Internships

Explore Your Criminal Justice Career Before Graduation

Gain real-world experience and explore potential career paths through the College of Criminal Justice's dynamic internship program at 福利姬. Our program offers a wide range of internship opportunities with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as non-profit organizations and private corporations.

While federal internships are currently paused due to the hiring freeze implemented on January 20, 2025, students are encouraged to stay informed by regularly visiting the Federal Internship Website at:

Internships are available on a part-time or full-time basis and span the duration of an academic semester. These placements provide valuable hands-on experience, with approximately one-third of our students receiving job offers from their internship agencies. Many others benefit from professional connections that help launch their careers in the criminal justice field.

Program Eligibility and Requirements

The Internship Office supports undergraduate students pursuing degrees in Criminal Justice, Victim Studies, and Security Studies. To be eligible for the program, students must:

Be classified as an undergraduate student
Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5

Please note: This program is not available to graduate students. For information regarding graduate internship opportunities, we encourage you to contact the Criminal Justice Graduate Office directly.

Thank you for your interest in the Internship Office at 福利姬. We look forward to helping you take the next step in your professional journey.

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 福利姬 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 the Fall of 2024, we will offer a variable 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.

To begin the internship application process, please arrange a meeting with your academic advisor for transcript review and approval. Once approved, your advisor will submit the COCJ interest form to our office. We will contact you within five business days upon receiving this form.

Please note the critical deadlines for application submissions:

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

*If you miss the application deadline, please send an email to CJInternship@shsu.edu and our office will follow up with you regarding this matter.

Important considerations:

Please visit the Career Success Center's Resume Guide for important information on resume and cover letter information.
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 30 credit hours before the start of an internship.
All self-placements require departmental approval.

We look forward to assisting you in your pursuit of valuable internship opportunities. Should you have any questions, please contact haa034@shsu.edu or CJInternship@shsu.edu

For more information about the program contact:

Heather Alaniz

Dr. Heather Alaniz-Salas

Director of COCJ Internship & Career Services
936-294-1896
cjinternship@shsu.edu
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