APPLICATION FOR JUST497
SENIOR SEMINAR AND INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE
Deadlines Dates for Submission of Applications
March 1st for the fall semester
February 15th for the summer semester
October 1st for the spring semester
Please Note
 No exceptions will be made to the deadline dates.
 Pre-requisite courses do not need to be completed before you apply for an internship. However,
pre-requisite courses and 6 concentration electives must be completed and you must earn a C- or
better in each core pre-requisite before your internship semester.
 You are encouraged to file your application early. Placements requiring background checks can take
as long as 8 weeks for clearance. National clearance can take 6-9 months.
 A juvenile / adult arrest or conviction may exclude students from certain placements. Please advise
the Applied Learning Specialist, Professor Raguso, of any charges or arrests at your placement
meeting.
 Students who are not U.S. citizens may encounter difficulties in securing certain placements.
 Some placements do not accept students who work as bartenders, or who serve alcoholic
beverages.
Your completed application along with three copies of your resume and current academic analysis is to
be submitted to Ms. Sheehan for academic approval. Only hard copies will be accepted. Do not fax or
send an electronic copy of your application packet.
Ms. Brenda Sheehan
Department Administrator
Justice Studies
Dickson Hall Room 331
Mail Box, Dickson Hall Room 348
If your application is approved, your application packet will be forwarded to Professor Raguso.
It is your responsibility to phone Professor Raguso to schedule a placement appointment at ext. 7702,
5-7 business days after submitting your completed application. Students who are not approved will be
notified by Ms. Sheehan. Students who have secured their own placement must also file an application
and meet with Professor Raguso for approval of the placement and completion of related internships
documents.
I have carefully read and understand the terms stated above.
Student’s Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Student’s Signature: ____________________________Date: ___________________________________
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Montclair State University
Justice Studies Department
Application for JUST497: Senior Seminar and Internship Experience
SECTION ONE: REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBLITY
Please read the following instructions carefully before completing Sections Two through Five of the
application. Incomplete, or inaccurate information will jeopardize academic approval.
Applicants
 must have the following minimum overall GPA, major GPA and concentration GPA to qualify for an
internship:
International Justice Concentration: 3.00
Justice Systems Concentration: 2.00
Paralegal Studies Concentration: 2.75
 must have completed the following core courses and achieved a C- or better prior to their
placement semester in order to be eligible for an internship:
JUST 200 Perspectives on Justice Studies I
JUST 201 Perspectives on Justice Studies II
JUST 300 Research Methods in Justice Studies
JUST 310 Theoretical Issues in Justice Studies
*PALG 312 Research and Writing (applies to Justice Studies majors with a Paralegal Studies
Concentration or Paralegal Studies Minor only)
 must complete 6 concentration electives to be eligible for placement. This includes your required
concentration electives.
Applications with missing information and/or documents will not be accepted. Please do not submit
incomplete applications as they will not be held or processed.
Variable Credit Policy
All qualified students are eligible for 3 credits for JUST 497: Senior Seminar and Internship Experience.
Students employed in the field of their concentration and some students in federal placements may be
eligible for 3, 6 or 8 credits dependent on the number of hours they are working/interning in the field.
Please do not assume you can earn more than 3 credits until you discuss the details of your eligibility
for variable credit with Professor Raguso and receive approval for variable credit.
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SECTION TWO: STUDENT INFORMATION
Name: ______________________________________________________________________________
Mailing Address:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: (C) ___________________________________ (H/W) __________________________
MSU Email Address: ____________________________________________________________________
CWID: _______________________________________________________________________________
Justice Studies Concentration: ___________________________________________________________
Minor(s): ____________________________________________________________________________
Overall Grade Point Average (GPA): _________________ Justice Studies (GPA): ____________________
SECTION THREE: PLACEMENT INFORMATION
Anticipated Placement Semester and Year
_____ Fall
_____ Spring
_____ Summer
Year ___________
Expected Date of Graduation:
______________________________________________________________________
Areas of Interest:
Please select at least three placement categories from the list below. Placements must be related to
your area of concentration. Number your choices, with 1 being your first choice, 2 your second choice
and so forth. At your placement meeting, the Applied Learning Specialist will present you with options
that are available.
