How to Decide on an Internship
1. Does the internship involve working with wildlife/fisheries or wildlife/fisheries populations? If not, then…
2. Does the position involve working with aspects of wildlife/fisheries populations (e.g. habitat management, wildlife education)? If not, then…
3. Can the knowledge received in WFSC courses be applied towards the internship? If not, then…
4. Will the internship assist you in reaching a specific long-term goal directly related a WFSC degree? (e.g. shadowing a medical professional for pre-med students)
If the internship does not meet any of the above criteria, it will not be approved as university credit.
PIP: Purpose, Impact, and Personal Benefit
Purpose
1. How will your internship fit in with your career plan? (This means you need to have a career plan.)
2. How will you logistically arrive at your internship?
Impact
1. How will your internship relate to other functions of the organization where you are interning? (This means you need to research the mandate of the organization.)
2. What will your contribution be to the organization?
Personal Benefit
1. What professional aspects will there be in your internship?
2. What knowledge and skills will you acquire?
3. How will you grow personally?
Where to Look
WFSC Job Board: wfscjobs.tamu.edu
Texas Parks & Wildlife: tpwd.texas.gov
USA Jobs: usajobs.gov
The Student Conservation Association: thesca.org/serve/internships
Association of Zoos & Aquariums: asa.org
Once you secure an internship, complete the Internship Agreement and submit it to your WFSC advisor by the deadline indicated on the form. Your advisor will enroll you in WFSC 484, your internship course credit, for the semester requested. Students should request enrollment in WFSC 484 within one semester after the completion of the internship.