EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
School of Arts and Sciences
Course Syllabus

Number of Course: BIOL 409
Name of Course: Practicum/internship in Biology
Catalog Description: Students will partner with a biology faculty member and a nonprofit or government organization to complete a practicum experience in the biological sciences.
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, 212, 213
Class Format: Students will complete the practicum during times arranged with the employer or agency they are working with.
Credit Hours: 1-5

Instructor:
Dr. Karen Antell
Office: BH 303 E
Email: kantell@eou.edu
Telephone: 541-962-3610

Course requirements:
Students must complete the EOU Internship/Practicum Student Learning Contract. They must identify a supervisor with the sponsoring organization and a faculty mentor in the biology program at EOU. They will work with the organization to develop a job description and identify learning objectives. The student must seek faculty approval of the internship experience prior to commencement of the internship. Number of credits awarded will depend on the number of hours worked. After completion of the internship, students must write a brief paper describing how they met their learning objectives. Students wishing to receive recognition from the Cornerstone Program must also complete the Cornerstone Fulfillment form. Organizations: Students must identify a community partner to work with. This may involve working in existing programs, or development of unique projects.

The following agencies have expressed interest in partnering with EOU students on various projects. Students may consider working with organizations other than those listed.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Ladd Marsh Wildlife Refuge
Fish Pathology Laboratory
U.S. Forest Service Recreation resources, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, La Grande District
U.S.F.S. Pacific Northwest Research Station
GROWISER - Grande Ronde Overlook Wildflower Institute Serving Ecological Restoration
Rebarrow Research Forest Community Stewardship Project
Think Link Museum, La Grande

Documentation of achievement:
Students will be required to keep a time/date/activity log as they work on their projects. This will be turned in to the faculty mentor at the end of the internship.

Grading:
Grading will be by S/U. To receive a grade of S, students must complete all course requirements. These include filling out and signing the Internship/Practicum Student Learning Contract, keeping a time/date/activity log of their activities, satisfactorily meeting the expectations of the sponsoring organization, and writing a brief summary of how well the internship experience met their learning objectives.

Disability Services:
Students with documented disabilities, and students who suspect they might have learning problems, might need reasonable accommodations in this course. They should contact the Disability Services Program (Loso 234, 962-3081).

Honesty Code:
Students are responsible for following Eastern Oregon University's Academic Honesty Code. See the description if campus citizenship (academic and behavior) in the Student Handbook at http://www2.eou.edu/saffairs/handbook/handbook.html. It is the student's responsibility to read and become familiar with these EOU policies.

Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this course, and receive a Satisfactory grade, should be able to:

• Give an overview of the project they worked on
• Practice a good work ethic and demonstrate professional workplace qualities such as acting responsibly, using good time management, communicating effectively, and dressing appropriately for the workplace
• Connect their practicum/internship learning experience with issues in science
• Practice written and oral communication skills
• Evaluate their own practicum/internship learning experience

Syllabus prepared by K. Antell, 11 March 2003