Human Development and Family Studies Majors are REQUIRED to complete an internship. If you are majoring in ECDE (Birth Through Kindergarten Licensure or Early Childhood Education), then you are required to do student teaching. Refer to the HDF website for further information about student teaching.
Interns need to complete 6 semester hours, which is equal to 240 contact hours, to graduate.
Interns have three options; complete the 6 semester hours in:
- ONE semester with ONE agency. You will register for semester hours and intern 240 hours at one agency. Typically this comes to about 16 hours per week during a regular semester (Fall or Spring).
- ONE semester with TWO agencies. You will register for 6 semester hours and intern at one agency for 120 contact hours and then a second agency for 120 contact hours.
- TWO semesters. You will register for 3 semester hours and intern for 120 hours in one semester. Then in another semester the second 3 semester hours will be completed. If you are utilizing this option, you do not need to complete your internship in consecutive semesters. Furthermore, you can intern with different agencies or stay with the same one.
YES. Students are required to have an overall GPA of 2.50 in order to take HDF 499. No exceptions! We do NOT round up. In other words, we will not accept a 2.49 as an acceptable GPA. Therefore, it is imperative that you keep your GPA up while completing your upper-level courses.
The following requirements must be fulfilled to register for an internship:
- Enrolled or completed HDF 377: Professional Development in HDFS. This course will help you identify appropriate placements and prepare for the professional world.
- Have an overall GPA of 2.5. NO EXCEPTIONS!
- Permission of instructor
Internships can be completed during the Fall or Spring semesters.
You have flexibility in selecting your internship with two exceptions. This flexibility provides the opportunity of selecting an internship that will give you the most beneficial experience. The two exceptions include childcare centers (all types included) or in the classroom in K-12 school settings.
Please note that it is possible to be placed outside of the classroom in K-12 settings, such as guidance counsel offices. Again, childcare centers of any type are not permitted. Internships may be coordinated with a job which you hold full time WITH prior permission AND only if expanded responsibilities are beyond your job. Here is a list of possible internship placements.
Internships are NOT limited to the Greensboro or the Triad area. Some students have interned in such places as Chicago, South Africa and California. Internships more than 30 miles from UNCG will be approved only if students have access to a webcam that will be used for seminars and site visits.
The Internship Preparation page has a list of possible internship placements.
To find an internship, interview agencies, businesses, centers, etc. to discuss internship possibilities. You may also utilize agencies which have served as internship locations in previous semesters. HDF 377 serves as an opportunity to help you identify possible agencies.
However, you can begin your search ahead of time. Please refer to the Placement Process (PDF) to identify tips in finding an internship. The final decision will be made jointly with the internship coordinator.
Under certain circumstances, it is possible to start earning hours a few months before your internship. Interns are allowed to earn up to 10 hours for training and/or orientation. These hours should NOT include contact with participants because you are not covered by liability insurance.
If your training/orientation is over 10 hours, then you MUST get permission from Dr. Vargas before you can count them towards your internship hours. Examples of training/orientation hours include the following:
- Completing IRB online training
- Attending a workshop/meeting/event that your supervisor has requested that you attend
- Attending a formal orientation that is required
- Contact Dr. Vargas at [email protected] for approval