FAQs: Frequently-Asked Questions about the Field Experience Program

Setting up an Internship

1) What is the difference between an Independent Study course and an FEP?

An Independent Study (or Directed Reading) course involves conducting primary or secondary research with a faculty member and is independent of an outside organization. While an FEP internship may involve conducting research, the student is working for an organization rather than independently or on a faculty member's research. The FEP intern's experience is enriched by participation in the FEP seminar and by receiving supervision and support from a Field Supervisor, a Teaching Fellow and the student's program Faculty Supervisor. A student enrolled in an Independent Study is supervised solely by a faculty member.

2) What is the difference between a for-credit internship (like the FEP) and non-credit internship?

Internships can be an independent experience students arrange on their own (for which academic credit is not received) or a for-credit situation in which students enroll in an internship course and receive academic course credit. The FEP is open to all students at HGSE. However, it's most common for Students from the following programs to participate in the FEP: Arts in Education, Education Policy & Management, Human Development and Psychology, International Education Policy, Language and Literacy, Learning and Teaching, Mind, Brain, and Education, School Leadership, and Special Studies. In addition, doctoral students often choose to enroll in S-997. The Ed.M in Higher Education and Ed.M in Technology Innovation & Education both offer their own for-credit internship option.

3) Can FEP students get paid or use work-study funds?

Yes. See the separate FEP handout, Work-Study Information (189KB pdf) for details on eligibility and arrangements. Some students who take on internships get paid for their efforts. Some internship listings specifically indicate whether and how much the organization will pay HGSE students. We encourage you to inquire about getting paid when you speak to potential Field Supervisors. Work-Study funds can be used.

NOTE: some work-study jobs would not be intellectually challenging enough to offer you a substantial learning opportunity. Please make sure that if work-study funds are used you have planned a graduate-level learning project.

4) How does a student arrange a Field Experience Program (FEP) internship?

Read the FEP website in its entirety and review the handouts. The handouts outline the steps and forms used in the process, including the specific FEP enrollment dates and deadlines. We encourage you to treat the search for an internship site as you would a job search: bring copies of your resume everywhere, call different sites, follow up promptly, set up interviews as soon as possible (the deadline comes quickly at the beginning of each semester). We will help as much as we can, but the responsibility to find a fulfilling internship rests with you!

5) Will the FEP Office “place” a student at an internship site? 

No. Students are responsible for securing their own internship sites.  However, Members of Career Services Office (CSO) are also available to provide you with guidance and support. During the early weeks of each semester, please be sure to attend the information and Q&A sessions offered.  CSO team members have Office Hours (15-minute slots) after the initial FEP enrollment periods.  To schedule, please visit Hired and you will see Office Hours included in your shortcuts on Hired’s homepage.  

6) What FEP resources are available to help students find internships?

• CSO's Hired job database
  Click on the Jobs tab. Select “Internship” under the “Position Type” drop down menu.  You can sort by any of the headers at the top with arrows by clicking on it.
• Internship Expo during Orientation Week to meet organizations interested in hosting GSE interns.
• List of previous site contacts and FEP alumni: Information can be found in the FEP box on the Career Services page under the Campus Life section of myGSE (2006-Present). 
• FEP Student Profiles
• Examples of FEP Internship Sites and Final Projects
• Binders in FEP office (from pre-2006): Internship synopses (detailing work done by previous FEP interns), evaluations of specific sites from past interns, and archived internship advertisements
• Linkedin – Join the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Field Experience Program Alumni Group

7) Can students identify and create their own FEP internships?

Yes. About one-third of each year's interns find their own new sites. However, you are invited to consult with our FEP team when developing your internship plan, to ensure that the site meets FEP program requirements. It is also a good idea to bring a copy of “Helpful Tips for Field Supervisors” with you to share with your potential site supervisor. You can start with your own idea for a project, and/or an organization that you think might be a good site for meeting your needs. Often the best resource is word of mouth. Speak to your professors and friends about your interests -- the “Harvard network” is no myth.

