Field Education

Internship Success Stories

 

Kaleb Dunston-Ward (’23)

October 2023

 

 

 

Sean Hatcher (’15)

August 2022

 

How has your internship led to your current success?
My internship was crucial in setting me up to be where I am today. I always knew that I wanted to make a positive difference in my community by helping others, and my internship was the foundation for me realizing that goal. I decided to accept a paid internship with CRC, a growing company founded by two ECU graduates that specializes in providing background checks for employees that work with vulnerable populations, such as healthcare systems, government entities, and education institutions. During my internship, I learned how to conduct comprehensive background investigations by utilizing various data sources and pulling records from local, state, and federal agencies nationwide. I was able to take what I learned from my classes at ECU and apply it to interpreting criminal record results, which helped me to pick up the company’s processes quicker. Overall, it was a very positive experience; being treated like a full-time employee and having my input heard sealed the deal for me wanting to be a part of this company. Once the internship concluded, I was excited to accept a full time Research Associate role on our Operations team. Over time, the company sponsored my FCRA professional certification as well as my Private Investigator license, and even provided an opportunity for me to build our customer service team from the ground up. Now, after 7 years, I’m overseeing the company’s day-to-day production teams and helping to steer our overall organizational trajectory as CRC’s Operations Manager. Having the opportunity to take what I learned and empower the next generation of leaders within my organization is a dream come true!

What is Field Education?

Field education, also called the internship, is an experiential learning activity that allows students to integrate classroom knowledge with in-field criminal justice practices.  A field education course is required for Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice majors and an elective for Master’s students. Undergraduate students are required to have a satisfactory overall grade point average and enroll in the course during their last semester, in accordance with university catalog provisions. Field education placements must be approved in advance by the departmental program director. Required contact hours are completed in the placement agency. Students are also expected to comply with the other course requirements including attendance at a mandatory orientation meeting.

Internship Policy Manual

Advice to future Interns, from Summer 2022 Interns

Begin Your Search Now

Students who wish to pursue an internship placement for course credit in Summer 2026 should begin their search immediately. Do not wait until our meeting to get started. Consider your interests—traditional placements such as law enforcement, courts, or corrections—and start identifying potential opportunities.

At the upcoming meeting, you will receive access to additional resources, including an Internship Agency List in Canvas, to help guide your search.

Summer Internship Course Options

We offer three Criminal Justice & Criminology internship courses:

 

The Summer Internships are designed for a 11-week semester beginning, Monday May 18th, 2026-Monday July 30, 2026. 

 

CRIM4330 is worth three (3) credit hours 135 Coursework/Hours (Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors)

Average of 13 hours per week at the internship site/coursework. 

Example:10 hours of coursework-125 actual agency contact hours (12 hours)

 

CRIM4660 is worth six (6) credit hours 270 Coursework/Hours (Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors)

Average of 25 hours per week at the internship site/coursework

Example: 20 hours of coursework-250 actual agency contact hours (23 hours)

 

CRIM4990 is worth nine (9) credit hours 405 Coursework/Hours (Graduating Seniors only, taken alongside CRIM 4500)

This averages to roughly 37 hours per week at the internship site/coursework. 

Example: 30 hours of coursework-375 actual agency hours (35 hours at the site)

 

Please note: Students may apply a maximum of 9 credit hours of internship coursework toward their degree.

Eligibility Requirements

To enroll in one of the internship courses, you must:

  • Have successfully completed CRIM 1000 and CRIM 2004
  • Hold a minimum GPA of 2.0 (upon completion of the current semester)
  • Have completed at least 30 course credit hours
  • Attend a mandatory Field Experience (Internship) Orientation meeting

Once eligibility is confirmed, you will be invited to a non-graded Canvas Internship Orientation folder.

Important Note for Graduating Seniors (Summer 2026)

If you plan to graduate in Summer 2026, please read carefully:

  • As of the Fall 2023 Course Catalog, the internship is optional but strongly recommended.
  • Students who choose not to complete the 9-credit CRIM 4990 Internship must instead take three on-campus CRIM electives (3, 3, 3).
  • Some Spring/Summer 2026 graduates may not fall under the Fall 2023 Course Catalog; confirm your requirements with your CJ Academic Advisor.
  • Prior criminal justice or military experience does not exempt students from CRIM 4990.
  • Students with military obligations for Summer 2026 must contact me immediately to determine options.

Mandatory Orientation Meetings (NOTE: ONLINE MEETING LINK TUESDAY-November 11th, 2025, 5pm) Additional Meetings scheduled for January 2026.

To be eligible for any internship course in Summer 2026, you must attend one (1) of the following meetings (students who attended a meeting in a previous semester must still attend for Summer 2026 placement):

November 2025

January 2026

Field Education Orientation Meeting

Mandatory Orientation Meetings

To be eligible for any internship course in Summer 2026, you must attend one (1) of the following meetings (students who attended a meeting in a previous semester must still attend for Summer 2026 placement):

2025

2026

Enrollment in the internship is contingent on attending an orientation.

* Orientation meetings will be attended the semester directly before enrollment in the Internship course

Scheduled Internship Semester (semester you are scheduled to graduate)Orientation Meeting Internship Application Due
Summer 2026November 2025
January 2026TBA

 

Benefits of Field Education

Field education is an important component in criminal justice study since many graduates seek employment with agencies or organizations similar to their field placements. The learning experience offers many benefits including the opportunity to 1) bridge course content with practical applications; 2) expose the student to organizational surroundings; 3) make a transition from academic to workplace environs; and 4) facilitate future employment.  Field education gives students a chance to improve their job interviewing and occupational socialization skills, hone vocational abilities, and build self confidence in a workplace setting. Moreover, some of our field education students are ultimately employed by the placement agency after graduation. In fact, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reports that companies/agencies are more likely to hire people that have interned with their organization, and in a faster time after graduation, than other applicants.

Agency Placement Options

While all placements must be approved, and directly related to the criminal justice field, students arrange their own agency affiliation based upon vocational interest, availability, or locale. The Department has affiliation agreements with a substantial number of agencies and organizations in many criminal justice specializations and geographic areas. For example, our students have been placed in federal, state, and local agencies and non-governmental organizations nationwide. Among these are police departments, courts, prosecutor offices, probation departments, juvenile centers, correctional facilities, victim’s services, and others.

Interns have found placements across the country, and even abroad!

How Much Time is Required?

As a multiple credit hour course, students participating in field education are expected to make a 30-40 hour weekly commitment for the entire semester. The departmental coordinator or course professor will designate the exact number of field hours based on the policy and semester duration. Ordinarily, students are not permitted to be employed or enrolled in on-campus courses during field education because they are fully engaged with the placement agency or organization. Students may only receive credit for the time served in the placement location if it occurs during the semester they are enrolled in the field education course and approved by the departmental coordinator or professor. Agency placement supervisors are expected to make every effort to insure that the student time schedules and assigned duties contribute to a quality learning experience.

For more information, contact Richard Allsbrook, Field Education Director, at:
allsbrookr@ecu.edu or call the main Criminal Justice and Criminology office 252-328-4192.