What is required?
Two consecutive quarters of enrollment in a 4-unit 195 internship course are required, with meaningful work at the same site for both quarters. Each 195 internship course is graded. It can be taken through the academic department of a faculty sponsor or through the Disability Studies 195 internship course. In either case, there is no class that meets but rather an independent study relationship with a faculty mentor and the creation of a final research paper each quarter.
How to enroll in 195 internships
Please visit the Center for Community Learning, A265 Murphy Hall, for counseling on the selection of an internship site and enrollment information.
How to find an internship site?
The Center for Community Learning will maintain a database of internship sites. Visit My UCLA, click on “internships” (on the left hand side) of the website page, and select the category “Disability Studies” from the drop-down menu. There you will find sites that offer opportunities to provide direct service, research in disability studies or work on policy issues.
What are the different categories of internships?
“Direct service” internships offer a hands-on opportunity to work with disabled adults or children. For example, you may be a teaching assistant in a special education classroom or work with adults at a local regional center.
“Research” internships offer the opportunity to work in a setting that is either a laboratory or an office that collects and analyzes data on a wide range of disabilities. Examples include brain research with a professor in Neuroscience or work on the incidence and prevalence of specific disabilities.
“Policy” internships are generally with governmental units. The Los Angeles Mayor’s office has responsibility for ADA compliance and will place students in internships that support those efforts.
What if I find my own site?
If a student has identified an internship site, it must meet some basic criteria to be approved. The organization must be well established, have an identified supervisor, work space for the intern, an identified program within which the intern will work, and a willingness to participate in program requirements (e.g., timesheets and evaluations). A site visit from a UCLA representative will also be required for new sites identified by students.
Additional questions?
Contact the Center for Community Learning: ccl@college.ucla.edu