Internships
Internships in criminal justice are designed to promote an interest in criminal justice as a career objective. Students are provided with opportunities for practical work experience, reinforcing academic concepts in local, state, and federal criminal justice agencies.
Prerequisites
- You must be a CRJ major with a minimum GPA of 2.0 and junior standing or higher.
- You cannot be currently employed in the criminal justice field.
Internship Duties
- Three credits: 8–10 hours per week.
- Six credits: 16–20 hours per week.
- Perform duties as required by the agency.
- Internship officially begins the first day of instruction and ends on the last day of instruction.
How to Enroll
- It is important that you start the process as soon as possible prior to the start of the semester you want to do the internship (February if applying for the fall semester; October if applying for the spring semester) since some agencies require a background check, which may take from two to six months to complete.
- Review the list of internships and select an agency you are interested in and contact them for an interview.
- Completely fill out the forms; don't forget proof of insurance; all the paperwork must be filled out before you meet with the internship director.
- Make an appointment with the internship director at 895-0236.
- Complete the internship packet (PDF). The application, complete with all signatures, must be turned in by Dec. 1 for spring semester internships and May 1 for fall semester internships.
* Note: No internships over the summer months.
Requirements for Completion (Pass/Fail Only)
- Keep a journal highlighting your experiences with the agency (this is for your own benefit, and it should be little more than notes jotted down periodically); you do not have to turn in your journal.
- Write a final report of no more than 10 pages, typed, double-spaced. This should include a written narrative of your experiences (this is where your journal will be useful), a brief overview of the agency, and a description of your various duties. The paper will be due Thursday of study week by 5 p.m. The paper can be sent via an e-mail attachment to shelden@unlv.nevada.edu.
- Minimum of one face-to-face meeting and/or two e-mail contacts with the director of internship during the semester (each student is encouraged to phone and/or visit as often as needed in case of questions, problems, etc.).
- An evaluation by your supervisor is required and due at the end of the semester. A rating form will be mailed to the agency contact person listed on the 491 approval form.
