Internships and Professional Opportunities

1. Are you an undergraduate student in the NDSU Department of Animal Sciences majoring in     Animal Science or Equine Science?

 2. Have you completed at least 1 semester at North Dakota State University before your  internship?

 3. NDSU GPA is 2.0 or higher (not on academic probation or warning)? 

1. Does your job represent new experiences?

2. Will the job encourage professional growth?

3. Does the employer accept the cooperator's responsibilities?

4. Are you and the employer unrelated?

5. Does your academic advisor support the internship experience for credit?

6. Have you completed the Internship Agreement Form?  This DocuSign must be completed prior  to the start of your internship experience. 

1. Review: ANSC 396 Syllabus & Student Responsibilities in the Forms and Resources section below. 

2. Send your internship employer the Cooperator Responsibilities form in the Forms and Resources section below. 

3. Complete the agreement form Student/Employer Agreement Form via DocuSign.

- A PDF version of this form is also available in the Forms and Resources section below.  

4. When the agreement form has been completed and received by the internship coordinator, you will receive confirmation and access to enroll in ANSC 396. At that point, you may begin earning credit for your ANSC internship. 

Before Your Internship

• Contact potential cooperator or employer for internship possibility
  • Determine if student and cooperator are interested in entering an employee-employer
    relationship.
  • Develop an outline for the internship which will contribute to the intern's educational
    development.
    • Agree on the amount of time that will be spent on main activities.
  • Arrive at an agreement on terms of employment with cooperator (dates of employment, hours
    worked, wages and benefits).
• Discuss internship with your academic advisor
• Complete the student and employer agreement (form found online) and submit it to the internship
  coordinator (Blaine Novak, blaine.novak@ndsu.edu)
• Register for appropriate ANSC 396 credits
  • *For summer internships, students should register for ANSC 396 credits for the fall following the
    internship. For internships completed during the regular school year, students may register for credit in
    the semester they complete their internship.

During Your Internship

• Keep a weekly journal about work completed and skills learned (see syllabus for details).
• Keep internship coordinator informed about the progress on internship objectives and any unresolved
  issues with internship or cooperator
• In case of an emergency, accident, or prolonged illness, report to cooperator and internship
  coordinator
• Notify cooperator in advance when unable to report for work

After Your Internship

• Complete and submit written report to Internship coordinator (see written report
  guidelines)
• Submit weekly journal to the internship coordinator via Blackboard.
• Have internship employer complete and send student evaluation to the internship
  coordinator - Blaine Novak
• Perform public presentation either in poster or PowerPoint form
  *internship coordinator will notify student which form of presentation will be required
  **Your journal, report, and employer evaluation are due the day you give your oral presentation.

Updated 1/3/2024 

ANSC 396 Field Experience Animal and Equine Science Internship 

1-5 credits 

Internship Coordinator

Blaine Novak 
Hultz 163 
701.231.1797 (Office)
Blaine.novak@ndsu.edu 
 

Office Hours

By appointment. Students can set up an appointment through the Navigate calendar function. 

Course Credits(Variable) 

Credits are given based on time devoted to the internship. As a guideline, 1 credit hour involves at least 100 hours of work. Full-time summer internships are generally awarded 3 credit hours and full- time semester-long internships are generally awarded 5 credits. 

Course Description

Field-oriented supervised learning activities outside the college classroom that include a pre-planned assessment. Registration during the term the experience is conducted, and post evaluation with the instructor. Course may be repeated. 

Course Objectives

• Involve the animal industry in the education of future animal scientists. 
• Allow students to develop the best on-campus/off-campus educational program for their interests. 
• Aid students in making career decisions. 
• Join the efforts of students, faculty, and cooperators in understanding the needs of one another. 

Examinations and Grading (Performance Standards and Evaluation Procedures)

The course is letter-graded and based on the quality and completion of: 

• a final report 
• completion of a public presentation following your internship 
• completion of weekly journals 
• an evaluation by your internship provider 

Specifically, 

• Final report = 20 pts. 
• Public presentation = 40 pts. 
• Resume = 20 pts. 
• Weekly journal = 10 pts. 
• Employer evaluation = 10 pts. 

