Field Placements

The School of Public Affairs and Service Field Placement program is designed to provide students with practical and applied experience in Criminology & Criminal Justice and Political Science. This program gives students an opportunity to apply what they learned in the classroom in a work environment while developing practical skills and professional connections. During the program, students will complete the required work hours, finish writing and professionalization assignments, and receive a favorable employer evaluation to receive credit. Field placements include:

  • Internships are training placements with an agency/organization where a student gets to work in different roles and receive guidance and feedback from a supervisor. These positions typically last one semester, and most are unpaid.
  • Field experiences are for students who have paid jobs related to their majors. In these positions, students continue doing their typical work and may work with multiple supervisors. These positions are often in place before and/or after the course period. 

If you are interested in completing a field placement in Criminology & Criminal Justice or Political Science, the first step is to meet with Prof. Baker.

Prof. Baker Student Drop-in Office Hours (Sabin 356)

  • Wednesdays, 1-2 p.m.
  • Thursdays, 12-2 p.m.

Schedule a Zoom meeting or a time outside of drop-in hours →

School of Public Affairs and Service

Prerequisites

Criminology & Criminal Justice

  • Major in Criminology and Criminal Justice        

  • Major GPA of at least 2.0                 

  • Completed CRIM 2022 and CRIM 2025        

  • At least one upper-division course at UNI (CRIM 3XXX or CRIM 4XXX)

Political Science

  • Major in Political Science, Public Administration, or Political Communication

  • POLSCI 2010: Analyzing Politics                

  • 15 hours of courses in POLSCI

  • Junior Standing

Criminology student at field experience site

Application

Before completing the application, students meet with Dr. Baker. The application is a two-step process:

When the personal statement is complete, email the final document to Prof. Baker at kimberly.baker@uni.edu.

View Frequently Asked Questions

Placement Information

The information provided below offers an overview of various placement options.  Students are also encouraged to search for placement opportunities on the UNI Job Board (Handshake).

For more detailed information (and to find the placements that are the best fit for you), meet with the Field Placement Coordinator, Prof. Baker.

Placements in the Cedar Valley

Residential students often complete internships in the local community, including Cedar Falls and Waterloo, as well as surrounding areas such as Evansdale, Hudson and Waverly. To see a list of recent placements, click on the link below.

Placements in the Cedar Valley

Placements in Iowa

Students who live outside of the Cedar Valley or relocate to other places in Iowa (such as during summer break) may choose to complete their field placement in other parts of the state. Click on the link below to view recent placements in Iowa. 

Placements in Iowa

Placements Beyond Iowa

Students sometimes choose to complete placements outside Iowa, such as in Minneapolis, Chicago and Washington, D.C. If you are interested in a placement outside of Iowa, see the link below for some additional guidance.

Placements Outside of Iowa

Scholarships & Funding

A few scholarships are available on campus for students who are completing unpaid internships in particular areas:

  • The Patricia A. Tomson Center for Violence Prevention offers scholarships for students undertaking internships in agencies, non-profit organizations, associations, or government agencies that focus on victim services/interpersonal violence, such as child maltreatment, sexual, domestic, and family violence. Work with agencies in other related areas may also be eligible. 
  • The Center for Community Engagement offers the Robert and Yvonne Koob Fund for Student Community Engagement, an endowed scholarship supporting students who are completing internships in positions of service in Iowa.
  • The UNI Public Policy Scholarship is available to political science, public administration, and political communication majors who are engaged in off-campus learning opportunities related to public policy. Recipients must have a 3.0 GPA or higher. 
  • Other scholarships and funding opportunities in the School of Public Affairs may also help cover the costs of internship placements, including temporary housing, commuting, and other expenses.