Internships are highly encouraged by the department. You should expect to take the initiative in finding an internship opportunity that interests them and aligns with the Resource Economics major.

The ARE Department recommends contacting governmental institutions, for-profit, or non-profit organizations that appear to do the work you are interested in, even if you do not find information on internships clearly in their website. It never hurts to ask!

Below are tools to get started as well as what is required of you to get credit for your internship.

Getting Started:

1. Look over and update your Résumé, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn If you don’t have one developed yet, use the Career Centers Online resources (linked above) to help you begin drafting them.
2. Use UConn’s tools to explore and develop an understanding of your options.
3. Schedule an Appointment with a Career Coach at UConn’s Career Center to discuss your options and develop a strategy. If you have a particular interest in a class or topic, schedule a meeting with your advisor or professor to ask for advice or guidance. It is your job to take the initiative. Come prepared with questions and materials (drafted: Résumé, Cover Letter, list of jobs and interests you have looked into) to make the most out of your appointment.
4. Don’t hesitate to use the Career Center as a resource before, during, and after applying to your internships or jobs. They offer a variety of resources that could be beneficial throughout this process, a few are listed below.
5. It is imperative to keep your advisor up to date with information regarding your internship. There are requirements and forms that must be completed before, during, and after your internship if you would like to receive credit for it. Your advisor should help you with this.

Useful Resources: 

• Sign into UConn's recruiting platform: CareerLink.
• GoinGlobal: Internship & Job Platform
• Off-Campus Internships
• On-Campus Internships
• Career Center Calendar
• Interview Preparation
• Husky Mentor Network
• Diversity and Inclusion Resources
• Pay attention to posters and media on campus & within CAHNR
• Refer to the list of past internships affiliated with the ARE department (below)
• Subscribe to the ARE weekly digest for job & internship opportunities

Email: sarah.reichle@uconn.edu to subscribe to the mailing list

For questions/concerns: contact Beth Settje at beth.settje@uconn.edu

• Beth specializes in assisting and providing career resources to undergrads within UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources. If you are in a club or class within the college that might benefit from a Career Building Workshop, contact Beth.

Requirements: 

1. Enroll in ARE 4991: Professional Internship. Students need to fill out the independent Study Authorization Form with the guidance of an advisor. The authorization card has space to note the optional internship descriptor that will be added onto the student transcript. The form needs to be signed by the instructor of the internship, the student’s advisor, and the department head.
2. The ARE Internship Learning Contract needs to be signed by the internship supervisor as well as the Department Head and submitted to the main office at the same time as the Independent Study Authorization Form.
3. During the internship, students are required to keep a weekly log of their achievements, challenges, and how their work aligned with the goals set in the Learning Contract. This log will help prepare them for their final report/paper (to be submitted at the end of the internship). Report/paper length is at the discretion of the faculty advisor, and the number of credits earned.

List of Required Forms:

• Learning Contract
• Independent Study Authorization Form
• Student Evaluation of Internship
• Employer Evaluation of Student

Frequently asked questions regarding internships:

Q:What if my internship is paid?

A:The internship work can be either paid or unpaid, but it has to be related to the general areas covered by the ARE major. It is not necessary for the employer to have any formal arrangement with the University of Connecticut or with the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

Q: How is my internship graded?

A:The internship work may be graded by the student’s internship instructor on a letter scale or on a Pass/Fail basis. However, internship credits earned on a Pass/Fail basis can contribute only to the overall graduation requirements. The Pass/Fail credits cannot be counted towards the Resource Economics major. The S/U grading option is not available for internship credits.

Q: Can I get credit for a summer internship?

A: During the summer sessions a separate tuition fee will be charged by the University for acquiring internship credits. Financial Aid arrangements for summer credits vary; contact the Office of Student Financial Aid Services for information.

Q: What organizations have past ARE students interned with?

• Farm Credit East
• Hartford Food System
• End Hunger Connecticut
• Hancock Agricultural Investment Group
• Louis Dreyfus Commodities
• Feeding Children Everywhere
• CT Office of Policy and Management
• CT Judicial Branch
• The Washington Center
• Liberty Mutual
• Kawaiikalia Farms

How internship credits are evaluated:

• The number of credits received for an internship depends on the number of hours worked. A typical undergraduate student enrolls for 15 credits during a 14-week semester, working for about 40 hours a week on earning those credits. For the number of credits desired for the internship, students may be expected to work for a proportionate number of hours using the regular course load and effort mentioned above as a guideline.
• At the end of the internship, students will be required to hand in a report/paper that describes the tasks performed and the knowledge gained, particularly in regards to the goals outlined in the Learning Contract.This report may be sent to the internship instructor by email. In addition, both the employer and the student will be required to fill out a brief Evaluation Form in order to assess the extent to which the goals set forth in the Learning Contract were met. It is recommended that the internship grade be based on the student’s report, as well as both the employer and student evaluations.

For more information about internship policies in this department, please contact:

Lena Knowles, Administrative Assistant 

W.B. Young Building, Room 302

lena.knowles@uconn.edu

(860) 486-2836

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Earning UConn or ARE credits for your internship, Independent Study, and Study Abroad Courses: 

ARE majors can earn up to 6 credits (combined) by enrolling in courses labeled: independent study 4999, special topics 4995, or professional internship 4991 to fulfill their 36 ARE credit requirement.

If the students have already reached the 6 credit limit with independent study or special topics, internship credits can be used towards the 120 credits required for graduation.

Enroll in the following courses for ARE Credits:

4991.Professional Internship: 

Credits: 1-6 to be decided through advising. This course is repeatable for up to 6 credits total.

Prerequisite: Open only to junior and senior students majoring in Applied and Resource Economics who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability and possess excellent professional potential; requires Independent Study Authorization with consent of department head and advisor.

• Provides students with a meaningful experience in a formalized applied resource economics program under supervised conditions. Each student taking this course must submit a formal written report for evaluation and meet all other course requirements as specified by the instructor.

4999. Independent Study

Credits: Hours & Credits are made by arrangement. The course may be repeated for credit with a change of topic.

Prerequisite: Open to students with Independent Study Authorization, this must be approved by the advisor and the department.

• Designed primarily for Resource Economics majors.

More information about study abroad programs.