Extracurricular Experience Opportunities for Allied Health Sciences Majors
Note: The information on this page is specific to opportunities in the Department of Allied Health Sciences. We currently offer experience-based Internships, Research experiences, Independent Studies, and Instructional Assistantships only for Allied Health Sciences majors. Contact the Center for Career Development for additional general information about internship opportunities.
We highly recommend that all Allied Health Sciences majors engage in extracurricular opportunities during their undergraduate careers. Internships, research experiences, independent studies, and instructional assisantships provide opportunities to:
- learn more about different health fields
- engage in research
- gain key real-world skills
- enhance your academic experience
Additionally, internships, research experiences, independent studies, and instructional assistantships will enhance your competitiveness for graduate professional programs which often look for applicants who bring a varied personal and academic background and will want to see evidence that you have gone beyond required coursework to prepare for graduate education. Engaging in extracurricular opportunities demonstrates to admissions committees that you are:
- independent and self-motivated
- a team player
- skilled in leadership, communication, time management
- taking an active role in your academic career
Before You Begin
To be successful in your Independent Study, Internship, Research Experience, or Instructional Assistantship, you will be expected to be independent, self-motivated, autonomous, and unconventional in your approach. You will be expected to take the lead in seeking and gaining approval for these experiences and are responsible to make inquiries to determine whether an employer or faculty member is willing and able to mentor you during your extracurricular experiences.
In addition, please keep the following in mind:
- You should begin the process of seeking approval for your Internship, Research Experience, Independent Study, or Instructional Assistantship at least one academic semester before you intend to begin. The approval process may be lengthy, and approval will not be given once the academic semester has begun (nor will it be given retroactively).
- You should familiarize yourself with the Guidebook appropriate to the type of experience you seek (see below).
- Consult with your faculty advisor about the feasibility and purpose of your experience to obtain advisor approval prior to finalization of the experience. You will not be able to register for these experience-based courses until you have obtained all required approvals.
- Allied Health faculty are not responsible to identify or ensure an Internship, Research Experience, Independent Study, or Instructional Assistantship.
- Internship, Research Experience, Independent Study, and/or Instructional Assistantship participation is not required for graduation as an Allied Health Sciences major.
- You may use up to six Internship/Research Experience/Independent Study credits toward your AHS major Related Cognate (Group B) requirements. You may not use Internship/Research Experience/Independent Study credits toward Group A requirements. Additional credits for extracurricular experiences may be used toward required electives in the Allied Health Sciences major. You may not use Instructional Assistantship credits toward the 36-credit AHS major requirement group (groups A and B).
- The number of credits assigned to these experience-based courses will depend on several conditions including (but not limited to) length of participation and objectives.
- Internships are graded on an S/U basis.
- Research Experiences, Independent Studies, and Instructional Assistantships are graded on an A-F scale.
Internship Information: AH 3091
Note: This course is only open to Allied Health Sciences majors.
AH 3091. Allied Health Sciences Internship
An Internship (suggested but optional for completion of the AHS major) is a 3-way cooperative venture among an employer (Internship Site Supervisor), an AHS faculty member (Supervised Internship Instructor), and a student. This experience-based “course” places students in an organization under the guidance and supervision of both a qualified professional in an organization (agency, business, NGO, University Center or laboratory) and an appointed faculty member from the AHS department to gain hands-on experience that helps the student to:
- Connect and apply academic learning to real-world environments
- Confirm career choice
- Identify the type of organization and/or work environment he/she may wish to work in
- Develop professionalism, communication and team-building skills
Internship Learning Agreement & Forms
Student Enrollment Request Form
Please note: All required documents must be reviewed and approved by the Department before the Student Enrollment Request Form will be approved and the course is registered to your schedule. Please ensure that all forms are complete with signatures and submitted in a timely manner to avoid issues with registration as indicated (but not limited to) those listed below.
- It is the student’s responsibility to ensure forms are submitted correctly and the course is registered by the 10th day of classes. Students without a full schedule by the 10th day may incur bursar/financial aid issues.
