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Economics Field Study Program

Photo by Eutah Mizushima. Photograph taken prior to COVID-19. UCSC is following all CDC guidelines.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  • All field study advising (drop-ins and appointments) continues to be conducted remotely via phone or Zoom. Please expect a 1-2 business day lead time for appointment scheduling.

Applications for summer 2022 are closed. Applications for fall 2022 are now being accepted and due by Aug 1, 2022.

Download the Field Study Application (Word). Fillable PDF available here. More on how to apply here. 

Field study is available every quarter for students to earn academic credit while working in the local community (Economics 193) or elsewhere and earn credit for the Practice: Service Learning (PR-S) general education requirement. Field study provides students with a practical context in which they can integrate course material into work experience. Students work in a business setting where they are trained and supervised by a professional in their area of interest and an economics faculty member will sponsor them, providing guidance and encouraging them to blend the knowledge acquired in economics courses with the training they receive in the field placement. Field study is Pass/No Pass grading only.

Student requirements to be eligible

  • Declared economics or economics combined majors
  • In good academic standing
  • Junior or senior standing
  • Passed Economics 100A, 100B, and 113 

Interested?

Taking the FOCUS 2 career assessment is a good place to start with developing your internship interests. You are strongly encouraged to attend an orientation session and must apply the quarter before your field study begins, so plan ahead!

Common student questions

WHY SHOULD I DO FIELD STUDY?

Field study is valuable if you want to gain firsthand experience in the work place to clarify or further develop your career goals. It is an important addition to your resume and is helpful when applying to graduate schools and jobs after graduation. An internship can enhance personal qualities that are useful in professional life such as the ability to work independently, increased self-confidence, good judgment, perseverance, and reliability. 

WHERE WOULD I BE WORKING?

Placements are available at various locations in Santa Cruz and the wider Bay Area, in business areas including:

  • Marketing and advertising agencies
  • Accounting firms
  • Human resource departments
  • Consulting firms
  • Government agencies
  • Community non-profits
  • Local businesses
  • Research organizations

HOW DO I GET ACCEPTED TO FIELD STUDY?

You must apply the quarter before field study begins, so plan ahead! You can attend an orientation session designed to give you information about the field study program and help you select your area of interest. After attending the session, you will need to complete the Field Study Application. If selected, you will receive information from the field study coordinator about the process of finding a field placement, faculty sponsor, and enrolling for credit.  Approved students are responsible for searching, applying, and securing an internship before the following quarter.  If you are a F-1 international student, you will need to complete a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Request after securing an internship.

WHAT ARE THE FIELD STUDY ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS?

Students may enroll in economics field study up to 2 times, not to exceed a total of 10 credits in field study.

The following are required during the quarter enrolled in field study:

  • 2 credit Field Study: requires 5-6 hours internship hours/week + 5 page paper

  • 5 credit Field Study: requires 12-14 internship hours/week + 10 page paper

  • 10 credit Field Study: requires 24 internship hours/week + 20 page paper (requires enrolling in two offerings of 193 in the same quarter)

  • Meet with faculty sponsor at least twice during the quarter
  • Meet with the field study coordinator once through a mid-quarter meeting
  • Complete the Mid-Quarter Questionnaire and Final Assessment of Field Placement forms

HOW LONG WILL MY FIELD STUDY LAST?

Field study is 10 weeks during the quarter you are enrolled in ECON 193 (retroactive credit for internships that have already been completed CANNOT be accepted). Placements that provide you with more in-depth experience may require a consecutive two-quarter commitment. Because of the demand for field study, you can only do two quarters (or 10 units total) during your time at UCSC.

HOW DO I APPLY?

You must apply the quarter before you want to do a field study internship!  Download the Field Study Application and email to econintern@ucsc.edu.

If you submit a field study application via email, you must sign the application in one of two ways: 

  1. Handwritten signature. (Sign a physical application, then scan or photograph and email signed copy.) 
  2. Digital signature, such as via DocuSign* (Typing in your name is not an acceptable format.)   

* Did you know that DocuSign is available at no charge to campus staff, faculty, and students? Learn more about this campus project here! 

Questions? Contact: econintern@ucsc.edu.

 

Field Study Coordinator Drop-In Advising Hours

To schedule an appointment, please send an email to econintern@ucsc.edu. Please expect a 1-2 business day lead time for appointment scheduling. Summer advising is managed over Zoom. 

Hours: 

Non-holiday weekdays: by appointment.


Office Location: Virtual 


Email: econintern@ucsc.edu

 

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