Sociology Internship Program
Dr. Jacquelyn Litt (
Faculty Director of the Sociology Internship Program
Kevin McCarthy (
Internship Program Coordinator
Do you want to “Try on a Career” and get Sociology credit?
Are you interested in developing new professional networks, new skills,
and job preparation?
Do you want to meet a new mentor?
…Enroll in the Sociology Department’s Internship Program
Sociology is one of the few departments where you can earn elective credit for an internship. Our program connects you with community organizers, research centers, NGOs, health advocates, and policy groups where you’ll not only apply your current skills but develop many more!
Try On a Career
The internship is a chance to “try on a career” for a semester- or even a full year. Whether you’re exploring social research, advocacy, service, health, nonprofit management and more, you will gain insight into the kind of work that inspires you!
Build Skills that Employers Want
Internships held you grow the profession skills employers look for:
- Strong communication and writing
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Critical thinking and problem solving
- Leadership in diverse settings
- Self-advocacy
These experiences turn classroom knowledge into professional confidence- and show how a sociology background sets you apart in any field.
Discover the Value of Sociology
Through your internship, you’ll see how sociological perspectives make a difference—understanding systems, addressing inequality, and improving your community. You’ll learn to connect what C. Wright Mills explains as the essence of sociology—the connection between “personal experience and public issues.”
Take the Next Step
Ready to get started?
- Explore internship sites that match your interests and goals
- Meet with Professor Litt or Undergraduate Program Coordinator Kevin McCarthy to plan your placement.
- Register for the course with a special permission number we will give you.
How to Find an Internship Site
We offer you two tracks from which to identify your internship site 1) You can choose a site that interests you and is aligned with sociological perspectives (and we can help you with this) or 2) You can choose a site developed by the Sociology department. We list opportunities below (scroll down on this page). More continue to come in so keep your eye on this page.
In addition to your internship site mentor(s) you will also have the advantage of being part of a program which offers one-on-one mentoring with a faculty member from the Sociology Department. You’ll also meet a community of other interns.
What you need to know
Sociology undergraduates can earn up to sociology three elective academic credits by working at an internship in this program.
Eligibility and Program Requirements
- Students must have a 3.0 GPA to be eligible for the program.
- Junior or Senior class standing (second-year students may be considered on a case-by-case basis).
- Fill out the Pre-Internship Questionnaire (247K PDF) form. Sign the DocuSign you will receive via email from the Kevin McCarthy, the Undergraduate Program Coordinator.
- Enroll in 01:920:482 for either 1.5 or 3 credits once the internship has been approved by the department with SPN supplied by Kevin McCarthy.
- Fulfill a minimum time commitment in the work setting. To receive 3 academic credits, students must work about 8 hours per week or a total of 112 hours over the course of the semester. To receive 1.5 academic credits, students must work about 4 hours per week or a total of 56 hours over the course of the semester. Time sheets from the internship are required, and students must earn a favorable work evaluation from their supervisor.
- Complete an end-of-semester poster in which the setting and experiences are systematically analyzed. The final project will be determined in coordination with the Faculty Director. We allow a variety of options, recognizing that different internships may emphasize different skills. Typical options include a poster and another media. The final project must integrate what the student has learned in sociology with the work they completed in the internship.
- The final grade in the internship course is based on the quality of the final project presentation, the evaluations of the Faculty Director, the Site Supervisor, reflection papers, and your participation in meetings. The course will count as a 300-level elective towards the Sociology major.
- Students may take no more than two internships for course credit. To apply, download and answer the questions on the Pre-Internship Questionnaire (247K PDF). If you would like it in MS Word form, email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Rutgers University Press - Editorial, Marketing, Production (Assist the press with all aspects of producing high-quality publications.)
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School - Researcher, Editor and/or Producer, 2 positions (Work with esteemed physicians advancing women’s health.)
AdvocacyNJ (This is an educational advocacy and NJDOE-approved evaluation center. Their mission is to educate families, advocate for children in the educational setting, train professionals regarding education, promote best practices in all aspects of a child’s wellbeing, and work toward systemic change in education.)
Youth Advocate Programs (YAP is a high-impact social justice nonprofit that provides community-based alternatives to youth incarceration, congregate placements and neighborhood violence.)
The ARC of NJ Family Institute (Help create supportive networks and groups for adults with disabilities.) *transportation required
Good Grief (This support center for teaches resiliency and facilitates healthy coping in the lives of more than 900 children and families each month by providing a caring and understanding environment that is like no other.) *transportation required
Garden State Equality (Garden State Equality lifts up the diverse voices of LGBTQ+ communities through education and advocacy to advance the movement for equality in New Jersey and nationally. Services include advocacy, policy work, and trainings.)*transportation required
Franklin Food Bank (Serve and support the food needs of the local community.)*transportation required
Rutgers BOLD Center for Leadership, Career & Personal Development (Help the BOLD Center position Douglass students for excellence in work and life by providing an innovative and enriching set of leadership, mentoring, career, and personal development programs.)
Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy & Research (Help the IFH improve population health through multidisciplinary and translational research.)
Rutgers Miller Center on Policing & Community Reslience (Help assist vulnerable communities, particularly communities of faith, to enhance their safety and their standing in society by improving their relationships with law enforcement, with other government agencies, and with other vulnerable communities.)
Sociology Internship Program (Work with Dr. Litt, Kevin McCarthy, and fellow interns in the administration of the program this spring.)
Faculty Research Assistant (Help analyze how the media covers disaster devastation, with a special focus on New Orleans. You’ll dig into news reporting, identify patterns and biases, and contribute to a larger research project on disaster and inequality. The student will also address how the media portrays the current cutbacks to (FEMA) the Federal Emergency Management Agency.)
The Career Explorations in Arts and Sciences Course (01:090:210)
You might also consider enrolling in a course that will help to streamline your thinking about what happens when you leave Rutgers. Open to Sophomores, this 1.5 credit, graded elective course will help you develop the skills and knowledge to pursue a purpose-filled life and career. The course helps students connect their education to careers and to search/prepare for internships. It is a great prep for students before they begin an internship. See here for more information.