Internships & Observation Days

Observation Days and Internships

The Field Services Office coordinates in-school experiences for students, providing them opportunities to connect and integrate theory and practice. It is also responsible for organizing teacher recruitment fairs. Additional information on these experiences is provided to students during their program.

Field Experiences include:

  • Primary/Elementary 1st Degree Observation Days
  • Primary/Elementary 2nd Degree Introductory Field Experiences
  • Intermediate/Secondary Introductory Internships
  • Primary/Elementary and Intermediate/Secondary Extended Internships

Candidates for internship and observation days must have a Criminal Record Check and a Vulnerable Sector Check completed prior to the start of the internship. Normally, local Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) or Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) detachments facilitate these checks and they are valid for 6 months from the date of issue. It is possible that individuals who have been convicted of a crime against another person may not be accepted into a school as required under the Faculty of Education Degree and Diploma regulations.

Please refer to the following for more information:

Internship Placement Options 

Internships may be completed in a variety of K-12 school settings:

  • Newfoundland and Labrador Schools. The province offers a wide variety of K-12 school settings
  • National and International Schools. The Field Services Office may arrange internships in Canadian provinces other than Newfoundland and Labrador as requested. In addition, arrangements for internships in an international location may be made for interns with a specific request.
  • Memorial University's Harlow Campus. Internships are facilitated by the Faculty of Education through the Essex County Education Office. Residing at Memorial's Harlow Campus, interns are placed in local Harlow Schools. Interns pay regular tuition fees in addition to costs for airfare, housing and meals.

Note: 

  • Due to varying school schedules, internships tend to be extended by one week when completed outside the province of Newfoundland and Labador. If an intern is interested in an out-of-province internship, they must contact the Field Services Office.
  • A survey will be administered to interns prior to the start of the internship semester requesting information pertaining to their school preferences for internship placement:
    • Interns will be asked to list three schools for the Field Services Office to consider, and if neither of those school sites is able to accommodate an internship placement, the Field Services Office will contact the intern to discuss other options.
    • Interns will need to indicate if they have access to transportation (e.g., vehicle, bus, taxi) that will ensure they can attend the school they are placed in during the internship period. Please note there are very few schools within walking distance of Memorial University's St. John's campus, but there are several city bus stops placed within the campus area that provide access to the St. John's metro area and St. John's based schools.
    • Interns must indicate if any immediate family members (e.g., parents, siblings, etc.) work in either of the three schools indicated for internship placement.