Grading is based on a scale where 90 points or greater = “A”, 80-89 points = “B”, and 70-79 points = “C”. If less than 70 points are earned, the student has not satisfied the requirement for an internship and a grade of “F” will be assigned. 

1. Student Employer Agreement Form must be completed before you begin work at your internship and prior to enrolling in the ANSC 396 course. 
    
2. Completion of Weekly Journal Entries 
   
   Journal entries will be completed a minimum of once per week. The student will write a description of the work completed and reflections about what they have learned or what skills they have obtained. The journal does not require great detail but should be complete. These journal entries will help with writing the final report. After completing the internship, the journal must be turned in via Blackboard in the designated assignment area. 
   
   Grades will be based on the completeness of the journal, including making weekly entries, and complete descriptions of tasks and work done. 

3. Final Report 

   Your written report should contain the following sections and information within those sections. This report will be submitted via Blackboard by the day you give your presentation. 

   The following guidelines have been developed to help you organize your final internship report, the oral presentation, and your weekly journal entries. 

Operation Information – 15% 

1. Background sketch of the organization 
   1. Location 
   2. Nature of business (for example, products, services, markets, farm or ranching business, or Research Extension Center) 
   3. Resources such as land, equipment, personnel, capital 
2. Your place in the business 
   1. Your specific tasks, duties, your supervisor 
   2. Routine (typical daily activities) 

Technical aspects of the company - 45% 

This section should describe the workings of the employer and your evaluation of the employer. Describe the general workings of the operation and your evaluation of their effectiveness. 

• Could any procedures or practices be improved or otherwise simplified to improve effectiveness, improve profitability, save time, or otherwise changed? 
• Is there any employee training or educational opportunities provided by the employer? Do you think these opportunities, if they existed, could be improved? 
• Did you observe any innovative or unusual practices that impressed you, negatively, or positively? 
• Was there any interest in developing new techniques or practices by the employer to improve their efficiency? 
• Describe organizational policies and objectives. 
• Describe the relationship between all employees and management. 
• Describe daily scheduling and organization and ways that you think they maybe improved or altered. 
• What did the employer use as measures of success or progress? 

Attainment of Internship Objectives – 20% 

• Describe the value of your work experience 
• Did any ideas you had about this line of work change during your experience? 
• Did your confidence increase regarding your abilities in this area? 
• Was the internship valuable to you personally? Describe how. 
• Would you enjoy full-time employment with the company? 
• What could you have done to better prepare for the internship?
•  Have your future plans been changed by your experience with the internship? 

Format and Report Quality – 20% 

•  Include a title page at the beginning of your report that includes your name, year in school, and internship employer (company name). 
• Your report must be double-spaced. 
• Page length will vary – be sure to cover all the following information in your report. It should take you at least 4 pages to cover all the required information. 
• Proper sentence structure, grammar, spelling, and formatting are required. 

4. Public Presentation Guidelines 

Where and When? 

Students completing internship credit in the fall semester will present their oral report to students during one of the ANSC Student Success courses, an internship poster event, or a seminar series organized by the Department of Animal Sciences. You will be notified of the presentation type and schedule at the beginning of the fall semester. It will typically be in October or November. You are encouraged to invite your advisor and your employer, if feasible, to your presentation. 

Students enrolled for internship credit during the spring semester will present their internship in the form of a PowerPoint presentation to students and faculty in the Animal Sciences department via a virtual internship seminar series. Dates and times will be determined at the beginning of the semester. 

What? 

