Internships for Anthropology Students

Internships for Anthropology Students

Students completing either a B.A. or M.A. in anthropology have the option of doing an internship as part of their degree program. Internships are a wonderful way of making contacts in the community, gaining practical experience in the student’s field of interest, and learning about anthropology in a “real-world” setting.

Getting Started:

Students interested in completing an internship as part of their degree will need to follow these five steps in order to get started.

Identify your interests. Keep in mind your overall program, courses taken, and career goals. See the notes on career planning for resources on identifying your interests and goals.
Identify possible agencies. Your faculty advisor can help you make the first contact, but it will be largely up to students to research what possibilities are out there.
Apply to the agency. Gather as much information about the agency before applying.
Apply to the department. You and your advisor will need to determine the number of hours you will spend per week on the internship, the number of credits, and the specific objectives and responsibilities.
Submit a contract. The student, faculty advisor and field supervisor must sign the contract. Consult your advisor about what assignments will be submitted for a grade.

Resources:

Visit the PSU Career Center or look up the Career Center website for internship and career opportunities. http://www.career.pdx.edu
For a list of resources just for anthropology majors, see http://www.career.pdx.edu/majoranthropology.htm.
See NAPA's on-line list of resources. http:www.aaanet.org/napa/index.htm.
For international internships, consider the IE3 Global Internships program. The program is open to graduate and undergraduate students. Some scholarships and loans are available. The program matches students with internships around the world. A list of internships is on-line at http://ie3global.orst.edu/
What can you do with an anthropology degree? See "Careers in Anthropology" on the American Anthropological Association website. http://www.ameranthassn.org/careers.htm
What do applied anthropologists do? See ANTHAP (The Applied Anthropology Computer Network) for more information. http://www.oakland.edu/~dow/anthap.html
Check out Great Careers: The Fourth of July Guide to Careers, Internships and Volunteer Opportunities in the Non-profit Sector (Garrett Park, MD: Garrett Park Press, 1990).
See http://www.monstertrak.com for listings of general internships.

Some suggestions:

Check out local non-profit organizations and government agencies.
Use the PSU Career Center for leads on internships in the area and help with resume preparation.
Unpaid internships have some advantages since you will be in a better position to avoid low-level jobs such as photocopying and answering the phone. You may be able to negotiate some money for expenses, such as meals or necessary equipment.
Consider what kind of role you want to play (advocate, researcher, mediator, etc.) before you begin your internship.
Be prepared to be flexible. The internship project you planned may not turn out to be feasible once you are on the job. Be ready for a quick change of plans.
Find out what the agency's needs are before defining your project.
Keep a journal, even if this will not be the basis for your grade.
Remember that your supervisor's evaluation may be the basis for a reference in the future.

Some Possibilities:

The anthropology department has information on possible internships with the following organizations and agencies. Contact Margaret Everett for information. See Virginia Butler or Ken Ames for information on archaeology internships.

Mercy Corp, Intl.
IRCO (International Refugee Committee)
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
SCA (Student Conservation Association)
MedicaLogic
IE3 Global Internships
Kaiser Research Foundation
National Park Service
Fish and Wildlife Service
Forest Service
Bureau of Land Management
State of Oregon, Department of Transportation

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