POLICIES and PROCEDURES
Applications may be obtained by contacting:
Center for Study Abroad
Lattimore 206, P.O. Box 270376
University of Rochester Internships in Europe
Rochester, NY 14627-0376
tel (585) 275-7532, fax (585) 461-5131
e-mail abroad@mail.rochester.edu
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 to noon and 1 to 5, Eastern Standard Time.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Fall Semester Programs: House of Commons: March 15 |
April 1 |
Spring Semester Programs: Brussels: September 15 |
October 31 |
| Summer Programs: | March 15 |
Applicants must be juniors or seniors at the time of their internship, and have a grade point average of 3.0 ("B") or better. In exceptional circumstances, students with sophomore standing may be considered. Students who have questions about their eligibility should contact the Center for Study Abroad. The instructions that precede the Internships in Europe application provide detailed information. As soon as students are accepted, their files are sent to the appropriate program office abroad for internship placement.
Information about
CREDIT
University of Rochester credit: Credit is awarded for all internships and coursework by the University of Rochester. Students may not take the internship or courses on an audit basis; both components of the program must be taken for credit. Graduate credit is not available, except in some unusual cases, and must be arranged by the student with his or her graduate program at the home institution. Each course carries four credits, and each internship carries eight credits; students register for a maximum of sixteen credits each semester, and for eight credits in the summer. Upon completion of the program, a University of Rochester transcript is sent to the office responsible for granting transfer credit on the student's home campus.
Independent credit: Some U.S. colleges and universities are able to evaluate programs done abroad, and to grant credit without an official U.S. college transcript. In such cases, the relevant program office in Europe sends grades for courses, along with the supervisor's evaluation of the internship, directly to the home institution. It may also be that students' interest in the internship is for the experience, but not to earn academic credit.
If you want to arrange for credit from your own school, or not to earn credits, please contact:
Educational Programmes Abroad
UR/PO Box 270375
Rochester, NY 14627-0375
tel (585) 275-8850 fax (585) 275-2167
e-mail: queries@epa-internships.org
Questions about your home school's transfer credit policy should be directed to your study abroad adviser, or the office on your campus responsible for awarding transfer credit. It is essential that you and your adviser determine whether or not you will need University of Rochester credit during your application process. If you have any questions about credit, clarify your situation by discussing it with study abroad advisers at the University of Rochester, as well as with the person or persons at your home school who are responsible for handling transfer credit. Once the invoice has been paid to Rochester, it is not possible to request a refund or to change your status from Rochester-credited to "independent."
GRADING
Courses: Grades are assigned by the instructors of the courses, and transmitted to the University of Rochester by the overseas program office. Students receive letter grades: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, E (failure). Pass/fail grades are not awarded for courses.
Internships: Matriculated University of Rochester undergraduates take the internship for a letter grade. Students from other institutions have two options: they may choose to receive a letter grade, or to take the internship on a Pass/Fail basis (P/F). This is our general policy; some colleges and universities may require that students take the internship for a letter grade. It is the student's responsibility to determine this by consulting the individual at his or her home school about transfer credit details.
To earn a letter grade for the internship, students keep an analytical journal, detailing activities, related travel, comparing and contrasting (where applicable) significant differences between the United States and the host country, and generally reflecting upon the internship experience. Complete details on writing this journal are included with the letter of acceptance to the program, but students may request them in advance from the Rochester Center for Study Abroad. Complete details are also available on this web site .
At the end of the semester, students send the original journal (after first making a photocopy) to the Rochester Center for Study Abroad. The due date of this journal is two weeks after the last day of the program. It is the student's responsibility to send the journal by air mail. Faxed journals are not accepted under any circumstances, since they are not legible. If there is an unavoidable delay in sending the journal, it is the student's responsibility to notify the Rochester Center for Study Abroad. Journals that are received later than six weeks after the original due date will not be graded. After the journal is received at Rochester, it is forwarded to the appropriate faculty member for grading. The University of Rochester faculty member also takes into consideration the letter of evaluation written by the internship supervisor, which is sent along with the course grades by the overseas program office. Rochester faculty will not award a grade until the supervisor's evaluation has been received. To earn a grade of Pass/Fail for the internship, students are not required to keep a journal; the grade is based solely on the report of the student's internship supervisor.
