22.6 Internship

1. Students for the Degree of Master of Gender Studies (internship option) will complete a minimum of 18 credit hours. Students will also be required to complete an internship.

2. Internship placement shall be for one semester. Part-time internships of two semesters will require approval from the proposed agency or institution and the Graduate Studies Advisory Committee.

3. Students, in consultation with their supervisor and the Gender Studies Graduate Co-ordinator, will explore internship options and locate an eligible person to provide field instruction during their internship. Although consideration will be given to all factors affecting the location and type of all Gender Studies internships, the final decision regarding internship rests with the Head, Department of Gender Studies and the Dean of Graduate Studies.

4. Factors affecting the type and location of the internship include: the number of immersion hours per week, the extent to which the intern takes up a trainee, supervisory and/or research role, and whether the intern would be working directly or indirectly with clients of the agency or institution.

5. Each internship shall be supervised by a Supervisory Committee of at least three members, including the student's supervisor, the field supervisor, and Gender Studies Graduate Co-ordinator or delegate.

6. The Supervisory Committee will meet with the intern and field supervisor at least once during the internship period to make an assessment of the nature and quality of the intern's progress, and to approve any modifications to the internship.

7. The internship proposal, approved by the student’s supervisor, will be presented to the Graduate Studies Advisory Committee for its approval. The proposal must normally be approved by the Graduate Studies Advisory Committee no later than the end of the student’s third semester in the program.

8. Regardless of the form that the internship takes, there must be a written internship report (40-60 pages). When the student completes the internship report, the student will present the report to the Supervisory Committee in a formal meeting and discussion, after which the Supervisory Committee will recommend to the Dean of Graduate Studies a grade of pass or fail. A student will be permitted to submit an internship report only after the Supervisory Committee has determined that the internship placement has been fully completed.

9. Should the Head, Department of Gender Studies, on the recommendation of the Supervisory Committee, terminate the internship prior to its completion, it may recommend to the Dean of Graduate Studies one of the following:

   1. submission of a new internship proposal for a different field setting (once only);

   2. selection of the thesis or project option;

   3. termination of the student's program.