course content
The AAAS 4650: Internship in African American and African Studies course provides African American and African Studies majors at Western Michigan University a valuable opportunity to participate in an internship/practicum in which they will apply their knowledge of AAAS to conditions, circumstances and programming in a particular institutional or organizational setting.
Students will work with an advisor to identify an internship that best fits with their interests and career goals. Students will also be guided through this experience in a concurrent seminar led by an approved faculty member from AAAS and, where appropriate, a person from the student’s disciplinary major department.
Prerequisites: Completion of a minimum of 15 credit hours in the AAAS major.
Credits: 3 to 6 hours
Notes: May be repeatable for credit.
internship opportunities
Many internship opportunities exist in the local community. When necessary, your AAAS advisor will assist in assigning an internship outside the local community.
Sample placements:
Douglas Community Association
Kalamazoo Communities in Schools
Kalamazoo Boys and Girls Club
Kalamazoo YWCA
Kalamazoo County Juvenile Detention Home
Kalamazoo Public Schools
Kalamazoo NAACP
Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA)
Northside Association for Community Development
Kalamazoo Neighborhood Organizations (Eastside, Edison, etc.)
Kalamazoo SHARE
benefits
Internships offer hands-on-experiences to assist students in understanding and practicing the application of classroom knowledge to real world problems and issues.
- Explore a career field while obtaining first-hand experience working in an area of your interest
- Develop professional competence that will assist in securing employment after graduation
- Develop professional relationships and networks with community professionals in a field of interest to you
- Practice existing skills and learn new ones in preparation for post-graduation employment and graduate study
- Receive mentoring from experienced professionals