Academics Animal Sciences Internships and Professional Opportunities

Objectives

Involve the animal industry in the education of future animal scientists.
Allow students to develop the best on-campus/off-campus educational program for their interests.
Aid students in making important career decisions.
Encourage the growth of a student's professional network.
Join the efforts of students, faculty, and cooperators in understanding the needs of one another.

Earning Academic Credit via ANSC 396

Internship credit is limited to new educational experiences only and credit for previous work-related experience cannot be awarded. Note that an internship will only be recognized if the Internship Agreement for was submitted before the hours were worked.

Credit for internship experiences will be awarded based on 100 hours work hours for every one ANSC 396 credit.

Students in the Department of Animal Sciences are expected to complete at least 2 credits of experiential learning from any of the following:

ANSC 396 (Internship)
ANSC 379 (Study Abroad)
ANSC 393 (Undergraduate Research)

When to enroll in ANSC 396?

For summer internships, students should register for ANSC 396 credits for the fall following the internship.
For internships completed during the regular school year, students may register for credit in the semester they complete their internship.

Important Considerations

Students are expected to be within good academic standing at NDSU before their internship experience. Students are encouraged to take an active role in the pursuit of internship experiences to ensure timely graduation. In general, students in the Department of Animal Sciences complete internships during the summer between their freshman/sophomore or sophomore/junior year.

Do I qualify for an internship?

Does the new job or potential opportunity qualify as an internship?

Do you have an internship ready or a potential internship in the works?

Review: Student Responsibilities in the Forms and Resources section below.
Send your internship employer/cooperator the Cooperator Responsibilities form in the Forms and Resources section below.
Complete the agreement form Internship Agreement Form via DocuSign.

- A PDF version of this form is also available in the Forms and Resources section below.

When the agreement form has been completed and received by the internship coordinator, you will receive confirmation and access to enroll in ANSC 396. At that point, you may begin earning credit for your ANSC internship and you will receive a copy of the ANSC 396 Syllabus. Note that a copy of the ANSC 396 Syllabus may be made available prior to the student's enrollment upon request.

Internship Timeline

Once an internship has been identified, you should discuss the opportunity with your academic advisor to ensure it aligns with your professional goals.

Prior to beginning your internship, the student should share the Cooperator Responsibilities resource with your employer and the Internship Agreement form must be completed. Internship hours worked before the completion of the agreement form cannot be recognized for academic credit.
During the internship, students will be expected to keep a weekly journal log outlining activities, significant happenings and reflections as detailed in the ANSC 396 Syllabus.
To finish the internship program, students will be tasked with a public presentation of their work and final report as detailed in the ANSC 396 Syllabus. Once your internship is completed, the student must initiate the Cooperator Evaluation form to be completed by the internship employer/cooperator.

For additional details related to the internship process timeline, you may refer to the Student Responsibilities Checklist (in the Forms and Resources section below). Note that all required forms and documentation may be found below.

Student Responsibilities Checklist

Before Your Internship

Contact potential cooperator or employer for internship possibilities.
- Determine if student and cooperator are interested in entering an employee-employer relationship.
- Develop an outline for the internship which will contribute to the intern's educational development.
  - Agree on the amount of time that will be spent on main activities.
- Arrive at an agreement on terms of employment with cooperator (dates of employment, hours worked, wages and benefits).
Discuss internship with your academic advisor.
Complete the Internship Agreement form (DocuSign form found online) and submit it to the internship coordinator. A copy of the ANSC 396 syllabus will be provided once the agreement has been reviewed by the internship coordinator. Note that a copy of the ANSC 396 Syllabus may be made available prior to the student's enrollment upon request.
Register for appropriate ANSC 396 credits.
- For summer internships, students should register for ANSC 396 credits for the fall following the internship. For internships completed during the regular school year, students may register for credit in the semester they complete their internship.

During Your Internship

Keep a weekly journal about work completed and skills learned (see ANSC 396 Syllabus for details).
Keep internship coordinator informed about the progress on internship objectives and any unresolved issues with internship or cooperator.
In case of an emergency, accident, or prolonged illness, report to cooperator and internship coordinator.
Notify cooperator in advance when unable to report for work.

After Your Internship

Complete and submit written report to Internship coordinator (see ANSC 396 Syllabus for details).
Submit weekly journal to the internship coordinator (see ANSC 396 Syllabus for details).
Initiate the Cooperator Evaluation form to be completed by the internship employer/cooperator.
Perform public presentation of their work (see ANSC 396 Syllabus for details).
Print Student Responsibilities Checklist

Internship Agreement Form

Cooperator Evaluation Form

Cooperator Responsibilities

Provide student with the opportunity for meaningful educational experience.
Guide the intern's experience through regular counseling and evaluation.
Describe potential workplace hazards and insurance coverage. Department of Animal Sciences does not assume liability for injuries during student internship.
Participate in evaluation of intern.
Contribute to the internship program by suggesting ideas for improvement to the internship coordinator.
Meet all responsibilities as outlined in the Memorandum of Agreement.
Print Cooperator Responsibilities

Additional Resources

The NDSU Career and Advising Center offers support to students and alumni via academic advising, career and internship exploration, career supports like resume preparation and mock interviews and much more!

Are you unsure of how or where to find an internship?

The NDSU Department of Animal Sciences publishes a weekly newsletter to the undergraduate student listserv (majors only) of current internship opportunities related to our three majors. You academic advisor and the internship coordinator can also help guide you to an opportunity that is meaningful to you. Check out this resource as you begin the search: How to Find an Internship.

Are you a potential internship employer/cooperator?

To have your internship featured, please send the position information to the department's administrative staff (ndsu.ansc@ndsu.edu) so that it can be featured in our weekly newsletters.

Internships and Professional Opportunities

Program Overview