John Jay College Of Criminal Justice | The City University of New York

Internships: Why are they Important for a MPA student?

The Master of Public Administration degree at John Jay College is a service-oriented degree; the coursework educates you about many areas including Administration, Public Policy, Law, Investigations, Oversight, Operations, and Management. When applying for full-time roles in Public Administration, employers like to see that you have had internship or full-time experience working to serve the public in some capacity. This can take many forms from working directly at a city, state, or federal agency, or working at a non-profit organization or corporation that interfaces with the public in some way.

Therefore, the Center for Career & Professional Development strongly encourages you to gain tangible internship experience working in Public Administration. We offer the following resources to plan, apply, and engage in a fulfilling internship that will offer you valuable experience to get a strong start in your chosen profession.

Steps to Obtain an Internship or Full-time Work:

(1) Research & Preparation

(2) Network Effectively According to your Strengths

(3) Interviewing

(4) Negotiating an Offer:
There is more space for negotiation within a full-time job offer versus an internship.
Make sure to research the salary range for which you qualify, websites such as the U.S. Department of Labor's site: www.onetonline.org and www.payscale.com are recommended resources.

(5) Making your Decision and Letting your Network Know:
Don't forget to let everyone who has helped you in the internship or job search process know that you have secured an internship. Thank them for however they have helped you progress in your search whether it was advice, facilitating a connection within their network, an informational interview, or even a review of your resume. These contacts become a part of your professional network and ideally you will continue a friendly and professional relationship.

(6) Federal Government Internship Directory

Internships for Academic Credit: PAD 780

The internship in public administration provides you with experience in and exposure to the complexities of the field prior to completion of your degree.

This course goal is to connect academic knowledge, in the field of public administration and criminal justice, with the realities of the respective field. By participating in a field placement students should better understand societal problems and their role as professionals and citizens in addressing these issues.

The specific objectives of the course include the development of: presentation skills, critical thinking, writing, and public problem solving; as well as personnel and professional development in the field of public administration and criminal justice. The objectives of the course will be achieved through specific tasks, including class discussions, journal entries, presentations and class readings. Please see the course syllabus for more information here: PAD 780 syllabus and internship forms. Note: Syllabus is subject to change.