The Disability Studies Fieldwork Requirement (4 credits) helps students learn directly from people with disabilities through a wide variety of community partnerships in sports, schools, health care, direct support provision, the arts, and many other spheres of life.

You can fulfill your fieldwork requirement through taking four credits of community-based education, offered year-round.

• ENG 404: Disability Studies Internship (4 Credits)
• PSY 406: Psychology Practicum (4 credits)
• SPED 407: Seminar (1 credit) plus SPED 420: Applied Experience in Special Education (3 credits)

Alternatively, you can fulfill the DS Fieldwork Requirement by combining classroom knowledge with internships in a choice of two service-learning classes: WGS 411 or GLBL 435.

The disability studies director is happy to help you make a community engagement plan tailored to your interests and career goals.

Find an Internship

Internship Guidelines

Students minoring in disability studies are responsible for making contact with possible internship sites. You can choose a community partner from our internship site list or pursue your own interests. Many students participate in summer activities or paid work which might qualify for internship credits.

To qualify for the disability studies fieldwork requirement, an internship must meet the following guidelines:

1. Interns must have direct contact with people with disabilities.
2. The internship site must have a supervisor who oversees student work and signs off on paperwork.
3. Students receive one UO credit for every 30 hours of internship.
4. It’s the student’s responsibility to make contact with possible sites. You can choose a community partner from the Internship Site List or pursue your own interests.
5. Many students have summer activities or paid work which might qualify for internship credits.

Applying for Internships

Nonprofit organizations and schools are run by very busy people who may respond slowly to your email. Try calling the contact person or, if you’re really having trouble, try showing up in person at the school or office.

Background Checks

Internship sites often require a background check. Make sure to ask any potential site if they require a background check and what kind (Oregon or national). You will sometimes have to pay a fee for a background check, but the Oregon type is much quicker and costs less.

If you are from out of state, make sure to find out whether or not your prospective site requires an out-of-state background check, as these can be lengthy and expensive. Please act as soon as possible if you wish to volunteer at a place that requires a background check.

Trainings

Many internship sites require volunteer training. Their websites often include information on upcoming information sessions and orientations. You can count training sessions as part of your fieldwork hours.

Disability Studies Internship Forms

A Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Your Internship Site

Here are the forms you’ll need to get credit for your fieldwork.

DSI Contract

1. Contact the site you plan to work with and discuss your options.
2. Download the form below and fill it out. Create a description of the work you’ll do and the number of credits you’ll be completing. Please make sure you and your site supervisor are clear and in agreement about your duties, and that your duties provide the educational opportunity you need. You should be working directly with disabled community members. To earn one credit, you need 30 hours of fieldwork.
3. You and your site supervisor should then both sign the contract.
4. Please email the completed form to the disability studies minor fieldwork supervisor, Brian Trapp.

DSI Contract

ENG 404 Registration Form

1. After your contract is complete, download this form and fill it out.
2. Where the form says, “Specific Description of Individual Study Project,” describe your internship and your role there in 2-3 sentences. Where it says, “Description of Required Graded Work,” name the tasks you’ll do there.
3. Enter the correct CRN number for that term’s ENG 404: Disability Studies Internship. Make sure it’s for “ENG 404: Disability Studies Internship” and not one of the other ENG 404s. 
4. Sign the form and send it to the disability studies minor director, Brian Trapp.
5. Once the form signing is complete, you’ll receive an email telling you when you can register for the credits on DuckWeb.

ENG 404 Registration Form

DSI Hours Log

1. Log your hours as you work on this form.
2. Your site supervisor should sign this form before you turn it in.
3. Turn it in once at the halfway point of the term’s internship at the end of week 5 and once at the end of term.

DSI Hours Log

Final Evaluation

1. Ask your site supervisor to fill out this form.
2. Return it to the disability studies minor director, Brian Trapp.

Final Evaluation Form

Financial Support

Want to receive financial support for your internship? Consider applying for a UO Hands-on Learning Scholarship.

UO Hands-on Learning Scholarship

Fieldwork Advising

Our director of disability studies is happy to help you find an internship and make a community engagement plan tailored to your interests and career goals.

Dr. Brian Trapp (He/Him/His)       
Director of Disability Studies

Email: trapp@uoregon.edu       
Phone: 541-346-0508       
Office: 216 Alder       
Profile Page 

To register for the ENG 404 Disability Studies Internship, first make an advising appointment with Dr. Trapp.