Internships and contracts are a wonderful way to customize your education. They allow you to explore topics and learning opportunities that are not available through the programs offered on campus. You can learn about a very specific topic, work in a field that you might want to make a career in, and make valuable contacts. Along with your faculty sponsor, you are responsible for determining the shape and direction of your learning experience. For additional information, please explore the links on the Individual Study webpage.
I sponsor a wide variety of contracts in many different topics which include: Soil/Environmental Microbiology, Soils, Mycology, Lichenology, Botany, Biogeochemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Surveying, Outdoor Leadership. In order for me to sponsor your contract, you need to carefully consider to following steps:
Think carefully about your learning objectives, what you want to learn, not what you want to do. You are writing a syllabus for your learning and need to clearly identify your overall goals in an academic sense. It's easy to think of what you want to do, but you need to focus on your learning. What are your central questions?
Come and talk to me well before registration so we can discuss your ideas and I can help you focus your contract.
If you have not taken a class with me, be prepared to provide me with names of several faculty who are familiar with your work. I'm interested in helping you achieve your learning goals, but I expect you to provide the motivation, so I'll talk to your references to find out your level of motivation and follow through.