- Forms left unapproved after the 3rd week of classes will be denied; which means you will not be registered and therefore cannot engage in the experience.
Independent Study Information: AH 3099
Note: This course is only open to Allied Health Sciences majors.
AH 3099. Independent Study in Allied Health
An Independent Study (suggested but optional for completion of the AHS major) is a 2-way cooperative venture between a faculty member and a student. This academic-based “course” is designed to engage a student in independent inquiry and investigation of a topic of interest under the guidance and supervision of an appointed faculty member from the Allied Health Sciences department. The study is expected to cover academic topics not typically covered in regular course offerings.
Independent Study Learning Agreement & Forms
Student Enrollment Request Form
Please note: All required documents must be reviewed and approved by the Department before the Student Enrollment Request Form will be approved and the course is registered to your schedule. Please ensure that all forms are complete with signatures and submitted in a timely manner to avoid issues with registration as indicated (but not limited to) those listed below.
- It is the student’s responsibility to ensure forms are submitted correctly and the course is registered by the 10th day of classes. Students without a full schedule by the 10th day may incur bursar/financial aid issues.
- Forms left unapproved after the 3rd week of classes will be denied; which means you will not be registered and therefore cannot engage in the experience.
Research Experience Information: AH 3289/AH 4289
Note: This course is only open to Allied Health Sciences majors.
AH 3289. Research in Allied Health / AH 4289. Honors Research in Allied Health
Undergraduate Research Experiences (suggested but optional for completion of the AHS major) is a 2- or 3-way cooperative venture between a faculty member, a student, and in some cases a Principal Investigator (PI). This academic-based “course” is designed to engage a student in an undergraduate research experience under the guidance and supervision of an appointed faculty member from the Department of Allied Health Sciences. For Honors students, the purpose of the experience is to build toward the completion of an Honors Scholar thesis project. For all students, the experience is designed to engage you in independent inquiry and investigation of a topic of interest and to provide hands-on experience that will help develop your skills in:
- Synthesizing, applying, and expanding academic learning to create new knowledge
- Adhering to ethical guidelines for conducting research
- Completing independent learning in an area of study
- Pursing independent thought, critical thinking, professionalism, and communication
- Self-assessment and reflection
Undergraduate Research Experience Guidebook
Undergraduate Research Experience Learning Agreement & Forms
Student Enrollment Request Form
Please note: All required documents must be reviewed and approved by the Department before the Student Enrollment Request Form will be approved and the course is registered to your schedule. Please ensure that all forms are complete with signatures and submitted in a timely manner to avoid issues with registration as indicated (but not limited to) those listed below.
- It is the student’s responsibility to ensure forms are submitted correctly and the course is registered by the 10th day of classes. Students without a full schedule by the 10th day may incur bursar/financial aid issues.
- Forms left unapproved after the 3rd week of classes will be denied; which means you will not be registered and therefore cannot engage in the experience.
Instructional Assistantship Information: AH 4288
Note: This course is only open to Allied Health Sciences majors.
AH 4288. Instructional Assistantship in Allied Health
An instructional assistantship (IA) (optional for completion of the AHS major) is a 2-way cooperative venture between a faculty member and a student. This is an academic-based “course” designed to engage a student in independent inquiry under the guidance and supervision of an Allied Health Sciences faculty member. The instructional assistant is an undergraduate student who earns college credit for assisting a faculty instructor with their AHS course.
Instructional Assistantship Guidebook
Instructional Assistantship Learning Agreement & Forms
Student Enrollment Request Form
Please note: All required documents must be reviewed and approved by the Department before the Student Enrollment Request Form will be approved and the course is registered to your schedule. Please ensure that all forms are complete with signatures and submitted in a timely manner to avoid issues with registration as indicated (but not limited to) those listed below.
- It is the student’s responsibility to ensure forms are submitted correctly and the course is registered by the 10th day of classes. Students without a full schedule by the 10th day may incur bursar/financial aid issues.
- Forms left unapproved after the 3rd week of classes will be denied; which means you will not be registered and therefore cannot engage in the experience.