Academic Internships in Mathematics (MATH 388 and MTEC 388)

An Academic Internship is a course for academic credit which offers a student an individualized educational experience in conjunction with a structured employment situation. Academic credit is awarded for the educational component, not directly for the employment situation. The university policy for credit for internships can be found here.

To initiate an academic internship, students should arrange their structured employment situation first. With an internship offer in hand, students will then find a faculty member willing to supervise the academic component of the internship. The student and faculty will work together to request a 388 internship course (MATH 388 for math majors or MTEC 388 for math-econ majors) for department approval. International students on nonimmigrant student visas will need to complete curricular practical training (CPT) authorization in the process of 388 approval.

Student Procedures for Arranging an Academic Internship

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  • STEP 0: Declared Major

    To receive MATH 388 credit, you must be a declared math major during the period of your internship experience. Likewise, to receive MTEC 388 credit, you must be a declared math econ major. First year students who declare a major at the end of the academic year will be eligible for MATH/MTEC 388 credit during the summer, though they may need to delay their internship start date until after the major declaration becomes official (usually early June).

     

  • STEP 1: Secure an internship offer from an employer

    Secure an internship offer from an employer. Your employment role must clearly utilize and build upon the coursework for your major. You will be required to articulate connections between your major coursework and the internship experience to earn academic credit (see Standard Learning Objectives below).

    (International Students Requiring CPT Authorization) Complete the Employer Statement, Student Statement, and the top portion of a Departmental Recommendation Form. Send these completed forms, along with a copy of your job offer, to the math department chair and Kathy Rothert. (see https://international.richmond.edu/international-students/stay/employment/index.html#curricular-practical-training-cpt for forms and review the CPT Guide power point for important guidelines and requirements

  • STEP 2: Work in consultation with your faculty supervisor to set up expectations for your MATH/MTEC 388 course

    Work in consultation with your faculty supervisor to set up expectations for your MATH/MTEC 388 course. There are a few options that need to be decided in this process, regarding credits and required hours of academic component, learning outcomes, and procedures for assigning a grade. (See MATH / MTEC 388 Guidelines below).

    • (Domestic Students and Others Not Requiring CPT) Submit an Internship Request form to the math department for approval.
    • (International Students Requiring CPT Authorization) Your faculty supervisor will fill out the bottom portion of your Departmental Recommendation Form. This will be submitted to the department chair and Kathy Rothert for review. This Departmental Recommendation Form will be held by the department at this stage. You will get a copy at the very end of the process, to ensure all requirements are met.

     

  • STEP 3: Await approval from the department and further instructions for enrolling in MATH/MTEC 388 courses on Bannerweb

    Await approval from the department and further instructions for enrolling in MATH/MTEC 388 courses on Bannerweb.

    • If you opt for a 0 unit 388 course in the summer, you must register for a non-zero unit 388 in the fall semester.

MATH / MTEC 388 Guidelines

The department has established the following expectations for a standard 0.25 unit MATH / MTEC 388 course. At the discretion of the supervising faculty member and approval of the department chair, these may be modified to fit a specific situation.

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will be able to apply knowledge from major coursework to engage with knowledge / skills needed for their internship experience; integrating theory and practice.
  • Students will reflect on the impact their internship experience had on their interests, abilities, and goals for the remainder of their major coursework.
  • Students will demonstrate clear communication skills in articulating connections between major coursework and internship experience.

Final Product:

  • The student will produce a written or oral report at the end of the internship experience that reflects on the nature of the employment, specifically addressing the first two learning objectives. The report should also certify that at least 37.5 hours (for 0.25 units) during the internship experience related to the work featured in the report.

For MATH / MTEC 388 courses with 0.5 units or more, additional final products are required (including appropriate increases in the certified hours spent on the academic component). The student and faculty supervisor will design these components and gain approval by a departmental committee (generally consisting of the department chair and at least one other department faculty member).

Mathematics Internship Policies

  1. The internship can be paid or unpaid. For paid internships, credit is limited to .5 units or less.
  2. Time required: For one unit of credit, students are required to complete a minimum of 150 hours of work related to the academic component of the internship (during a 15-week semester, this is the equivalent of 10 hours/week), consisting of a combination of structured work experience, class time (if applicable) and independent work. For .25 unit credit, this translates to 37.5 hours of work.
  3. Grading: The course will typically be graded P/F. A .25 unit internship must be graded P/F. The supervising faculty member will evaluate the student’s work, including the final product, and submit a grade by the end of the semester. If needed, the faculty member may consult with the student’s work supervisor.
  4. University rules state that no more than 1.5 units of internship credit can be obtained in the same department, and no more than 3.5 units of internship credit can be used toward graduation requirements.
  5. Credit for internships will not count towards the mathematics major or minor or the mathematical economics major.