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Forensic & Investigative Science Program
Internship Information Portal
Internship central
The Forensic & Investigative Science major at West Virginia University is a practitioner based program. The forensic faculty is committed to the training of professional forensic personnel. This commitment requires that students have the opportunity to translate classroom experiences into direct services in an appropriate law enforcement agency or institution. In order to assure that students have the opportunity to access and improve skills in applied settings, on-site supervisors as well as faculty provide supervision. All internship experiences are supervised in both group settings and one-on-one individual instruction by both on-site supervisors and assigned faculty member.
Overview and General Information
The internship of WVU’s Forensic and investigative sciences is the largest in the U.S. and distinguishes our program from all others. For most students, the internship experience is the gateway to their first job. Every year, we have students receive job offers from their internship site. At the very least, the internship supervisor provides an invaluable first professional reference. The internships program at WVU is overseen by the director, Dr. Keith Morris and coordinated by Dianna Griffin.
Full-time students must complete their internship in the summer between their junior and senior year. Exceptions to this rule must be approved, in writing, by the Director of the Program.
How to have a successful internship? It is a three-way partnership. The program will work with you to find a site that works best. We will assist with all paperwork and will work with sites to insure that they provide you with a meaningful experience. The internship sites and coordinators will show you the real world of forensic and investigative science. However, the single most important factor in a successful internship is YOU. Take the initiative from the start, help find a site, work with the coordinators to make it happen, and make all required deadlines and meetings. What is expected of you here is no less than will be expected of you when you take your first job; in fact, the internship is your first forensic job. Make sure to approach it that way.
Students must enroll for six credit hours of internship. Students should check with their advisors to ascertain that they have completed all of the necessary course pre-requisites. Enrollment does not guarantee admittance or placement. Decisions regarding placement are made in the formal application process. Internships such as volunteer work outside the oversight of the Program cannot substitute for the required internship hours. Any and all internships MUST be approved by the Program.
Internships must occur within the dates prescribed by the University semester. Hours must be dispersed evenly throughout the semester as to maximize the opportunity for students to carry projects/cases over a period of time and be supervised in this activity. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the Director.
Career Significance of the Internship
All students in the FIS program are required to complete an internship to graduate. Because of this importance, policies and procedures for finding, organizing, and completing the internship are carefully spelled out here and in the associated pages. Make sure you are familiar with and comply with these requirements to insure the best internship experience possible.
The selection of internship sites and subsequent performance at these sites are crucial determinants in the formation of your future as a professional forensic specialist. Students should be aware that, in the past, many students have received employment at the site at which they completed their internship. The selection of a meaningful internship experience includes the following considerations:
- Internship provides a student with an opportunity to make practical application of information and refine knowledge gained in previous classroom experiences and laboratory experiences.
- Internship experience makes a graduate more attractive to future employers because they anticipate less time and effort in training and orientation.
- Prospective employers tend to network candidates and are more likely to hire those with positive recommendations received from professional counterparts at internship sites
- The selection of an internship site is a testimony of a candidate’s commitment to a particular area or forensic specialty.
Definition
An internship is defined as a professional experience consisting of a minimum of 420 hours (typically 12 weeks @ 35 hours/week) of work corresponding to 6 hours of WVU credit. The internship must be completed in an approved agency, laboratory, or institutional setting. The actual hours required may be slightly adjusted by the Director. The internship is expected to provide the opportunity for students to function as full time employees with a full range of professional activities. All activities normally conducted by a full time forensic specialist at an approve agency will be considered appropriate. However, students must realize that they are not in fact full-time employees of the hosting site. They are guests that the site has agreed to host and assist and students must remain mindful of the significant effort that sites and internship coordinators invest in the internship experience.
Requirements and Expectations for the Internship
The student is required to attend daily and weekly supervision sessions with an assigned supervisor who will help the student refine his/her skills. The faculty supervisor will also consult with the student in the continued refinement of effective skills.
The student is expected to be present full time at an approved site for a total of 12 weeks during the context of the regular or summer semester at West Virginia University.
The on-site supervisor will provide at least one hour each week of direct supervision. This supervisor is encouraged to include the following activities:
- The on-site supervisor provides the opportunity for the student to discuss cases and problems encountered and gives the student necessary feedback.
- The on-site supervisor may elect to observe the student in an actual student activity and give the student instructive feedback.
- The on-site supervisor can elect to have the student observe the supervisor conduction or investigative procedure.
- The on-site supervisor will provide at least one hour a week of supervisory sessions designed to enhance the student’s experience and skills.
- The on-site supervisor will guide the student in the utilization of effective laboratory techniques.
- The student is expected to engage in forensic and investigative science techniques to be critiqued by the on-site supervisor.
- The student is encouraged to participate in consultative activities with other staff personnel.
- The student is required to complete all records, case notes, crime scene procedural data, etc. in such a way to fully comply with the policies of the site.
- The student is required to complete an activity log. This log will be turned-in to the Internship Coordinator at the conclusion of the internship. If you wish to keep a duplicate log for your records, this would be appropriate. This log will be monitored by the student’s on-campus supervisor but will also be made available upon request by the on-site supervisor, protecting the identity of cases and victims. The student is responsible to be available for all in-service training experiences at the site providing these activities fall within the student’s agreed upon time commitments at the site.
- The student is required to reflect the highest standards of ethical behavior and all considerations affecting the well being of the cases and safety of themselves and team members.
Expenses
The expenses for the Summer Internship include summer 1 tuition and special fees. In some cases, the special fee may be waived. This fee includes use of PRT and library, which off-campus students obviously don’t use. The program will attempt on the student’s behalf to have these fees waived, but the decision is that of the University and not the Program.
Other costs to plan and prepare for include cost of living, transportation, accommodations, and general expenses such as food and utilities.
Health Issues, Stress, and Related Concerns
Forensic science deals with death, violence, and other disturbing situations; that it the nature of the profession. Crime scenes and autopsies are by their nature graphic and disturbing. They are nothing like what is depicted on television. Students must be aware of this from the beginning of the program and keep it in mind as they approach their internship experience. Site supervisors are aware of the stress of the first exposure to such situations, but students must have realistic expectations of the career they have chosen and prepare accordingly.
Students should be aware that evidence or crime scenes may be contaminated with biological material containing HIV and other infectious materials. Scenes can also contain hazardous and explosive materials.
For those students doing their internship in either a laboratory or a field site, it is highly recommended that they receive immunizations for Hepatitis B. Because of possible exposure to infected specimens, appropriate immunizations should be sought well in advance of applying for the internship experience. It is recommended that immunizations for Hepatitis B be taken at least six months in advance. These immunizations can be secured at Health Sciences Center or your own family physician.
Insurance Issues
Forensic & Investigative Science students participating in internships are encouraged to be aware of the possibility that legal action may be taken against them if they violate state laws or ethical procedures. The best protection against legal action is strict adherence to ethical guidelines established by professional organizations such as those formulated by the International Association for Identification.