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Undergraduate Programs

Internships

Internship Options in CFD

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McPhaul Center

An internship experience can add greatly to your educational training and career preparation. Internships provide eligible CFD majors with the opportunity to apply their course work in a wide variety of community settings that serve individuals and families. Internships allow students to:

Apply course content to real-life situations
Gain professional experience and develop professional networks
Understand whether a particular career is right for you
Satisfy certification requirements for selected academic or professional programs

Three internship programs are available.

The General Internship program allows students to gain 6, 9, or 12 credit hours through placements in a variety of community settings at the local, state or national level.
The Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) Internship program is open to students pursuing CFLE certification from the National Council on Family Relations. Students are placed in specific sites that provide experience in family life programming. The number of internship hours is determined through consultation with the CFLE Internship Coordinator.
The Early Childhood Internship program is open to students after they have been ACCEPTED into the Child Life emphasis. Students are placed in specific sites that provide experience in early childhood programs for children under six years. The number of internship hours is determined through consultation with the Child Life Coordinator.

Students in the General and CFLE Internship programs must enroll in the one-hour Pre-Internship Course (CHFD 5900) one or two semesters prior to doing their internship. These students must also complete the Internship Advisement Checklist with their CFD advisor before enrolling in CHFD 5900. Separate sections of CHFD 5900 are offered for the General Internship and CFLE Internship Programs. The General Internship 5900 is offered Fall and Spring semesters each year. The CFLE 5900 is offered in the Fall semester only, and must be taken in conjunction with the Family Life Education Methodology course (CHFD 4880). Students in the Early Childhood Internship program do not enroll in CHFD 5900 prior to the internship experience.

To be eligible for the General and CFLE internships, students must have

A minimum of a 2.5 cumulative GPA in the semester in which you register for the Pre-Internship course (CHFD 5900).
Completed CHFD 2100, 2950 (or 2200), 5900 and five additional CHFD classes with a grade of “C” (2.0) or better prior to beginning the internship. (Note: if you have taken BOTH 2200 and 2950, you may count ONE of these courses as part of the five additional courses.)
Completed 60 semester hours prior to beginning the internship.

To be eligible for the Child Life Internship, students must have been formally accepted into the emphasis.

More information on CFD Internships can be found in the General and CFLE Internship Advisement Checklist

*Students are officially ACCEPTED into the Child Life emphasis after going through the application and interview process for the joint UGA/MCG Child Life emphasis program and receiving notification from MCG that the student is ACCEPTED into the program.

General Internship FAQs

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1. What types of internships are available? A variety of internships are possible. All internships must be related to the CFD major and reflect CFD coursework.

2. How will I know what types of internships are available? The CFD Internship Handbook includes a listing of many of the internships that have proven successful in the past. A copy of this information is also available on the CFD website. However, you are not limited to these placements. Some other possible placements in the greater Athens and Atlanta areas can be found by searching the Internet sites that follow. You may already have a particular placement in mind. All requests will be considered during the CHFD 5900 class.

Athens: http://www.communityconnection211.com/
Atlanta: http://211online.unitedwayatlanta.org

3. What is the “Internship Advisement Checklist”? This checklist was designed to ensure that you are eligible to take a CFD internship and to determine how the internship fits with your program of study. This form will be completed at your regular advisement appointment with your advisor. The form is available on the CFD website. Bring a completed copy of the form, along with a current copy of your DARS, to your advisement appointment. You MUST have completed the form and have your advisor’s approval prior to registering for CHFD 5900.

4. What if I have questions about possible internship sites or procedures before I register for CHFD 5900? Questions about how the internship experience fits in to your overall program of study and graduation plans will be answered by the CFD advisor during your advisement appointment. When your advisor signs the 5900 advisement form, you will also know that you are eligible to register for 5900. All students MUST complete the advisement form with the CFD advisor prior to enrolling in 5900. Questions about possible internship sites MUST wait until the beginning of the 5900 class. It is not possible to provide the detailed information you need prior to class. There will be plenty of time to finalize your internship site after you are enrolled in 5900.

3. Will a study abroad experience count as an internship placement? A study abroad experience will not count as an internship placement, if you are to receive credit for that experience under another course. Study abroad placements must follow the same approval process as all other internships.

4. What about my other commitments? Your supervisor will expect you to give priority to your internship. All coursework, employment, and social and athletic commitments must not interfere with your internship responsibilities. A 12-credit-hour internship is considered a full-time job. Students enrolling for 12 hours should NOT enroll in other courses or hold other jobs.

5. Are medical placements available? Child Life and all other medical placements involving direct contact with patients are not permitted. Some educational outreach placements may be approved. Likewise, you may intern with a private physician if the physician is willing to sign the UGA Memorandum of Understanding.

6. Are clinical counseling internships available? These are not available. Counseling internships require graduate-level coursework. Counseling support internships are allowed in some situations.

7. Can I receive credit for multiple internships? Only ONE internship placement per semester is allowed. The internship is designed to provide a depth of experience within one agency. Students may take more than one internship as long as they do not exceed a total of 12 internship hours and they can accommodate all of the internship hours in their program of study.

8. How long will my internship last? In order to receive internship credit you must: (a) complete a certain number of clock hours (480, 360 or 240) AND (b) remain in your internship until the end of the semester. Increasing the number of clock hours you work per week will NOT satisfy internship requirements. Like other classes, the internship extends across the entire semester.

9. Can I receive internship credit for previous volunteer or employment experiences? No credit will be given to volunteer or employment experiences performed prior to enrollment in CHFD 5910.

10. Does the department provide paid internships? The department does not provide paid internships. Students are responsible for all living expenses.

11. Can I combine employment with my internship? All internship placements must be related to your CFD degree. Need for employment cannot be considered as justification for an internship placement. The department does not seek or provide paid internships. Students are responsible for all living expenses.

12. Can I receive credit for ongoing volunteer or employment experience? Using a current employment or volunteer position as an internship requires careful consideration. Your supervisor must write a letter addressing two issues. First, your current duties must be described. Second, your supervisor must describe in detail what “new and/or substantially new duties” will be assigned to you during your internship. This letter in part will be used to (a) approve the internship, (b) deny the internship, or (c) note revisions in assigned duties that the supervisor must agree to in order for the internship to be approved.

13. When do I have to finalize the details of my internship? Once in the 5900 class, you will be given the date in the semester by which you MUST finalize all details of the internship. Typically, this is by the 11th – 12th week of the semester. This includes completing an Internship Application Packet in which you will provide: a) information about your internship request; b) the number of credit hours for the internship; and c) justification for your internship request. Failure to submit the Internship Application Packet by the due date will result in your forfeiting your internship or postponing your internship until a later semester.