ENVST 4800 Internship, ENVST 5000 Research are required for the ENVST Major. If declared Honors in ENVST, ENVST 4999 Honors Thesis is required. Below are the deadlines, instructions and application for registering for any of the courses above.

1. The ENVST Core Courses are required prerequisites for the ENVST Internship, Research and Honors Thesis, and must be completed before being approved to complete and register for the ENVST Experiential Learning Requirement: ENVST 2050, ENVST 2100, GEOG/ENVST 3210, ENVST 3364, ENVST 3365, and one of the following:  POLS 5322, POLS 3390, POLS 5510.
2. Complete 60 credit hours before applying for internship/research/honors thesis.
3. Identify if you want to do an Internship (ENVST 4800) or Research (ENVST 5000). If you are declared Honors in ENVST (HBA or HBS), you must complete an ENVST 4999 Honors Thesis in place of ENVST 4800 or 5000. Please see that section for more information.
4. 3 credits of ENVST 4800, 5000 OR 4999 are required to fulfill the ENVST Major requirement. In determining the number of hours a student should be interning at an agency, note that the University of Utah expects three hours of effort per week per credit hour for a total of 15 weeks.

• 1 credit hour = 3 hours effort (45 total hours)
• 2 credit hours = 6 hours effort (90 total hours)
• 3 credit hours = 9 hours effort (135 total hours)
• Alternatively, work can be done in fewer weeks provided the student completes the appropriate number of hours. For example, if a student is completing a 3 credit hour internship (9 hours of work per week over the course of the 15 week semester totaling 135 weeks for the semester), but the agency wants the student to complete the work in 10 weeks, then the student must work 13.5 hours per week.

    5.  Once you have applied for and secured an internship, research or faculty mentor for your thesis, the ENVST Internship/Research/Thesis Experience Appliacation is required and must be completed by the above posted deadline, so your experience can be reviewed and approved or denied. This application is required in order to register for the ENVST 4800 Internship, 5000 Research or 4999 Honors Thesis.

      6. Once your ENVST Internship/Research/Thesis Experience Application is submitted and if you are approved, you will be sent a course add-code. If your internship/research/honors thesis application is not approved, you will be provided with feedback on how your internship/research/honors thesis proposal can be developed into a professional project.

For more information and resources on each option (ENVST 4800 Internship, ENVST 5000 Research and ENVST 4999 Honors Thesis), please select the appropriate tab. If you have additional questions after reviewing, please contact our ENVST Advising Team

• Follow prerequisites and deadline outlined on the “Prerequisites and Procedure” section of this page.
• Start researching potential agencies and organizations at least two months prior to planned internship semester. Watch for posted internship announcements or contact agencies of interest directly. 
• Submit cover letter and resume to potential internship agencies at least one month prior to planned internship semester. Follow up with agencies to confirm receipt of your materials.
• Considerations when evaluating your internship:
  • Your internship must be environmentally-focused (internships can be broad but must be focused on an environmental issue)
  • Whether paid or unpaid, your experience should provide you with the opportunity to apply theoretical and empirically based ideas from your coursework to a real-world setting
  • Internships should offer the opportunity to develop marketable, professional skills
  • Internships that primarily consist of physical labor, photocopying, filing, or similar work will not be considered
• Once you secure an internship, submit the ENVST Internship/Research/Thesis Experience  Application, which is required and must be completed by the above posted deadline, so your experience can be reviewed and approved or denied. This application is required in order to register for the ENVST 4800 Internship.

Additional Resources:

• The Hinckley Institute is another resource for finding an internship. They have their own deadlines and application process, but if you pursue this option and secure an environmentally-related internship through them, the same prerequisites, application and deadline applies for it to count for the ENVST major. Once secured, submit the ENVST Internship/Research/Thesis Experience Application. This is required and must be completed by the above posted deadline
• We also recommend connecting with the Career & Professional Development Center (CPDC) for additional help with your application materials, interview skills and assistance with the search process.

• Follow prerequisites and deadline outlined on the “Prerequisites and Procedure” section of this page.
• Find a faculty mentor to join an undergraduate research project. Consider professors you’ve had in class before, or talk with your advisor about research topics you are interested in. Write an introductory email to a faculty member conducting research in an area of interest including a brief (1-2 sentences each) description about why you are interested in conducting, background of relevant coursework, questions you hope to address and/or skills you hope to gain via research. Politely inquire if any opportunities exist.
• Considerations when evaluating your research:
  • Your research must be environmentally-focused (it does not need to be an ENVST professor, but does need to be a professor at the U whose project is environmentally-focused)
  • Draft a research proposal with the help of a faculty member. We suggest formatting your proposal based on the instructions given by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). Submission of a proposal to the UROP is optional.
• Once you secure a faculty mentor and a research project, submit the ENVST Internship/Research/Thesis Experience Application. This is required and must be completed by the above posted deadline, so your experience can be reviewed and approved or denied. This application is required in order to register for the ENVST 5000 Research.

Additional Resources:

• View past examples of student research in ENVST
• The Office of Undergraduate Researchoffers support in research exploration to proposals for funds! Their services are optional, but can be helpful and some of their resources we recommend are:
• The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). Submission of a proposal to the UROP is optional, and they hold different deadlines than ENVST
• Apply for the travel and/or small grants funds through the Office of Undergraduate Research to support research efforts (as needed)
• If applicable, apply for Undergraduate Research Scholar Designation (URSD). This expectation applies only to students who have conducted two semesters of research
• The Wilkes Center also offers funding support, awards and events centered on environmentally focused research

• • Follow prerequisites and deadline outlined on the “Prerequisites and Procedure” section of this page.
  • To be eligible for ENVST 4999, you must also be admitted to the Honors College, and declared an HBS OR HBA in your ENVST Major.
  • Considerations when evaluating your Honors Thesis:
  • Your research must be environmentally-focused (it does not need to be an ENVST professor, but does need to be a professor at the U and your thesis topic must be focused on the environment and sustainability)
  • Meet with the Faculty Honors Advisor in ENVST, Dr. Tim Collins, to discuss your thesis topic and potential thesis faculty advisor
  • Upon securing on a thesis topic and faculty mentor submit the ENVST Internship/Research/Thesis Experience Application. This is required and must be completed by the above posted deadline, so your experience can be reviewed and approved or denied. This application is required in order to register for the ENVST 4999 Honors Thesis
  • Once this is evaluated by Tim Collins, he will follow up with a Honors Thesis Proposal Form to submit to the Honors College. And a permission code for ENVST 4999 for 3 credits.

  For more resources and examples of past Honors Theses in ENVST, visit our ENVST Honors page.

• Distribute Internship/research announcements
• Assist student with assessing potential agencies to contact for an internship
• Provide coursework for student focused on professional development.
• Address concerns raised by agency or student intern

• In determining the number of hours a student should be interning at an agency, note that the University of Utah expects three hours of effort per week per credit hour for a total of 15 weeks.

1 credit hour = 3 hours effort (45 total hours)

2 credit hours = 6 hours effort (90 total hours)

3 credit hours = 9 hours effort (135 total hours)

• Work can be done in fewer weeks provided the student completes the appropriate number of hours. For example, if a student is completing a 3 credit hour internship (9 hours of work per week over the course of the 15 week semester totaling 135 weeks for the semester), but the agency wants the student to complete the work in 10 weeks, then the student must work 13.5 hours per week.