8) What should a student say to potential Field Supervisors?

We recommend that students read the following 2 items and then review them with potential Field Supervisors at your first meeting:

1. Helpful Tips for Field Supervisors (93KB pdf)- This handout for supervisors helps to explain what Harvard expects practitioners in the field to provide in return for your services.
2. A copy of the Internship Contract from Hired - You may be able to review all of the details at this meeting, or it may be desirable for you to return to the site.

Your field experience should provide you with a valuable learning experience. Before committing to a site, ask as many questions as you have about a proposed internship -- in a sense you are interviewing a potential Field Supervisor as much as he or she is interviewing you. When you speak with a potential Field Supervisor, be clear about the type of work you wish to undertake, how much time you will spend on site, and your specific proposed work schedule.

9) What kind of commitment should a student enrolled in the FEP be prepared to make?

Plan to spend the equivalent of one workday (8 hours) per week on site. Sometimes students spend more time (this is optional) depending on what they want to get out of the experience. In addition, you are required to participate in a four-session seminar series and participate in an on-site mid-semester visit. Your individualized final assignment will be developed in conjunction with your Field Supervisor and Teaching Fellow, and approved by the Faculty Supervisor. Think of the internship (S-997) as a custom-designed course, and commit yourself to it as you would to any course.

10) Can a one-semester internship be extended into the second semester?

Yes, if the second semester's work will involve a new learning experience. You will need to complete the same enrollment process as the first semester, have the internship approved by the FEP staff, and re-register. Performance Evaluations will be required at the end of each semester.

11) Must every internship be approved by the FEP staff?

Yes. You will complete an Internship Contract in conjunction with your Field Supervisor.  To gain approval for enrollment in S-997, your assigned Teaching Fellow will contact you about scheduling a meeting with you to review your completed Internship Contract.

12) Who is my Faculty Supervisor?

Eileen McGowan, Program Director, will serve as the faculty supervisor for most FEPs. In some instances, an alternative faculty supervisor will be assigned. You do NOT need to locate one on your own.

13) What are the academic requirements of the FEP internship?

Students are required to attend four seminars led by the FEP Team: a mentoring seminar run by the Program Director and attended by the Field Supervisors, two small group seminars run by individual TF's in collaboration with the FEP Director and Program Specialist, and a Student Practioner Conference with all FEP students present along with guests from in/outside of HGSE. Some written work may be required in conjunction with these seminars. Final assignments will be determined by the TF and Faculty Supervisor.

14) How does a student get evaluated for S-997?

At mid-semester, each intern will participate in a three-way progress meeting at the site with the Field Supervisor and Teaching Fellow. This conference will provide an opportunity to assess advancement towards individual goals and calibrate expectations for the remainder of the experience. At the end of the semester, your Field Supervisor will complete a Performance Evaluation. Typically, students and Field Supervisors meet to discuss the semester's work and performance. Your Field Supervisor's Evaluation form is submitted online. The TF reviews this report from your supervisor and will evaluate the academic component of your work along with your Faculty Supervisor, and turn in your grade form.

15) How are grades given for the course?

FEP credit will be given on a Satisfactory/No credit basis ONLY.

16) What is the role of the Teaching Fellow?

Teaching Fellows are advanced doctoral students who meet regularly with FEP interns during the semester and serve as liaisons between the site and HGSE. The TF approves the Internship Contract and Learning Agreement, facilitates seminar sessions, conducts a mid-semester site visit, and reads/grades final assignments in conjunction with the Faculty Supervisor. Additionally, the TF holds weekly office hours for interns who wish to discuss their progress at the site, reflect on the experience, or desire one-on-one contact for any other reason. Beyond this formal role, Teaching Fellows serve as a resource and a support throughout the semester if problems arise.

17) May a student accept an FEP internship without being registered for S-997?

All HGSE students may consult the FEP listings for ideas for internships, even if they want to pursue an internship not for credit. In this case, the student does not need to fill out FEP forms or gain approval from the office to do a non-credit internship.