-one instruction, mentoring, etc.) embedded within at least 100 hours spent in an environment-related activity.

NOTE: ALL Internships must be approved in advance by Dr. Sigler using the Internship Approval Form. Any activity performed without prior approval will not count  - no exceptions.

A wide range of activities are acceptable, including (but not restricted to) work at an environmental consulting firm, government agency, private industry, non-governmental organization, research laboratory, or research center. Internship approval will be considered by Dr. Sigler only upon receiving your Internship Approval Form.

NOTE: The department does not have a placement system. Each student is responsible for procuring his or her own internship, although feel free to ask relevant faculty for their input about internship ideas.

Once completed, students are required to submit to Dr. Sigler:

1. 1. A letter from the internship sponsor attesting that the internship has been performed satisfactorily and for a minimum of 100 hours; and
   2. A final report of the internship activities (outlined below).

Your Options

Two types of internship are available:

1. Traditional Internship (EEES 4940-001).
Traditional internships are positions that enhance the students learning or understanding of his/her plan of study and can be performed on a volunteer or paid basis. Internships do not utilize DES faculty time. Examples might include a position at a metropark, government agency or zoo.

2. Directed Research (EEES 4910).
If the position utilizes DES faculty time (i.e., a laboratory-based internship or a position at a UToledo center), then the student should sign up for EEES 4910 (Directed Research) under the section number of the faculty member directing the research.

Traditional Internships are completed for 1 hour of course credit, while Directed Research can be completed for 1-5 credit hours (as determined by your research supervisor).

EEES 4940 and 4910 credits cannot be used towards the Area of Concentration for ENST and ENSC majors.

The Final Report

The final report (two pages maximum) must be submitted to Dr. Sigler before a student can graduate. The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics will not clear a student for graduation until the registrar is informed that the internship has been completed and the report received.

IMPORTANT: Final reports that do not include the student's Rocket Number and major (BIOL, BIOM, ENSC or ENST) will not be accepted.

The final report should, at a minimum, include the student’s description of the activities performed, examples of any data or other information gathered, an assessment of new knowledge gained, and should address specifically the following questions:

1. How well did the coursework and other training provided by the Department of Environmental Sciences prepare you for your internship experience?

2. How would you evaluate the success of your internship in terms of (a) improvement of your communication skills, (b) deeper understanding of environmental issues, (c) new techniques learned, (d) contacts made that might prove useful later on in your career, and (e) ways your internship experience could have been improved?

Students are strongly encouraged to keep a daily journal of their experiences during the internship period. This diary will prove invaluable in the preparation of the final internship report.

>> VIEW INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Memo from the Internship Sponsor

A memo confirming that the student completed at least 100 hours of internship activities must be sent from the internship supervisor to Dr. Sigler; an email is fine.

Important:

• Securing an internship is the responsibility of the student. Some starting points are listed in Internship Opportunities.
• In all cases, the student is responsible for emailing the Internship Approval Form to Dr. Sigler one month prior to the planned start of the internship to get approval for their position. Activities completed without prior approval will not count toward the Internship requirement.
• Fellowships or other university-sponsored activities might count toward your internship requirement, as long as the activity allows the student to meet the internship requirements outlined above.
• Internships are performed during the summer between the student’s junior and senior year, so that the student has a command of their plan of study, and a vision (even if still preliminary) of their career path.
• The registrar will be notified of the completed internship only after the (i) internship report, and (ii) memo from the internship sponsor are received. Please note that it will take several days before the registrar is contacted once the materials are received, so allow ample time for this to occur if you are planning to graduate during the semester that the internship is completed.

Send your final report and have your sponsor letter sent to:

von.sigler@utoledo.edu
Dr. Von Sigler 
Dept. of Environmental Sciences, MS#604
University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft St.
Toledo, OH 43606.

Phone: (419) 530-2897