Internship

Internship is a degree requirement for the MDiv and MASJE degree programs. Internship integrates meaningful community engagement, professional practice, theological/spiritual reflection, and critical analysis.

Prerequisites: At least 24 credits of coursework; Identity, Power, and Vocation in Community (IPVC); First Year Interdisciplinary Course; and a background check through the Office of Professional Formation.

Prior to beginning an Internship, students are required to complete and pass a background check through the Office of Professional Formation.

Internship involves spending nine months within a congregation, denominational office, nonprofit, educational institution, healthcare provider, labor organization, government agency, and/or business for a minimum of 420 total hours (approximately 14 hours/week) with concurrent enrollment in the Internship Seminar course during Fall (IST 4000), Winter (IST 4001), and Spring (IST 4002) quarters. (See below for more information about the Internship Seminar course.)  Intern learning and formation are supported by an Internship Supervisor, Community Advisory Council (CAC), Internship Seminar Instructor, and the staff and faculty of the Office of Professional Formation.

It is recommended that students review and consult the Professional Formation Canvas page for additional details about Internships.

Prior Internships or ministry/vocational work do not count toward the fulfillment of this degree requirement.

Internship Preparation

Preparation for the Internship begins in the Winter quarter of the academic year before the student is planning on fulfilling the internship requirement. The processes of securing a site, Supervisor, and Community Advisory Council are largely self-initiated and self-directed by the student, in adherence to policies and guidelines set forth by the Office of Professional Formation. 

Students should complete preparation steps according to the following timeline:

1. Winter Quarter: Attend an Internship Preparation Training. These are offered online and last approximately one hour. Details regarding Internship guidelines, policies, and processes are shared in these sessions.
2. Winter Quarter: Schedule and attend a one-on-one consultation with the Office of Professional Formation to discuss your specific vocational direction, learning goals and formation priorities for the Internship, and any relevant denominational requirements related to the Internship.
3. January - April: Contact potential sites and Supervisors; negotiate aspects of the Internship upon securing an Internship, in accordance with the requirements of the Internship Agreement.
4. Due May 1: First Draft Internship Agreement (no signatures needed). The intern and Supervisor co-author the Agreement, and the student submits through the assignment in the Professional Formation Canvas site.
5. Due May 15: Iliff Internship Fellowship & Scholarship Application completed (if funds are needed).
6. May - July: Agreement Review & Revisions. The OPF staff/faculty review and provide feedback on the first draft Agreement; the student shares this feedback with the Supervisor for review and discussion.
7. June: Register for IST 4000 Internship Seminar for the Fall quarter. OPF will notify you about the section for which you will register, dependent upon site context.
8. Due July 15: Final Internship Agreement (with signatures) & Completed Background Check. The Intern will submit the Final Internship Agreement with signatures to the assignment in the Internship Seminar Canvas course. The Director of the Office of Professional Formation will review and confirm the Internship by signing the final Agreement. Students must complete an approved background check through the Internship Seminar Canvas Assignment prior to beginning their Internship. Iliff does not share background check results with other institutions. Internship sites may require their own background check.
9. Due July 15: Supervisor and Site Commitment Form. This must be submitted directly by your Supervisor to the Office of Professional Formation at [e-mail]. The form is found on the last page of the Internship Agreement.

Exceptions or extensions of deadlines are granted by the Office of Professional Formation only in extreme or extenuating circumstances (i.e., those beyond the control of the student). 

Guidelines for Internship Site and Supervisor Selection and Approval

Internship sites are discerned and approved in conversation with the Office of Professional Formation. Approval for sites is at the sole discretion of OPF and is dependent upon a number of factors that include: vocational trajectory, expressed learning goals and formation priorities of the student, and potential of the site and tasks assigned therein to align with expectations and learning outcomes of the professional theological degree (the MDiv or MASJE) in accordance with accreditation standards.

In addition, the following policies are in place for internship sites:

• Sites within Iliff—whether within a specific department, center, or institute housed under the Iliff name—will not be approved. Beyond the internship requirement, students may seek work-study, stipended, or independent study opportunities within Iliff if this type of work experience is desired.
• Sites in which the main tasks are to conduct academic research, study, or writing will not be approved. The MDiv and MASJE degrees are meant to prepare students for professional ministry and leadership; therefore, the professional formation component of these degrees must align with their outcomes.
• MASJE students must select a site that is focused primarily on social justice and/or advocacy and must conduct similarly focused tasks within that site.  

In determining the appropriateness of a potential internship site, OPF may consult with the related degree program director to further discern alignment with expectations and learning outcomes of the specific professional degree.

In general, Internship Supervisors must:

• Possess the appropriate education, training, and vocational and supervisory experiences relevant to the context and suitable for supervising students;
• Be able to help the student theologically, spiritually, and/or vocationally reflect upon their internship experiences, related to the student’s learning goals and formation priorities;
• Not be in their first year at the site; and
• Not be a recent Iliff graduate (at least five years post-graduation).

IST 4000, 4001, 4002 - Internship Seminar (12 credits)

This concurrent three-quarter course is to further professional formation through critical reflection on and consultation about your Internship experience with peers and faculty within the seminar setting and course assignments. As a requirement of the MDiv and MASJE degrees, students complete a 420-hour Internship and concurrent 30-week Internship Seminar during the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters of one academic year. All three quarters must be completed in sequence within a single academic year. Internship Seminars are offered in hybrid-online format, with Gathering Days attendance required in the Fall quarter and synchronous online course time required throughout all three quarters. 4 credits/quarter totaling 12 credits. IST 4000 offered in Fall, IST 4001 offered in Winter, IST 4002 offered in Spring.