ENVS 485: Environmental Internship

All Environmental Science and Studies students must complete a capstone/applications course (research, internship, or senior seminar). ENVS 485 Environmental Internship, is one option to complete that academic requirement is arguably the most popular among students.

The first challenge to complete ENVS 485 lies in obtaining an internship position that is appropriate for the major and your career interests. For a work experience to be appropriate for the internship course, the opportunity must pertain to some aspect of the Environmental Field. Students are required to perform a minimum of 120 hours of work and the internship supervisor must provide support and direction for the student. It can be a paid or unpaid experience in the public or private sector or a volunteer opportunity. Specific questions should be addressed to the . 

You can find internship opportunities on Handshake or other websites but also check your TU email regularly for opportunities. Once you’ve lined up a POTENTIAL internship or two, you should check with the internship coordinator to make sure the experience is suitable for the major.

You must email the with the following information:

  1. Where you are thinking of doing the internship
  2. A brief description of what you will be doing on the internship
  3. Acknowledgment of the internship requirements including that your supervisor knows to complete evaluations for you
  4. Your potential supervisor’s name and contact information (email and phone)

Once the approves you are free to accept and do the internship!

You would then register for ENVS 485 IN THE SEMESTER AFTER you complete the internship. Most students, for example, perform the internship over the summer and then take ENVS 485 in the Fall. The reason for this is that it is easier to write about the internship and the field AFTER you’ve actually had the experience.

Please refer to the ENVS 485 Syllabus for further details.