Undergraduate Planning Internships
The study of urban planning requires students to engage in a broad range of technical, policy, and theoretical
explorations. Full comprehension of these subjects, however, requires personal practical applications. To achieve
this important learning function, the University of Utah College of Architecture + Planning requires all undergraduate
urban planning students to complete a paid or volunteer internship with a governmental, nonprofit, or private-sector
planning agency or firm.
The Intership Experience
Through the internship experience, the planning student comes to understand planning principles in ways that are both deeper and more practical. The internship provides a setting in which various elements of the collegiate curriculum can be synthesized into broader planning contexts. It also affords the student opportunities to connect with the professional world outside the academy, facilitating the transition from an academic setting to a career.
To maximize these benefits, internships need to include both a broad range of planning activities and an indepth experience in at least one area. The following list outlines potential internship activities. Actual internships regularly include other types of work.
- Conducting planning support duties and tasks related to planning, zoning, and community development;
- Assisting with computer-related planning tasks, such as generating computerized maps and conducting computer-based research;
- Participating in the review of commercial and residential zoning permits;
- Assisting with field inspections to verify compliance with plans and ordinances;
- Participating in project review meetings with government, developer, and citizen representatives;
- Assisting in the review and approval of site plans;
- Conducting in-depth analyses of demographic and land use conditions;
- Assisting with public involvement activities; and
- Developing elements of environmental, transportation, and comprehensive plans.
Intern Skills
Although the range of student experience varies, all students seeking an internship should have proficiency in the following skills:
- Basic processes and methods used to develop and update general plans and plan elements;
- Computer-based graphic communications;
- Basic demographic and economic research;
- Planning and zoning law and administration;
- Fundamental planning theory; and
- Written and verbal communications.
Depending on the electives students have included in their curriculum, students may also have knowledge in:
- Regional analysis and modeling;
- Leadership and public participation;
- Plan analysis and evaluation;
- Planning theory and ethics;
- Urban design visualization;
- Geographic information systems;
- Environmental and public lands law;
- Housing and community development; and
- Transportation planning and design.
The Internship Process
To satisfy the internship requirement, students need to:
- Find an internship position. The websites of the Utah Planning Student Organization (http://students.arch.utah.edu/upso/internships.htm) and the American Planning Association (www.utah-apa.org) are good places to start looking, but students should not limit themselves to those resources.
- Download and complete the Internship Form on the reverse side. Be sure to provide a comprehensive description of the proposed internship activities. The form must be signed by the person at the sponsoring agency who will act as the intern’s supervisor.
- Submit the completed form to the Urban Planning Program Undergraduate Advisor for approval.
- Register for the Planning Internship course (URBPL 4954).
- Complete 144 hours of internship work.
- Submit to the Undergraduate Advisor a five-page doublespaced reflection paper outlining the activities completed and the lessons learned during the internship.
- Also submit to the Undergraduate Advisor a letter from the internship supervisor that describes the content and quality of the student’s work.
To post an internship position, employers/sponsors should:
- Go to http://students.arch.utah.edu/upso/internships.htm.
- Click on “Wishing to post an internship or non-degree job” under Employer Resources.
- Fill out the form and click “Submit.”
Internship Possibilities
This list provides web links to state, county, city, and private agencies within the state of Utah that might have internships available for students. Students are encouraged to contact these agencies to inquire whether or not they can assist these places. These agencies may have paid or volunteer internships available.
