Information for Agencies Requesting an Intern
The Department of Social and Cultural Analysis (SCA) is
transdisciplinary in nature, combining topics and methodologies drawn
from the humanities and social sciences. Its faculty and students work
in a broad range of fields, analyzing the social and cultural
relationships between individuals, groups, institutions and
governments. In the department, a commitment to deep historical inquiry
coexists with applied knowledge about such modern developments as
intensified urbanization, transnational trade and exchange, and
migration of peoples.
SCA houses and integrates the activities
of six interdisciplinary programs--Africana Studies, American Studies,
Asian/Pacific/American/Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Latino
Studies, and Metropolitan Studies—along with the range of degrees and
concentrations offered in these programs. In their teaching and
research, SCA students and faculty are encouraged to make
intersectional links between the areas of interest on which the
programs focus. New York City is a crucible for the department’s work,
both in its community orientation and its connections to global
networks.
We require majors to complete
semester long internships their junior or senior year. The goal
is for students to apply theory to practice as they work with agencies
concerned with issues relevant to their majors.
Internships vary but should
involve substantial areas of responsibility and specific projects, appropriate
to students’ backgrounds and skills. Interns should not replace
staff or function as clerical workers. Office and clerical work
should comprise no more than 25% of interns’ time. Credit cannot
be granted for internships that are primarily clerical (filing, data
entry, answering the phone, photo-copying, etc.). Interested
organizations designate on-site supervisors to coordinate students’
daily tasks, foster learning, and promote professional development.
Interns contribute 10
hours per week without pay to the sponsoring agency and receive
4 credits for successfully completing the program. They also attend
a seminar where they compare their practical experience with theory
and policy. Internships begin the first week of the semester (early
September or late January). Schedules are arranged according to
agencies’ and interns’ needs. Interns must secure placements
BEFORE the semester begins, usually by the end of the prior semester
– early May for fall placements, mid-December for spring placements and late April for summer placements.
SCA tries to carefully match
the interests and skills of the students with the needs of participating
organizations. For this reason, not every organization will receive
an intern every semester. However, we do keep agency information on
file for future semesters. If you have questions, need information,
or would like to apply to host interns, please contact:
Betts Brown, Director of Internships
Department of Social and Cultural Analysis
Phone: 212-998-8092
E-mail: betts.brown@nyu.edu
