OSU Horticulture Internship Program
The OSU Horticulture internship program was developed jointly by the Departmental Curriculum and Internship Committees. It requires that all students in Horticulture complete a 10-week internship in a horticulture-related job before graduation. Horticulture's academic advisor, Kelly Donegan, is the Internship Committee Chairperson. Financial assistance, for internship expenses such as travel and lodging, and to supplement income for low or non-paying internships, is available through the E.R. Jackman Internship Support Program.
Completing an internship provides students an opportunity to gain practical experience while receiving credit for their work. During the internship, students apply the science and theory of horticulture that they have learned in courses to real world situations.
Specific objectives of the internship program are to:
- experience working in a horticultural or closely-related industry
- critically analyze horticultural business operations
- develop manual skills - use equipment, and learn techniques, etc.
- develop self-confidence and leadership ability while working with others
- determine whether a student has a real interest in the field
- develop personal contact with leaders in the industry
- develop job placement opportunities
- apply theory to actual work experience
- identify weaknesses in the student's own educational program and/or that of the department and University
- prepare a personal resume and experience aspects of seeking employment, such as interviewing
- earn 6 or 12 credit hours towards graduation (Hort 410)
Steps the student needs to take to complete the internship process
Step 1) Make arrangements for a job. Up to 250 jobs and internships are listed each year in the white notebooks in ALS 4159, and are also available to view Internship Database. These jobs range from local area summer jobs to 6 & 9 month internships offered all over the USA and even overseas. Talking with students and faculty is also a good way to find out about potential internships.
Step 2) Submit a complete intent form (Form 1). The intent form is essentially an agreement between you, your employer, and us. It says that we all agree you will be doing your internship during the period listed on the form. If you have questions about whether or not a particular job situation meets the criteria for the internship program, please see the Academic Advisor. The Internship Committee will be the final judge on whether or not a prospective job qualifies. You must submit a completed Intent Form to the Academic Advisor within 3 weeks of the time you start work. If we don't have a completed Intent Form in our files by then, your work experience will not count as an internship.
Step 3) Work the minimum time required for the number of credits you have listed on the Intent Form. You must work the minimum time noted below for the option you have selected. If you quit early or get fired you will not receive credit for the internship.
Step 4) Register for Hort 410 within 3 terms of completing your internship. In some cases you may be able to register earlier. For example, if you plan to work next summer you may be able to register this spring term but you need to clear it with the Academic Advisor first. The reason we let you pick your registration period is because we want you to get the best deal possible regarding tuition costs. Most people try to work in internship registration so they don't have to pay overload fees for exceeding the normal credit load limit.
Step 5) Submit an internship report (see report grading rubric for guidelines. Students doing golf course internships should also refer to Golf course report guidelines), a completed student’s evaluation form (Form 2) and a completed employer's evaluation form (Form 3). Reports and completed forms are due the fifth Friday of the next term after you finish working. For example, someone working summer will turn their paper in the fifth Friday of Fall term. Reports must be handed in by the deadline or you will lose points.
Step 6) Receive your grade. If you register for Hort 410 before you actually do your internship, you will receive an incomplete grade which will be removed as soon as your final grade is determined.
Receiving credit for my internship
Currently there are several options students can choose:
- Register for one 6 credit internship (Hort 410). This is the most common internship and usually involves full-time work during one term, usually summer. The work must be full-time for at least 400 hours, and last at least 10 weeks.
- Register for one 12 credit internship. Many employers have requested students who can work at least 6 months. To make these opportunities more appealing to students we decided to increase the credits from 6 to 12. This is also becoming more popular among students. The basic requirements are 960 hours of full-time work during a continuous 6 month period.
How is the internship graded?
After completion of the work experience and submission of the reports and evaluations described above, the Internship Committee will convene and distribute reports to faculty members that best match the internship area (e.g. turfgrass, nursery, landscape, viticulture, etc.). Reports will be assessed by faculty according to the report grading rubric and awarded a letter grade (A to F). The Internship Committee will be the final judge on whether or not the student has fulfilled the internship requirements.
Student Internship Responsibilities
Students will be expected to:
- Provide own room, board, and transportation associated with the job if necessary. (Some employers may offer assistance in this regard. Explore this topic during the pre-employment interview.)
- Conduct themselves in a manner befitting the program, the Department of Horticulture, and Oregon State University.
- Use the training experience to increase their knowledge of the horticultural industry and its practices.
- Apply themselves well to assigned work and responsibilities, demonstrate a positive attitude and provide an objective evaluation of the work experience, the employer, and the program.
Employer Internship Responsibilities
Employer-Cooperators will be expected to:
- Pay a reasonable wage scale for the type of work involved. Employment arrangements are between the student intern and the employer. Where possible, it is appropriate for the employer to provide assistance with transportation, room and board, or other fringe benefits. The employer should consider employment of students an investment in the future of the horticulture industry.
- Provide the student an opportunity for a meaningful work and learning experience. Particularly useful internship work experiences are those which provide a diversity of experience which gives students an overview and appreciation of various aspects of the operation or business. For example, where applicable, the employer should expose the student to all phases of the operation, familiarize him or her with special techniques and equipment, business aspects, financing, personnel management, etc.
- Conduct periodic discussions and reviews with the student during the course of employment, informing her or him about job performance and willingness to work on various job assignments.
- Make suggestions to the Department of Horticulture for program improvement and implementation.