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  1. SRTM
  2. Tourism and Events Management
  3. Practicum and Internship Experiences
  4. When must I complete the mandatory orientation for Internship (TOUR 490) and what must I do to enroll?

When must I complete the mandatory orientation for Internship (TOUR 490) and what must I do to enroll?

1. Prerequisites

The prerequisites for internship (TOUR 490) are 90 credits, TOUR 241, TOUR 340, TOUR 470, TOUR 490, PRLS 410, senior status and being a TEM major in good academic standing. The internship is normally completed during the last semester before graduation

2. Attend a mandatory pre-experience information session.

Attend mandatory pre-experience orientation session by the deadline below before registering for TOUR 490. The sessions can be attended either in person only if enrolled in TOUR 470 the semester before the student’s eligibility as outlined in the deadlines below, OR online through the Tourism and Events Management Blackboard Organization by the deadlines outlined below. Save your notice of completion. 

Note: Failure to attend any one of the mandatory sessions offered will make students ineligible to complete their internship during the applicable semester (see below). The mandatory information sessions are announced through the TEM listserv. Any student not receiving the listserv emails must contact us at ewhisna@gmu.edu

Deadlines

  • Spring Internship: You must attend the pre-experience orientation session in the preceding Fall Semester,
  • Summer Internship: You must attend the pre-experience orientation session in the preceding Spring semester.
  • Fall Internship: You must attend the pre-experience orientation session in the preceding Spring semester.

3. Determine your interest.

What kind of experience do you need? It could be an experience that foreshadows your intended career or it can be an experience that is designed to give you a chance to explore some part of the field that is totally new to you. Generally, the internship should prepare you for your first job after graduation, and must meet the standards of a tourism, events, and hospitality a management fieldwork experience.

4. Analyze your situation.

Look carefully at your commitments and resources. How will the internship fit in with your class and work schedule? How will the internship responsibilities affect your ability to meet your financial obligations? What will your transportation or lodging needs be? How prepared are you (intellectually, socially, emotionally, physically) to undertake this applied experience?

5. Update Resume

Career Services is a great resource for resume help.  Contact SRTM's Career Services Liaison. 

6. Talk to prospective site supervisors.

Identify agencies and organizations that can provide the type of experience you need for an internship. Contact the appropriate person in that organization (site supervisor) to discuss your interests and their needs with respect to student fieldwork experiences. Secure a job description for approval.

7. Confirm eligibility

Submit Intenrship Eligibility form (Internship Appendix 2), for approval by the Fieldwork Coordinator (temfield@gmu.edu).

8. Get job description approval from the Fieldwork Coordinator

Submit all potential official job descriptions for approval by the Fieldwork Coordinator (temfield@gmu.edu). Note: Job descriptions must be approved before accepting an offer from any site.

9. Complete paperwork.*

Read the Internship Manual and complete Appendixes 3, 4, 5.and 6. Note No electronic signature are allowed. After filling out the forms please print, sign, and date.

*Until you have been notified by your Fieldwork Coordinator that your Experiential Learning Agreement (Appendix 6) has been approved by the Dean's office you cannot start the internship. 

9. Register for TOUR 490

Once Appendices 3, 4, 5, and 6 have been approved by the fieldwork coordinator, an override will be granted to enable you to register for TOUR 490 on Patriot Web. The fieldwork coordinator will notify you that you are approved and, let you know the section for which you can register.

10. Internship start date.

The start date for the internship is the first day of classes of each semester. Rare exceptions are granted on a strictly case-by-case basis. Even when the exception is granted, the earliest time students can start their hours is 2 weeks before the first day of classes, for the Fall and Spring semesters only (this exception does not apply to the Summer semester).