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 on-site work
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

Prepare a single-page Intership Proposal.

Print and sign the Capstone Experience Deliverables Agreement, if you are fulfilling your capstone experience with CSC399.
Fill the Intership Enrollment Form and attach the proposal and (if applicable) the capstone agreement

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.