When should I apply for Internship?

You should apply for Internship the Spring semester prior to the year that you plan to intern. For example:

What are the requirements to apply for Internship?

• Spring Semester is the designated time to apply for internship for the following year.
• You do not have to be admitted into TEP or pass the Praxis to apply. However, once you have applied, you will have to meet the requirements listed below in order to participate in internship.  Always apply the Spring semester prior to the school year that you plan to intern. There is no application available during Fall or Summer semester.
• Each student is responsible for making application to the College of Education.
• Final dates for submission of the application: March 31^st for Fall Internship and June 30^th for Spring Internship.
• For candidates seeking certification in two or more distinct teaching fields, additional internship(s) shall be required.

What are the procedures for applying?

1. Go to ASU Online on the College of Education website
2. Enter your user name and password
3. Click on the Student Tab
4. Select  “Request for Internship Application”
5. Select current term

What are the requirements for participation in internship?

• Admission into the Teacher Education Program (TEP)
• Grade Point Average: Overall GPA 2.5; Teaching Field 2.75; and Secondary majors 2.5
• Completion of all methods courses with a grade of “C” or higher
• The transcript should not reflect any grades of “I” or “F” in the required courses
• Praxis II Content Knowledge Test  - a passing course respective to major BEFORE the official start day of Internship 
• Field experience – a minimum of 22 completed days
• Alabama Prospective Teacher Testing (APTT) – passing score in all areas
• ABI/FBI Background check (fingerprinting on file)
• Current Tuberculosis test – tested clear within a three year window
• Alabama Reading Initiative Training

How am I placed and assigned to a school?

• The College of Education and its school partners jointly determine the placements of interns to maximize the learn­ing experience for candidates and P-12 students
• A list of interns is forwarded to the superintendents of education in a number of area school systems for requested assignment and placement one semester prior to the internship semester.
• Classroom teachers are accom­plished school professionals who are jointly selected by the College of Education and the partnering schools. After selection, classroom teachers are prepared for their roles as mentors by the University supervisor. Classroom teachers are selected from a roster which meets the Alabama State Board of Education require­ments for cooperating teachers.
• Internship is available during Fall and Spring of each year. Summer internship is not an option.
• Interns are not placed at schools that employ family members.
• Secondary interns are not placed at high schools from which they graduated.
• At Athens State University, internship is considered a full-semester, full-time assignment for 75 consecutive days. 

When can I view my placement?

For Fall Semester interns, you can view the school at which you are placed on July 1^st. August 1^st will be the day when you can view the name of the teacher for your placement.

For Spring Semester interns, you can view the school at which you are placed on December 1^st.  January 1^st will be the date when you can view the name of the teacher for your placement.

What if I have to be absent during internship?

You should not go on vacation during internship. The requirements mandate that you conduct your 75 days of internship without interruption except for school holidays or occasional illness.  You should schedule doctor’s appointments outside of the school day. You should make sure that your time is spent at the school just as the classroom teacher is there. Make arrangements for picking up your own children from other schools so that it does not detract for the time you are required to be at the school.  Do not work a second job that detracts from the required time you are to be at the school. Each time you are absent you will need to fill out an absentee form and have it approved by the ASU Supervisor. See the Attendance section under the Intern link.

When do I start internship?

You will begin internship on the day that the students start back to school. The mandatory Orientation Seminar usually occurs before this depending on the system in which you are placed. If the Orientation Seminar and the first day back to school are on the same day, you must attend the Orientation Seminar. Contact the school in which you are placed one week prior to that first day to introduce yourself, ask what time you should arrive, and where you should park.

How do I count half days or early out days?

If the day counts as a school day for teachers and students, then you can count is a full day on your attendance sheet.

What if I applied but have decided to wait another semester?

No problem! Just contact the Clinical Experience Office at Internship@athens.edu and inform them of the change in your situation. Then, reapply for the semester that will work best for you.

What if I want to change my placement ?

The requests that you make in the application are the basis of communication with the school system.  This is a complicated and lengthy process that involves the Central Office, principals, and teachers. Thus, the only reason we change a placement from your original request is in the case of a change of address.

Will I get my first choice of schools from the application?

This is not guaranteed because of all the factors that go into placing an intern for 75 days. (It is not the same as Field Experience.) The factors include: central office approval; willing schools and teachers; qualified teachers to host interns; and location of supervisors.