| News | Calendar | Directory | Index |
About the internship program
- The interior design internship, a program graduation requirement, is a collaborative agreement between the host firm, the student, and an ISU faculty internship coordinator.
- The objective for the student is to develop awareness of the interior design field through practical experience, observation and interaction with professionals.
- Interns work a minimum of 320 hours in a design firm during a set 8 to 9-week period, in the summer between the third and fourth year of the program. Students may extend time with permission of the firm who is a professional member of ASID, IIDA, AIA or have passed the NCIDQ exam and is licensed must directly supervise interns.
- The design firm must have five or more employees. Workman's compensation needs to be provided by the internship sponsor. The firm must be located at least 30 miles from Ames.
- Only one ISU intern will be allowed to work in each department/firm.
- Student requirements include reporting to the ISU faculty coordinator weekly and developing a detailed report of their experiences and the firm.
- Open communication between the host supervisor and the ISU faculty coordinator regarding the intern's performance is encouraged.
INTERNSHIP PROCUREMENT
Students register for ArtID 360 for 0.5 credit hour both fall and spring of the year before the internship. This course provides direction and guidance in the internship procurement process and preparation for the observational experience central to the learning objectives of the internship.
In the fall semester, you will establish a set of goals, design a resume, select the area of the country for an internship, complete the media search, and prioritize contact firms. Then firms should be called to obtain specific information, such as, the name and title of the contact person and information about the firm. Review the Host Firm Profile page to determine the type of information required for an acceptable host firm and the Intern Activities page to understand the type of activities in which a firm must engage to provide satisfactory experiences ( These are obtained from the Internship Manual prepared by the Internship Coordinator).
When an internship offer has been made by a firm with whom you wish to intern, you will copy the Internship Intent form from your Internship Manual, type the contract information on the form and submit it to your ISU Internship Coordinator.
Based on your Intent Form, your Internship Coordinator will send a cover letter to your prospective host firm with the following completed forms:
- Interior Design Internship Agreement signed by you (second page)
- Host Firm Profile (for the firm to fill out)
- Intern Activities form (for the firm to fill out)
- Completed Student Internship Objectives
When the host firm completes and signs the forms and returns them to the Internship Coordinator/Advisor, your internship should be secure.
After securing your internship, make necessary arrangements for travel to the internship site and for lodging for the summer. If there is a college or university in the town of your internship, you may want to contact them about staying in a dormitory or Greek house for the summer. Those accommodations are usually less expensive then renting an apartment. Other places to stay might include relatives or friends.
The balance of the spring semester, after securing your internship, will focus on the types of observations you will make in the host firm and the Internship Book you will develop. The Book will become part of your student portfolio and is a requirement for successful completion of ArtID 460.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT
After procurement, the intern agrees to:
- Register for the internship course (ArtID 460, 3cr. hrs,) and pay appropriate tuition and fee.
- Abide by the regulations and policies of the host/employer and the university.
- Satisfy the work performance standards of the host/employer and the academic standards of Iowa State University.
- Notify the internship faculty coordinator prior to any change in employment status that might affect internship credit,
- Complete all required reports, assignments, forms, and manual, as required, in ArtID 460.
Note:
Each individual student is to locate her/his own placement in a design firm in which she/he can work directly with an individual who is a professional member of ASID, IIDA, AIA or other appropriate professional affiliation or who is professionally qualified by both examination (NCIDQ/NCARB) and state registration. Under normal circumstances only one ISU intern will be placed in a single firm.
Updated 10/20/05-03:29 PID:494