Internships
COAST PSM Internship
A key component of the COAST PSM program is to complete an internship in a company, non-governmental organization, government agency, or university research laboratory setting. The COAST PSM internship is worth at least 1 credit. Your internship must be directly related to your area of study. In the case that you do your internship in the context of your current employment, the internship project must be distinctly different from your regular duties and thereby display some of your newly acquired COAST PSM program skills. Once you have decided where you will do your internship, you must submit an Internship Proposal to your advisor for review and approval. During your internship, you will be required to submit periodic updates to your advisor. You will cap off your internship with a final report and oral presentation.
Finding an Internship
We strongly encourage you to begin your search for an internship opportunity as soon as you start your PSM program. As a first step, you should discuss possible internship opportunities with your PSM advisor. You are also encouraged to network with your professors, advisors, and professional colleagues. Regionally, there are many potential internship opportunities. SMAST is located in a business cluster of more than 200 marine and environmental science and ocean technology firms, with more than 200 industry, government and non-profit organizations located within a 90-minute commute. Check early on because many organizations have internship programs with fixed application processes and time lines. The *Tables below list some of the organizations for that have either employed or provided internships for SMAST graduate students, or have expressed interest in working more closely with SMAST students and faculty.
Internship Timing
While internships can be done at any time during your program, many students seek an internship during the summer following their first year of study. If you do your internship during the summer, then it may be possible to obtain more than 1 academic credit for the effort.
- Internship Agreement and Proposal Approval Form (PDF)
- Internship Proposal and Final Report Guidelines (PDF)
Table 1a. Local Internship Opportunities: Industry
| ORGANIZATION | LOCATION |
|---|---|
| Edgetech, Inc. | Wareham, MA |
| Teledyne Webb Research, Benthos, Gavia | Falmouth, MA |
| Woods Hole Group | Falmouth, MA |
| Lockheed Martin Sippican | Marion, MA |
| AIS Observers | New Bedford, MA |
| Buyers & Sellers Exchange | N/A |
Table 1b. Local Internship Opportunities: Government Agencies
| ORGANIZATION | LOCATION |
|---|---|
| NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | Washington, DC |
| NMFS: National Marine Fisheries Service | Woods Hole, MA |
| Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary | Scituate, MA |
| US EPA: Environmental Protection Agency | Narragansett, RI |
| MA Division of Marine Fisheries | Boston, MA |
| MA Department of Environmental Protection | Boston, MA |
| MA Office of Coastal Zone Management | Boston, MA |
| New England Fishery Management Council | Newburyport, MA |
| New Bedford Harbor Development Commission | New Bedford, MA |
Table 1c. Local Internship Opportunities: Non-Profit Organizations
| ORGANIZATION | LOCATION |
|---|---|
| MA Audubon | Lincoln, MA |
| The Nature Conservancy | Arlington, VA |
| Ocean River Institute | Cambridge, MA |
| Conservation Law Foundation | Boston, MA & Providence, RI |
| Marine Technology Society | Washington, DC |
| Marine and Oceanographic Technology Network (MOTN) | Falmouth, MA |
| SeaPlan | Boston, MA |
Table 1d. Local Internship Opportunities: Research Organizations
| ORGANIZATION | LOCATION |
|---|---|
| Mid-Atlantic Regional Association of Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems (MARACOOS) | New Bedford, MA |
| Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS) | Portsmouth, NH |
| Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies | Provincetown, MA |
| University of Massachusetts Dartmouth/SMAST | New Bedford, MA |
| University of Rhode Island/GSO | Narragansett, RI |
| Cape Cod Fishermen's Alliance | Chatham, MA |
| Northeast Seafood Coalition | Gloucester, MA |
| Center for Sustainable Fisheries | New Bedford, MA |
| Environmental Defense Fund | New York, NY |
| Fishery Survival Fund | Southcoast MA |
| Saving Seafood | Washington, DC |
| Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation | Saunderstown, RI |
| Gulf of Maine Research Institute | Portland, ME |
| Maria Mitchell Association | Nantucket, MA |
| Lloyd Center for the Environment | Marion, MA |
| Sea Education Association | Falmouth, MA |
*The above list of internship opportunities is by no means exhaustive, but is provided as a sample of the types of organizations a COAST PSM student might consider. Internship offerings vary in date, duration and availability.