Considerations
 The Applied Learning Specialist cannot guarantee placement at any site, or at a specific location.
 Final decisions are made by the site based on your background clearance, strength of your
resume and performance at the interview.
 The Applied Learning Specialist cannot offer placements after business hours, or on weekends.
If you work full time, please arrange for release time with your employer before meeting with
the Applied Learning Specialist. If you cannot arrange release time you may need to secure your
own placement.
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Placement Categories
_____ Local Police Department
_____ Sheriff’s Office
_____ NJ State Police
_____ Federal Agency (must meet GPA requirement and apply early for national security background
clearance)
_____ Department of Corrections
_____ New Jersey State Parole
_____ Probation Services
_____ Juvenile Detention Center
_____ Superior Court
____ Family Division
____ Criminal Division
____ Civil Division
_____ Federal Court: _____Newark _____Trenton
_____ Prosecutor’s Office
_____ New Jersey Office of the Public Defender
_____ Child Welfare Agency
_____ Human Rights Agency
_____ Private Law Office
Are you considering self-placement? Please provide the Name of the agency or firm.
Important Notice
You are not permitted to pursue the placement/s above before meeting with the Applied Learning
Specialist for approval to self-place. If you are pursuing an internship at an agency that is currently a
part of the Justice Studies Department internship data bank, the referral must be done through the
Department.
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SECTION FOUR: ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
Pre-Requisites: Please enter your final grade for all completed courses. Enter “P” (pending) for courses
you are currently taking. Enter “T” for transfer courses.
Required Common Core
JUST 200 Perspectives on Justice Studies I
JUST 201 Perspectives on Justice Studies II
JUST 300 Research Methods in Justice Studies
JUST 310 Theoretical Issues in Justice Studies
Grade
__________
__________
__________
__________
Students with a Paralegal Concentration or Minor
PALG 312 Research and Writing for Paralegals
__________
Six Concentration Electives
Please list your required concentration electives, major electives including courses currently in progress.
________________________________________________
__________
________________________________________________
__________
________________________________________________
__________
________________________________________________
__________
________________________________________________
__________
_________________________________________________
__________
_________________________________________________
__________
_________________________________________________
__________
I certify that all information recorded on this application is correct and complete.
Student’s Name: (Print) _______________________________________________________________
Student’s Signature: ___________________________________ Date: __________________________
Please continue to Section Five and initial where required!
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SECTION FIVE: APPLICATION CHECKLIST
_____ I read the application instructions carefully before I signed and/ or initialed where required. I take
responsibility for following all instructions.
_____ I signed the cover sheet and the last page of Section Four of the application.
_____ I noted the deadline date for submission of the application and will contact Professor Raguso
within 5- 7 business days after submitting my application.
_____ I completed each section carefully and listed all academic information as requested.
_____ I reviewed the sample resumes sent to the Justice Studies list serve, have composed a relevant
resume and submitted three copies with this application.
_____ I understand that no placement will be made until I produce a resume that would be of interest
to a potential internship site.
_____ I did not staple my resume to my application.
_____ I submitted a copy of my most recent Analysis of Academic Progress.
_____Applications with missing information and/or documents will not be accepted. They will not be
held or processed.
Initial ________
Final Notes
The Applied Learning Specialist cannot guarantee placement. The ultimate decision lies with the
placement site. Successful placement is based on, but not limited to the following factors:
 appearance and quality of your resume
 performance at the interview
 citizenship status
 ability to pass a criminal background check (students who withhold information from Professor
Raguso and their prospective site regarding prior arrests, or charges and subsequently do not pass a
background check are responsible for finding their own placement.)
 taking the responsibility to schedule a placement meeting with Professor Raguso within 5-7 business
days, following up with a potential site and with Professor Raguso in a timely fashion
Initial ________
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