Advanced Public Interest Externship

Adrianne D. Clarke, Director of Externships and Public Interest Programming

The Advanced Public Interest Externship Program is an option for students who have already successfully completed the Public Interest Externship (formally named "General Externship"), and are interested in pursuing a second externship placement. Generally, students are discouraged from spending more than one term at the same placement. Students who wish to return to the same placement must submit a memo to the Director of Externships and Public Interest Programming detailing why 1) their learning objectives cannot be achieved in a doctrinal or other experiential course; and 2) how their learning agenda differs from their first term at the placement.

Students have the option to receive 2,3,4 or 5 credits. Students must work for a minimum of eleven (11) weeks at their field placements and work for a minimum of 55, 110, 165, or 220 hours over the course of the semester depending on the number of credits they select. During the summer term, students may opt to receive 4 or 6 credits. Students must work for a minimum of eight (8) weeks at their placements, and work a minimum or 165 or 275 hours over the course of those 8 weeks. There is no weekly seminar. Instead, students who are approved for the Advanced Public Interest Externship will have regular individual meetings with their externship professor to ensure quality of work at placement sites. Students will have to submit weekly journal entries, weekly time sheets to their professor and a final paper or presentation on an approved topic. A grade of “pass or fail” will be awarded.