Economics Internship Coordinator
Michail Fragkias (208) 426-3308, michailfragkias@boisestate.edu
Internships are strongly encouraged by economics faculty. Internships provide a good way for economics majors to satisfy graduation requirements while gaining practical skills and making valuable contacts.
Economics majors who do unpaid internships are eligible for special scholarship aid to help meet school expenses during the semester of their internship.
An economics internship finds a student working in a local business, government agency, or non-profit organization on projects such as;
- gathering and analyzing information
- designing economic development plans
- finding international customers
- designing economic forecasting models
- writing an analysis of the Idaho tax structure
Internships are more than just practical experience. They provide learning fully comparable to that received in the classroom. At the end of an internship, the student reflects on the experience and identifies the economics knowledge they have gained. No one should think that internships are less rigorous or less academic than regular classes. They are simply an alternative way of learning economics.
Undergraduate Internships
Course Number: ECON493, Economics Internship
Prerequisite Courses:
- ECON303 – Intermediate Microeconomics
- ECON305 – Intermediate Macroeconomics
- BUSSTAT207 – Statistical Techniques for Decision Making I
Formal Requirements:
Once the student and a member of the economics faculty have tentatively arranged for an internship, the student must write a one to two page proposal that clearly states exactly where the student will be working, what the student will be doing, and who will be the on-site supervisor, and exactly what economics knowledge the student expects to gain from the internship. University regulations require than an intern perform as least 50 hours of work for each academic credit awarded. Internships are graded on a pass/fail basis.
Report Requirements:
At the end of the internship, the student must write an internship report. A suggested outline for the report would be:
- Introduction (two or three paragraphs)
- Describe the internship in general terms. Include the name of the company or agency, identify its principal goals, and state its size in terms of annual sales or budget and the number of employees.
- Tasks (one or two pages)
- Describe exactly what you did for the company or agency. Include the intended outcomes of each assignment, the methods you used to accomplish the outcome, and the results achieved. If you produced any reports or publications as part of your assignment, attach copies as an appendix to your internship report.
- Economics knowledge gained or enriched (three to five pages)
- Examine your internship in terms of the economic concepts and techniques of analysis you have learned in your classes. What has your internship experience contributed to your knowledge and skills in economics?
- Evaluation (one or two paragraphs)
- Provide your own evaluation of the internship. Was it intellectually challenging? Did it provide opportunities you would have missed out on if all your learning had taken place in the classroom? Would you recommend to other students that they seek an internship in the same company or agency?
By establishing clear distinctions in the scope, complexity, and expected outcomes of work for undergraduate and graduate interns, we differentiate and appropriately leverage the skills and knowledge of each group. Our aim is to guarantee that (i) undergraduate student interns engage in practical and meaningful work associated with their career interest or field of study; (ii) graduate student interns take on projects that require in-depth analysis, sophistication, and use of advanced economics skills.
Graduate Internships
Course Number: ECON590, Practicum/Internship
Prerequisite Courses: None
We distinguish the work conducted by an undergraduate intern versus a graduate (Master’s level) intern in several dimensions. These dimensions need to be reflected in the internship proposal submitted to the Internship Coordinator:
Complexity and Scope of Work
- Undergraduate Intern: Typically involved in more straightforward, well-defined tasks that require basic economic knowledge and skills. Their work might include data entry, basic statistical analysis, literature reviews on economics topics, and assisting with ongoing economics research project.
- Graduate Intern: Engages in more complex and in-depth projects that require advanced knowledge and analytical skills in economics. They might handle advanced econometric analyses, develop economic models, conduct sophisticated data analysis, contribute to writing research papers, and lead certain aspects of a project.
Expectations and Responsibilities
- Undergraduate Intern: Usually works under close supervision, with tasks designed to build foundational economics skills. The focus is often on learning and gaining practical experience in economics research and analysis.
- Graduate Intern: Expected to work more independently, take on leadership roles within projects, and provide higher-level insights. Their tasks might involve critical thinking, economic problem-solving, and applying advanced economic theories and methodologies.
Learning Outcomes and Goals
- Undergraduate Intern: Goals are typically centered around gaining basic practical experience, understanding research processes in economics, and developing general skills relevant to their field of study.
- Graduate Intern: Learning outcomes include mastering specific economic research techniques, developing specialized knowledge in their area of study, and producing work that can contribute to scholarly publications or presentations in economics.
Project Involvement and Contributions
- Undergraduate Intern: Often assigned supportive roles in larger projects. They contribute to the groundwork, such as collecting and organizing economic data, assisting in preliminary analyses, and helping with administrative tasks.
- Graduate Intern: Plays a more central role in projects, potentially leading certain components, designing research methodologies, performing complex economic analyses, and interpreting results. Their work is often more directly linked to the core objectives of the research.
Mentorship and Supervision
- Undergraduate Intern: Requires more hands-on guidance and frequent check-ins from mentors or supervisors to ensure they are on track and learning effectively.
- Graduate Intern: Requires less frequent supervision and is expected to work more autonomously. Receives mentorship focused on refining advanced economic skills and preparing for professional or academic careers. They might have more autonomy and be involved in peer mentoring.
Documentation and Reporting
- Undergraduate Intern: Might be required to document their work in a more straightforward manner, focusing on what they did and learned in the context of economic research.
- Graduate Intern: Expected to provide detailed reports, including in-depth economic analysis, research findings, and recommendations based on their work.
- Undergraduate Intern: Expected to produce simpler, shorter reports, summaries, and presentations that demonstrate their learning and contribution to a project.
- Graduate Intern: Expected to produce more sophisticated and detailed reports, possibly including drafts of research papers, comprehensive economic analyses, and presentations that reflect a deeper understanding and higher level of expertise.
Evaluation Criteria
- Undergraduate Intern: Evaluated based on their ability to learn and apply basic economic skills, the quality of their assistance, and their growth in understanding the field.
- Graduate Intern: Evaluated on their ability to handle complex economic tasks, their independent contributions to research, the quality and depth of their analyses, and their potential to contribute to scholarly work in economics.
Please see the internship coordinator — Michail Fragkias (208) 426-3308, michailfragkias@boisestate.edu — for information and assistance.