The internship provides pre-career students with actual experience in a public or non-profit agency by exposing students to functioning public sector or non-profit sector organizations. Internships enhance a student's understanding of how the public sector functions and the kinds of environmental pressures in which public service organizations must cope.
Internship Requirements
- Internships must be equivalent to an entry-level professional position in the Public or Non-profit sector.
- Internships must be full-time work for a minimum of 400 hours (i.e., 40 hours a week for 10 weeks).
- Prior to beginning an internship students are required to register for PPA 8400, Public Ad Intern course (3 hours).
- MPPA students must complete the MPPA Intern Work Assignment Form and submit it to Caragh Boyles.
* Prior to beginning an internship search all MPPA students are strongly encouraged to meet with Caragh Boyles, Associate Director of Assessment & Internships for PSPA. Ms. Boyles’ office is located in Bowen Hall 192. Please stop by, email (c.boyles@msstate.edu), or call 662-325-3344 to schedule an appointment with Ms. Boyles.
Students are also required to complete the requisite paperwork and return it to before the appropriate deadlines:
| Required Documents | Deadlines |
|---|---|
| Intern Work Assignment Form | No later than 14 days after internship commences |
| Intern Evaluation | Last class day of the semester |
| Intern Report | Last class day of the semester |
The Internship Work Assignment and Intern Report forms are linked above in the Important Links section. The Intern Evaluation will be sent electronically to the student at the midpoint of the internship semester.
*Students with substantial full-time public sector or non-profit work experience can request a waiver. Questions regarding internship waivers should be directed to the Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Dragan Stanisevski.
Additional Information and Resources
Students are responsible for finding their own internship.
Internships can be paid or unpaid. Students are encouraged to begin their internship search early, and pay close attention to deadlines, especially for federal government internships.
PSPA Career Resources
MPPA students are encouraged to connect with Caragh Boyles and utilize PSPA Career Services in preparation for internships.
Internship Employment Trends
The Master of Public Policy and Administration internship requirement represents a unique opportunity for practical training and professional development in the field. Internships provide professional work experience and marketable skills while helping students to further refine their interests and career goals. Mississippi State University MPPA students complete internships in a variety of settings. The table below provides the percentage of MPPA internship participants according to the sector of government for which they worked.
| Internship Employment Setting | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | 0% | 0% | 33% | 40% | 20% | 0% |
| State | 40% | 0% | 50% | 40% | 40% | 100% |
| City/County/Local | 60% | 100% | 0% | 20% | 20% | 0% |
| Nonprofit | 0% | 0% | 17% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Private Sector | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 0% |
| International | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
MPPA Internship Questions?
Please contact Caragh Boyles, c.boyles@msstate.edu.