Students will prepare their presentation in a poster format or as a PowerPoint presentation (refer to the information above). Both the poster and PowerPoint presentation should include: 

1. Title 
2. Introduction/Information Section: 
   1. Your name and internship position 
   2. Company name and internship location 
   3. Internship dates 
   4. Describe how you had secured your internship position 
3. Identify your employer, their business, and history 
   1. Identify your supervisor and describe their responsibilities 
4. Provide your job description (in your own words) 
   1. Describe skills needed- both performance and interpersonal (i.e., observing, speaking, listening)
   2. Main tasks and duties performed 
5. Describe your expectations and what you actually learned 
   1. Describe communication between you and your boss 
   2. Describe skills learned and enjoyable experiences
   3. Describe a situation or challenge you encountered 
6. Describe the professional benefits of the internship 
   1. Has the internship affected your career goals (positive or negative)? 
7. Include pictures from your internship 

Poster Guidelines
Poster format and guidelines can be found in the “How to Create Your Internship Poster” document on the internship website, and additional directions can be found here. 

Poster Dimensions
35”x 35” 

Cost
The cost for printing your poster is $20-$30 depending on the printing venue and design. 

Where to print
1. IT help desk: Quentin Burdick Building room 150. *They only accept payment in the form of Bison Bucks on your student ID. 
2. Memorial Union Design and Sign 
3. Any printing venue off campus, as long as dimensions and criteria are met 

*Students are required to submit an electronic copy of their poster or presentation to the internship coordinator for posting on our internship web page. 

Attire
Dress will be business casual for your internship presentation. This does not include shorts, blue jeans or t-shirts. If you are uncertain what counts as business casual, please refer to this NDSU Career Center Website: https://career.ndsu.edu/dress-to-impress/ . 

5. Internship Employer Evaluation 

Your internship provider will evaluate your performance in the following areas: relationships with others, attitude, judgment, dependability, initiative, quantity and quality of work, attendance, and punctuality. 

6. Update/Create your Resume 

You will update (or create) a resume that encompasses your following (pre)-professional attributes. 

1. Education (Degrees/emphasis, minor(s) if applicable, optional relevant course work 
2. Work Experience (Previous/current employment, internship(s) 
3. Leadership/Volunteer Experience (May include student/professional organizations) 
4. Optional: Awards, certifications, skills, etc. 

Resumes will be comprehensively evaluated based on style, balance, and grammar. 

Resume resources and support are available through NDSU Career & Advising Center. 

Required Student Resources
See NDSU Animal Sciences Internships and Professional Opportunities for complete internship information. 

Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for notifications and announcements for this course. Materials and internship requirements can also be found at NDSU Animal Sciences Internships and Professional Opportunities

Attendance Policy
Not applicable 

Academic Honesty 
The academic community is operated on the basis of honesty, integrity, and fair play. NDSU Policy 335: Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct applies to cases in which cheating, plagiarism, or other academic misconduct have occurred in an instructional context. Students found guilty of academic misconduct are subject to penalties, up to and possibly including suspension and/or expulsion. Student academic misconduct records are maintained by the Office of Registration and Records. Also see informational resources about academic honesty for students and instructional staff members.

Students with special requirements
Any students with disabilities who need accommodations in this course are invited to share these concerns or requests with the instructor and contact the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources as soon as possible. 

Veterans and military personnel 
Veterans or military personnel with special circumstances or who are activated are encouraged to notify the instructor as early as possible and are encouraged to provide Activation Orders. 

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) 
Your personally identifiable information and educational records as they relate to this course are subject to FERPA. 

Important Dates (Full NDSU dates/deadlines can be found on the NDSU Academic Calendar) 
 

Choose one. 

1. Sign Here (DocuSign) - preferred method
2. Student/Cooperator Agreement Form (PDF)

Choose one. 

1. Cooperators Sign Here (DocuSign) - preferred method
2. Cooperator Evaluation Form

1. Provide student with the opportunity for meaningful educational experience.
2. Guide the intern's experience through regular counseling and evaluation.
3. Describe potential workplace hazards and insurance coverage. Department of Animal Sciences does
   not assume liability for injuries during student internship.
4. Participate in evaluation of intern.
5. Contribute to the internship program by suggesting ideas for improvement to the internship
   coordinator.
6. Meet all responsibilities as outlined in the Memorandum of Agreement.
7. Employers interested in becoming a cooperator can send a description of employment opportunities
   and contact information to blaine.novak@ndsu.edu