HSER 499 Internship

During this internship experience, students will participate in activities at a social service organization under the supervision of an experienced human services worker. Students will learn to employ the theories and skills foundational to direct service, will apply ethical standards for human service workers, analyze the needs of diverse clients, and evaluate concepts within the field as they relate to biblical thought. Students will process this experience through case studies and discussion and will secure feedback from peers and instructor.

This course follows the HSER 201 class which provides a broad overview of the field of human services, HSER 270 which addresses ethics in professional helping, and HSER 415 in which students develop practical skills of communication, intervention and case management. HSER 499 provides direct experience helping persons in need by employing a bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach, enhancing awareness of the responsibilities and skills needed for professional employment in the human services; and requires a synthesis of the skills learned in HSER 415 with practical experience. The course will help students understand the complex aspects of human services practice when interacting with diverse clients. The student will be challenged to identify their own beliefs about the role of helping others in a professional context, to develop an approach that reflects ethical standards of the profession and an integration with biblical thought.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations in the course, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete two discussions in this course. Discussions will provide an opportunity for students to interact with each other and learn from their peers as they interact in varied agencies. Discussions will cover topics such as skills with clients, active listening, engaging diverse client groups, self-awareness/correction, conflict resolution.

Discussion: Case Presentation

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete a case presentation for fellow students to discuss. The student will select an individual, family or group that represents a good illustration of the internship agency services and approach. The purposes of this assignment are to develop skills conceptualizing a client case, provide material for the class to integrate theory and practice, and provide opportunity to practice giving a professional presentation. For this assignment, students create a Power Point presentation on a client or client system and then facilitate a discussion with peers through the use of a Discussion.

Introductory Email Assignment

The student will introduce his/her supervisor to the instructor by sending an email to both the supervisor and instructor that professionally introduces one to the other. This email must include contact information for all parties. The student will then submit a copy of the email. Student cannot receive credit for the internship without this documentation verified by agency supervisor.

Learning Contract Assignment

This assignment will establish clarity in the student’s role as intern and the roles of those at the agency. The assignment will detail key learning goals for each of the learning outcomes. The student will meet with the Agency Task Supervisor to review and approve the contract. Student cannot receive credit for the internship without this documentation verified by agency supervisor.

Mid-Term Self-Evaluation and Meeting Assignment

The student will complete a self-evaluation to assess the following: student learning experiences (particularly those identified in the Learning Contract), the progress towards Learning Contract goals and need for any adjustments, student performance (including strengths and areas of growth), supervision, and instruction. The student also will schedule and facilitate a meeting to review the self-evaluation form. Student cannot receive credit for the internship without this documentation verified by agency supervisor.

Community Resources Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to increase awareness of available resources that could supplement services to the clients at the internship agency and to encourage the development of a professional database to better serve future clients. The list must contain a minimum of 10 resources that are specifically relevant to the population and must be presented in the template provided.

Most modules have an exercise assignment from the textbook. These assignments are already integrated into the textbook reading for that module. The student will use these exercises to reflect and apply what they are learning both in the reading and at their internship site. These exercises include a personal reflection, analysis, and synthesis.  

Final Summative Evaluation Assignment

As part of terminating the placement, the student will do a self-evaluation. They will also arrange a meeting with the Agency Task Supervisor to discuss the Learning Contract and provide detailed feedback on both strengths and areas for growth. The student will create a professional development plan using insights obtained from the evaluation process.

Quizzes (3): Internship Confirmation & Preparation

The student will confirm details of his or her approved Student Internship, supervision commitment, and CORE training.

Quizzes (10): Hours Tracking

Students will complete daily timesheets, to be verified by their supervisors, documenting their hours and internship activities. This information will be entered into the CORE software program. Quizzes verify that students are up to date on their documentation and hours completed. Each quiz will consist of 2 multiple choice questions and have a 15-minute time limit. 

Quizzes (4): Progress Checkpoints

Each quiz will provide an opportunity to document progress through the internship and is externally verified by Agency Task Supervisor and faculty. These quizzes will consist of 6 multiple choice questions and 1 essay question. Each quiz will also have a 30-minute time limit.

Quizzes (5)

These quizzes on reading and video items will be cover topics such as beginning relationships, supervision, challenging client situations, documentation, termination and ethical endings, and planning for the future. Each quiz will not have a time limit, and these quizzes will consist of a varying number of multiple choice and/true or false questions.