EVALUATION OF THE INTERNSHIP
During the semester, your Site Director will keep in touch on a regular basis with you and your supervisor as well as make site visits. Your internship supervisor will submit a final written report on your performance.
Whether or not your school requires the writing of a journal, we strongly recommend that all students keep them. The journal is intended to be far more than a record of what work was done during the internship; it is a substantial academic work. While the recording of events is important, an analytical journal makes comparisons with other work experiences, and reflects, challenges, analyzes, compares, and judges ideas, systems, and methodology.
ACADEMIC POLICIES
Withdrawal and Refund Policy
Semester students are expected to carry two four-credit courses and the eight-credit internship. Summer students are enrolled for the eight-credit internship. Students may withdraw from a course only with the permission of the University of Rochester's Center for Study Abroad.
EPA and the University of Rochester make significant financial commitments on students’ behalf well before the start of each program. Full refunds are not possible after the program start date. Any refund issued will always be less the non-refundable $500 Confirmation Deposit.
Students who withdraw after the program start date are responsible for payment of unrecoverable costs incurred by EPA and/or the University of Rochester. A refund is issued only on recoverable costs and only after written notice of withdrawal from the Internships in Europe Program is received in the Rochester office.
On or after the student arrival date there will be no refunds. Appeals for partial refunds will be considered only in cases of serious illness or emergency requiring a student’s return to the United States, and in consultation with the office in Rochester and with the Executive Director in Sussex. The amount of any possible refund will be determined individually on recoverable costs, and will be made at the sole discretion of EPA and the University of Rochester at the time of withdrawal. Please note that these costs vary considerably and cannot be determined in advance.
Any student, who is dismissed after beginning any Internships in Europe program for any reason, forfeits the possibility of any refund for used or unused expenses as well as the comprehensive program fee.
Changes in status from Rochester-credited to "independent" (see the section on "Credit" above) are not permitted after the invoice has been paid in full, and constitute withdrawal.
Course Availability
While every effort is made to offer all courses listed in this Program Guide, the University of Rochester reserves the right to cancel or to replace courses. During the drop/add period at the beginning of the program, students may, with the agreement of both Rochester and the home school, elect to take a course other than those selected on the application. Under no circumstances, however, may students elect to change the internship field once they have arrived at the program center.
GENERAL REGULATIONS
Students on University of Rochester Internship programs are expected to apply the same effort and discipline toward their coursework and internships as they would toward their coursework at their home institution. It is required that students take all examinations given in the courses, and that they consistently attend classes.
It is also the expectation of the Internships in Europe Program that all participants understand that they are guests in a foreign country and must obey all local laws. They are particularly urged to learn, to understand, and to respect the customs of the country, which will be outlined in detail during orientation. Students are expected to conduct themselves with courtesy, collegiality, and civility in all relationships with other interns, flatmates, host families, supervisors, co-workers, and the overseas program staff. It is essential to understand that appropriate and culturally sensitive comportment reflects positively on students not only as individuals, but as representatives of the home school, and of the home country. Serious violation of local laws, or of the Center's code of conduct, may result in dismissal from the program. In this case, there will be no refunds, and, in most cases, credit will not be awarded.
All insurance is the responsibility of the student: medical, travel, and personal. Most students will be able to maintain health insurance policies through their home school or through their parents' health plans. It is essential that students verify that these policies are valid for use outside the United States, and it is strongly recommended that students bring a copy of their insurance policy and identification card with them. No insurance is included in the University of Rochester Internships in Europe fees.
FINANCIAL AID
Students who are not matriculated University of Rochester undergraduates may use loans they currently receive, or even grants, toward the cost of the internship program. The University of Rochester Office of Student Financial Assistance will help process some financial aid, such as Stafford Loans and Pell Grants, by completing consortium agreement forms. Investigating financial aid must begin at your own institution, and we are happy to help you with the paperwork. Please call the Center for Study Abroad at (716) 275-7532 for more information. Matriculated University of Rochester undergraduates may apply for and receive financial aid under normal University of Rochester policies.