Internships

Test drive your criminal justice career before you graduate through our unique and intensive internship program. Taken in the senior year, the College of Criminal Justice offers more than 300 internship opportunities with more added every year at federal, state, and local agencies, non-profit organizations, and private corporations. Students have the opportunity to work part-time or full-time in participating agencies for an entire semester, earning valuable experience. In fact, one-third of internships directly led to jobs in the assigned agencies, while others provide contacts to help students start careers in their chosen fields. Again, Thank you for your interest in the Internship Office at Sam Houston State University within the Department of Criminal Justice. Our office is committed to supporting undergraduate students majoring in Criminal Justice, Victim Studies, and Security Studies. To participate in our internship program, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5.

Beginning in Fall, we offer a flexible credit system to accommodate students' academic schedules while gaining practical work experience through internships. The credit breakdown is as follows:

• 3 credit hours: 10 hours of work per week for the semester.
• 6 credit hours: 20 hours of work per week for the semester.
• 9 credit hours: 30 hours of work per week for the semester.
• 12 credit hours: 40 hours of work per week for the semester.

The first step in applying to the internship program is to meet with your academic advisor for transcript review and approval. Once cleared, your advisor will submit the COCJ intake form to our office. Upon advisor clearance, students should complete the pre-application pdf form on the website and email it back to Dr. Alaniz-Salas, along with a copy of your unofficial transcript and driver’s license copy to haa034@shsu.edu.

Our office will follow up within five business days of receiving your application.

Please note the critical deadlines for application submissions:

• Summer: February 15th.
• Fall: March 1st.
• Spring: August 1st.

Applications must be submitted to Dr. Alaniz-Salas’s email by midnight on the specified deadline for each semester. We encourage students to apply early and regularly check their SHSU email for updates regarding the internship process.

Important considerations:

• Certain internship placements require background checks and drug tests; disclosure of any prior arrests or convictions is necessary.
• Applicants must have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours within the Department of Criminal Justice and be of sophomore standing.
• All self-placements require departmental approval.
• A well-designed, error-free resume is required to apply for all internships. Please take time and refer to our Guide to Resume and Cover Letter Writing and Career Resources for assistance.

Also, please feel free to check out the COCJ Internship/Job Board.

We look forward to assisting you in your pursuit of valuable internship opportunities. Should you have any questions, please contact Haa034@shsu.edu

Ready to Get Started?

For more information about the program contact: