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Internships

Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences

An Internship is an applied learning experience where a student earns course credit (GGY 498, GLY 498, OCN 498, and GEO 598). To learn more about the internship experience, please see this UNCW internship booklet provided by UNCW's Career Center.

EOS Internship Program

The benefit of the EOS Internship Program is that we have a list of approved internship sites that work with us to provide student learning opportunities related to Earth and Ocean Sciences. We have over 60 sites that appeal to all of our students and range from geological, applied geography, coastal resources, and marine science.  To get involved with this program, a student must do the following:

  1. Make a list of the types of experiences you would like to have.
  2. Contact the EOS Internship Program Coordinator, Dr. Joanne Halls, at hallsj@uncw.edu and explain your interests and when (what semester) you would like to enroll in the internship course.
  3. While getting prepared, it is important that you have an up-to-date resume.
  4. The Internship Program Coordinator will send you a list of internship sites that are aligned with your interests and you will then contact them to see if they are interested in hiring you as an intern.
  5. If you get selected, there is paperwork for you and the site supervisor to complete in order to get enrolled in the course.

EOS Internship Canvas Page and Listserv

If you are interested in learning more and receiving up-to-date information about EOS internships, please view and enroll in the EOS Internship Canvas page. You can also subscribe to the EOS Internship listserv page and enter your email address and name.

Types of Internships

We have lots of government, not-for-profit, and for profit organizations that work with our students. These experiences are mostly in the local area, but we also have had students work at various organizations across the United States. These organizations perform a variety of work such as: using geospatial technologies, assessing coastal resources, planning and urban development, weather analysis and forecasting, surface and groundwater hydrologic studies, a variety of engineering activities, service to the community, environmental conservation, water quality testing, and many other possibilities.

Now is the time to seek Internships!
Email Dr. Joanne Halls at hallsj@uncw.edu to schedule an appointment. This is the first step to getting an internship for course credit. Please see the EOS Internship Canvas page for a list of approved internship sites.

A Few Testimonials

I really enjoyed my experience at the Planning Department. I got along very well the entire staff and they were so helpful. I know that I can turn to them for anything in the future such as recommendation letters for future opportunities. The most useful part of this internship was the hands-on experience I gained by working so intensively with GIS.
Aside from the invaluable practice and experience, I have come away from this internship with a few lessons learned. One such lesson is maintaining a business mind while working in a technical field. For example, our company advises clients on how to operate within regulations but we cannot force them to adhere. As the old adage goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. Another important business attribute is documentation. Document everything. In the past our company has had to testify in court and it was only by keeping good notes and documents on our actions, even day-to-day activities, which have allowed us to accurately lend testimony to a case. Overall I am very pleased to have found my career path and have decided how to use my academic training. Through my experience I have accumulated real world practice, built confidence, and made contacts.
I learned a lot at my Internship. I am confident that my knowledge of remote sensing and GIS has greatly increased over my internship time.
Although a lot of heavy lifting, manual labor, and general office work were sometimes involved, my experience was greatly beneficial. I learned the importance of protecting and preserving NC’s fragile coastline, as well as the amount of hard work and effort that goes into such endeavors. I also built relationships with many intelligent and dedicated professionals who selflessly provided firsthand knowledge of important environmental and legal issues. I was fortunate to work alongside county planners, coastal scientists, lawyers, chemists, and biologists, and the connections I made through my work will likely aid in securing future employment.
Reading textbooks and attending lectures can only benefit one’s knowledge of a subject to a certain extent. Working directly with key players who actually utilized and applied such knowledge on a daily basis elevated the learning experience to an entirely new level, and I’m glad I took advantage of the opportunity. Sure, it looks great on a resume, but until you’ve been an active participant within an organization, you really haven’t been exposed to the big picture. Thanks to my internship experience, I see that picture and I know what it takes to succeed outside of the classroom.
My experience has been invaluable. I have learned so much about how the real world operates. Not only have I learned more about what I can do with my major, but also soaked up so much knowledge from highly intelligent and successful people that I feel I am at a significant advantage to my fellow peers who have yet to experience an internship. Things such as communication, teamwork, and a positive attitude play such vital roles to the cohesiveness and prosperity of a business. All of the things I will now be learning at school will have more significance to truly understand because I actually know the benefits and importance of its real world application. For that, this experience has been a summer well spent.
I was provided with on-the-job training throughout the Fall Semester by learning how to operate testing equipment accurately, properly collect soil and groundwater samples, assess study sites for potential environmental concerns, interpret soil borings in the field, and use a variety of software packages such as ArcGIS. Working here gave me insight on how an environmental consulting firm functions on a daily basis, allowing me to gain valuable professional experience in my potential future field of employment. In addition, I learned how to work with a team of professionals with a common goal. My daily routine allowed for first hand data collection and interpretation with experienced professionals; leading to knowledge gained about soils, hydrology, GIS mapping, and geological studies. More importantly, I was able to grasp an understanding of how to apply my knowledge and scientific practices to solve environmental issues for clients. This internship gave me valuable real-life work experience that will assist me with future job searches, and my ultimate goal of employment as an environmental consultant. Working with a licensed geologist benefited me both academically and professionally and will aid in pursuit of my Professional Geologist Licensure by giving me an idea of what to expect as a geologist.

Internship Course Requirements

Undergraduate Internship
Graduate Internship
Requirements:
  • Junior or Senior standing
  • GPA 2.5 or better
  • Acceptance by an Agency
  • Approval of Advisor
Catalogue:
  • GGY 498
  • GLY 498
  • OCN 498
Paper Work:
  • Each student must complete the EOS Internship Contract. The Site Supervisor and Student must agree to the purpose and goals of the internship and sign the Permission to Enroll form.
  • If the Internship site has not been approved, then the site must complete the Site Approval Form.
  • Maximum 6 hours of credit possible
  • Grading:   Pass/Fail
Students Must:
  • Complete the internship satisfactorily and receive a positive evaluation from the on-site supervisor.
  • Complete a minimum of 120 hours for 3 credits. These hours are adjusted depending on how many credits a student enrolls in.
  • Submit a short monthly status report.
  • Write a professional report about the agency, what they do, what you did, what the experience added to your professional development, and include samples of deliverables.
  • Give a presentation to the EOS Department in an internship special session.
Requirements:
  • Approval of Advisor
  • Acceptance by an Agency
Catalogue:
  • GEO 598
Paper Work:
  • Each student must complete the EOS Internship Contract. The Site Supervisor and Student must agree to the purpose and goals of the internship and sign the Permission to Enroll form.
  • If the Internship site has not been approved, then the site must complete the Site Approval Form.
  • Maximum 6 hours of credit possible
  • Grading:   Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Students Must:
  • Complete the internship satisfactorily and receive a positive evaluation from your on-site supervisor.
  • Complete a minimum of 120 hours for 3 credits.  These hours are adjusted depending on how many credits a student enrolls in.
  • Submit a short monthly status report.
  • Write a professional report about the agency, what they do, what you did, what the experience added to your professional development, and include samples of deliverables.
  • Give a presentation to the EOS Department in an internship special session.
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