Undergraduate Internships

HDFS students must meet the following prerequisites to enroll in the HDFS internship course:

• A declared HDFS major
• Satisfactory completion of all HDFS Required Courses and HDFS Professional Concentration Courses as outlined on the Internship Application Form
• A grade of C or better in all Required HDFS 3000- and 4000-level Major Core courses
• An 2.25 GPA.
• Background check from the Alabama Board of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on file with the HDFS Department

There are two mandatory meetings students must attend prior to internship. The specific dates and times of the meetings will be announced through the HDFS student listserv.

1. The first mandatory meeting (called the Internship Orientation Meeting) is held at the beginning of each semester. Students should attend this meeting at least two semesters in advance of the semester they expect to complete internship. Guidelines for preparing for internship and the required paperwork for placement will be provided. Options will be provided for both in-person or via zoom, except for summer which will only be via zoom.
2. The second mandatory meeting (called the Internship Preparation Meeting) is held at the end of Fall and Spring semesters. Students should attend this meeting the last semester before they complete internship. Course requirements and the Internet component of the course will be reviewed.

There are mandatory deadlines all prospective internship students must be aware of and adhere to. All students must turn in their Internship Application and Graduation Check two semesters in advance of the semester they expect to complete internship. The Internship Commitment Form and signed Student Internship Agreement must be turned in the semester before they complete the internship. Fingerprint/Background Check Clearing Letters need to be on file with the HDFS office before the student can begin the internship. No exceptions.

The deadlines for turning in the Internship Application materials and the Internship Commitment Form materials are:

• October 15 for a Summer Internship
• March 15 for a Fall Internship
• June 15 for a Spring Internship

It is the student’s responsibility to initiate the HDFS application process. Specific guidelines for the internship application process are as follows:

1. By the end of the first semester of the junior year, students should also meet with an advisor from the College of Human Sciences to complete a Graduation Check. This will help ensure that the student is on schedule for meeting the academic requirements for the internship and for graduation.
2. Two semesters in advance of the semester the student expects to complete their internship, the student should:
   • Attend the Mandatory Internship Orientation Meeting, and
   • Submit a completed Internship Application and a copy of their recent Senior Graduation Check to the Internship Director by the application deadline.
   • Complete their ABI/FBI Background Check and ensure that it is on file with the HDFS Department
3. The application deadlines are October 15 for a Summer Internship, March 15 for a Fall Internship, and June 15 for a Spring Internship.

After the Internship Application has been submitted, it is the student’s responsibility to select their internship site. Please review “How do I find an internship site?”

Once the student and site reach an agreement about the internship, the student should contact the HDFS Internship Director to discuss the placement. After receiving preliminary approval from the HDFS Internship Director, the student should submit their Internship Commitment Form and their signed Student Internship Agreement to the HDFS Internship Director by the appropriate deadline. Near the end of the semester prior to beginning the internship, students also should attend the mandatory Internship Preparation Meeting.

There are several things to think about when selecting an internship site. Most importantly, the student should consider their interests, career goals, and academic background. Students also will find the internship more rewarding when it fits with their interests and long-term goals.

Potential internship sites can be identified through a variety of sources, including Auburn University faculty and the Career Development Center, community referral services, job websites, the HDFS Internship and Professional Day Fair, fellow students, and hometown contacts. Students can also contact the Internship Director to discuss ideas and options.  The HDFS department also maintains a collection of binders that contain information on potential internship sites. An internship site can be within the United States or abroad.

The Commitment Form is required for finalizing students’ internship placement. The form is used to convey information to the HDFS Internship Director about the student’s internship placement and the student’s contact information during the internship. The information from the Commitment Form is used to prepare the Agreement of Cooperation between the HDFS Department and the selected internship site. It is mandatory that representatives of both the HDFS department and the Internship Site sign the Agreement of Cooperation before the student begins the internship.

The commitment form is due one semester prior to the student’s internship. The commitment form deadlines are The application deadlines are October 15 for a Spring Internship, March 15 for a Summer Internship, and June 15 for a Fall Internship.

If you will be away from the Auburn University Campus during your internship, you will want to complete the Away from Campus Dining Accommodation exemption form. The accommodation provides you a waiver for the mandatory dining fees. Your dining accommodation request must be completed no later than the 10th class day, but sooner is better! 

Undergraduate students in the Department of Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) at Auburn University are required to complete a 12 credit hour internship that is related to their course of study and their long-term career goals. Students are expected to complete a minimum of 450 placement hours over the course of a semester. In addition to the minimum number of hours, students are expected to work at the internship site for the full number of weeks in a semester. The actual day and times worked by the student at the site should be arranged between the site supervisor and the student.

Internship placements should provide educational direction, professional mentoring, qualified agency supervision, and other safeguards that encourage student learning. It is the responsibility of the internship site to commit itself to follow through with the intern in the prescribed manner until the end of the placement. Assignments with the organization should be easily understood, visibly accomplished, helpful to those receiving services, and of educational value to the student.

If you decide to work with an HDFS student, it is anticipated that the person who most closely supervises the student will do the following:

• Provide the student with as much direct, hands-on experience with clients and services as possible and appropriate.
• Help the student to become acquainted with the staff, physical characteristics, and operational methods of the site.
• Supervise and facilitate the student’s development by regularly observing his or her work, and providing him or her with constructive feedback.
• Complete a mid-semester and final evaluation on the student, and provide opportunity for the HDFS Internship Director and site supervisor to consult about the student’s progress via telephone, and/or a site visit, as necessary.

Organizations that choose to work with an HDFS student will be asked to sign an Agreement of Cooperation with the HDFS department. A copy of the agreement and a detailed outline of the HDFS internship objectives and evaluation procedures will be emailed to the site supervisor after the student informs the HDFS Internship Director of their placement. In addition, the student should be prepared to provide the site with information about the internship, agreement, and evaluation procedures during the initial interview.

The internship is a very important component of the student’s college education and professional development. The HDFS department appreciates that it is the cooperation of the internship sites that makes this experience possible. To this end, the HDFS Internship Director is available to answer questions and support site supervisors’ work with students anytime during the internship process.