Information for Students
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Earn Credit for Internships through Legal Studies/Criminal Justice Department
Legal St 694: Field Observation in Criminal Justice & Legal Studies
- This course is 3 credits and offered every semester. It is meant to support students during their internships. Students are enrolled in Legal Studies 694 at the same time they are interning.
- Before starting the internship, students must have completed the following:
- Declared legal studies major or the criminal justice certificate
- Completed at least 60 credits
- Completed Legal Studies 131: Criminal Justice in America
- During fall/spring semesters, Legal Studies 694 meets once a week for two hours and students intern between 8-15 hours per week.
- During summer, students intern between 20-32 hours per week for 10 weeks. Legal Studies 694 has online assignments. If interning in Madison, there are 2 in-person seminars. If interning outside of Madison, there are virtual seminars.
- In order to get permission to enroll in Legal Studies 694, students must participate in a pre-internship process that typically begins the semester before a student wants to enroll in Legal Studies 694 and intern.
The Spring 2025 process has started!
We are hosting a makeup orientation this Thursday, September 26, 2024 from 6pm – 7pm via Zoom. Please email cjcp@ssc.wisc.edu for the Zoom information or if you cannot attend the make-up orientation.
- This is one option to complete the Group 6 requirement for the criminal justice certificate. This is a Theme 2 course for the legal studies major.
- Here are examples of the pre-internship process per semester:
Important Documents to Review:
Criminal Justice and Legal Studies Field Observation Handbook
Guidelines for Supervising Agencies
* please note the assignments, deadlines, and guidelines change from semester to semester. These are just examples. Please contact cjcp@ssc.wisc.edu for more information.
Legal Studies 473: Health Impacts of Unmet Social Needs is another internship course that fulfill the Group 6 requirement of the criminal justice certificate and is a Theme 3 course for legal studies.
Earn Credit for Internships in Other UW Departments
Students may fulfill the Group 6 requirement of the Criminal Justice Certificate by interning and enrolling in courses other than Legal Studies 694. The following courses fulfill the Group 6 requirement. Please see information from each department regarding the process and requirements:
Other Ways to Earn Credit for Internships
If you are currently interning or have found your own internship, please contact cjcp@ssc.wisc.edu to discuss options for earning credit.
Host an Intern
We are always looking for internship placements for our students. Students intern at the same time they are enrolled in Legal Studies 694, a 3-credit course designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the legal system, the vast majority of organizations who interact with the legal system, and exposure to varying populations served by different organizations. Beyond gaining practical experience, the course emphasizes the development of professionalism, ethical considerations, and culturally sensitive practices.
Important information about internships:
- Students may intern during the fall or spring semester between 8-15 hours per week. Students can also intern during summer for 20-32 hours per week for at least 10 weeks.
- Internships may be in-person, virtual, or a hybrid
- The start/end date and schedule is decided between interns and their supervisor
- Internships may be paid or unpaid
- Students may only enroll in Legal Studies 694 one time, so internships are limited to one semester.
- Our department distributes information to students about your internship opportunity and we can collect the application materials and submit them to you in one packet. Alternatively, you may have students apply directly to you.
- Your responsibilities as a supervising agency may be found here: Guidelines for Supervising Agencies
- Examples of tasks interns perform:
- Marketing, social media page management
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- Preparing trial binders
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- Review evidence, analyze and document discovery
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- Intake calls
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- Gathering case information through basic interviews
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- Respond to intake forms, voicemails
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- Clerical work
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- Attending interviews or hearings and preparing notes
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- File organization
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- Pull records and make records requests
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- Draft subpoenas
Complete This Form to Learn More
We are always happy to speak with you about our program! Contact cjcp@ssc.wisc.edu or complete the form above to schedule an in-person or virtual meeting. We can also refer you to current supervisors to discuss their experiences with our program.