DES Internship Program

DES believes that students do best by doing. In addition to student research and field-based courses, students also are required to performed an approved internship. The variety of internships reflect the varied interests of our students and career path opportunities, which include environmental engineering and design firms, policy research, state and federal government, private consultants, non governmental organizations, and environmental education. Recent DES student internships include:

Marine Mammal Lifeline, Westbrook, ME
The Climate Institute, Washington, DC
Stormwater360, Scarborough, ME
Maine Department of Conservation Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME
Coastal Mountain Land Trust, Camden, ME
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Ecomaine, South Portland, ME
Sebago Technics, Westbrook, ME
Audubon Society, Falmouth, ME
Scarborough Marsh, Maine
Clean Harbor Environmental Services, South Portland, ME
Goddard Space Center, Greenbelt, MD

U.S. EPA

Student Requirements for the Internship/Practicum

A core requirement of the Department of Environmental Science program is the internship/practicum requirement. All DES majors, with sophomore standing or higher, must complete the following requirements in the approximate order below:

1. Discuss internship possibilities with your advisor and the DES Internship Coordinator.
2. Complete the DES Internship Request Form. Submit this to your advisor and the DES Internship Coordinator.
3. Prepare a draft resume and a cover letter.
4. Search for an internship by monitoring the DES List Serve, the DES Bulletin Board, fellow DES students, and by conducting your own research
5. Once an internship is located, complete an DES Internship Approval Form. A letter from the host organization briefly outlining your job responsibilities must accompany this form.
6. The DES Internship Request Form must be approved and signed by you, your advisor, and the DES Internship Coordinator.
7. Register for ESP 400, Internship (this is a 3-credit, pass/fail course).
8. Perform your internship.
9. You should maintain a written journal and photo library of your activities to assist you in preparing for your paper and public presentation.
10. Provide your host with a copy of the DES Internship Evaluation Form before completing the internship. This form must be returned to the DES Internship Coordinator. You will not receive credit until this form has been received.
11. Prepare and submit your DES Internship Report, which highlights and discusses important elements of your internship.
12. Prepare and present a brief presentation on your internship to students and faculty during the DES Internship Colloquium, which is a group presentation evening with other DES majors who are reporting on their internships.
    
    For the fall semester, internship presentations generally are held in early October and for the spring semester, generally held in February.
    
    At least two weeks prior to the scheduled colloquium date, you must submit your internship presentation title. The title should be brief and should capture the essence of your internship. For example, "Working as Fisheries Biologist Aide for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife," "An Exploration into the Field of Environmental Planning," "Practicing Environmental Safety and Health in Private Industry," or "Electronic Waste Management Policy Research."

» Student Requirements for the Internship
» Host Organization Requirements for the Internship
» Program Description & Guidelines
» Waiver Information