Internships

Interested in an internship?

Boise Bible College requires practical experience within all of the degree programs. Depending on the program, you may be required to take two internships.

Internships are opportunities to add some “on-the-job training” to your college learning. It is taking what you learned in the classroom to the field—you get some hands-on experience in ministry. You continue to deepen your learning through the laboratory of an established ministry. It is important that you view this opportunity as both a chance to apply what you’ve learned as well as another genuine form of learning.

Internship Philosophy

Preparing for an Internship

Sophomore Seminar

Before you can enroll in an internship for college credit, you need to complete MINS 2010 Sophomore Seminar. This course provides general information and uses assessments to help you gain a sense of where you are in your personal and professional development so that you can plan your internship more strategically.

Approved Internship Site

As you plan your internship, you must meet with your faculty supervisor to receive approval for the internship site. An approved site should give you the opportunity for a wide range of learning experiences. An approved site also needs a Field Mentor with at least three-five years of experience, who models Christian character, and is willing to invest the time and energy to serve as a coach and mentor.

You should approach the church or organization where you wish to work, and explore the possibility of an internship with them. Until your internship is approved with the college, firm commitments should not be promised. Remember, it is your responsibility to find a place to do your internship. The school will help as much as possible, but ultimately it is up to you to locate and secure an internship.(Note: The Internship Coordinator has a notebook with current requests and notices for interns in various types of positions)

All Students: You must meet with your faculty supervisor prior to any discussions of an internship with a possible internship site.

Approved Learning Covenant

You are not allowed to enroll for an internship until you have submitted a Learning Covenant to the Internship Coordinator. The Learning Covenant must be signed by all three partners in the internship. It is an agreement between you (the intern), the Field Mentor, and your faculty supervisor (representing the college) about what you will do and learn during your internship. It clarifies the expectations in order to minimize frustration and provides the platform for direction, accountability, and support. Guidelines for writing your learning covenant and an example are given in the following pages. The key elements are:

Your contact information
The Field Mentor’s contact information
A list of responsibilities
How you intend to learn and grow from the experience

Enrolling for Internship

All of the following steps must be completed in the order they are presented here, to be enrolled and receive credit for each internship.

Complete MINS 2010 Sophomore Seminar and/or Internship Planning Meeting
Submit the Internship Intent to Enroll to the Internship Coordinator
Meet with your faculty supervisor
Secure an approved internship site
Create a learning covenant in coordination with your Field Mentor & Faculty Supervisors
Submit the approved learning covenant to the Internship Coordinator
Pre-register for your internship with the Internship Coordinator

Program Requirements Breakdown

Biblical Studies

Biblical Studies majors do not have a second major in a specific area of ministry, therefore, BBC cannot require you, as we do most four-year students, to take four hours of “internship” in your chosen areas of ministry training.

Instead, we require you to begin to put your developing Bible knowledge and Bible-research skills to use in practical ways outside the BBC classrooms. Your Bible knowledge and skills are not meant just for your own benefit but are meant to be shared with others.

You are expected to become a Bible teacher. To encourage you to do this, we require you to tackle a difficult or controversial passage or doctrine of scripture and write a 25-30 page research paper (a “bachelor’s thesis”) on the topic. Under the guidance of supervisors, you will hone your skills of Bible research, and you will become an “expert” on this passage/topic and will be ready to share your expertise with churches or Christian groups.

This paper will also be presented in the form of an Oral Defense before a panel of faculty graders. You will also be required to complete two hours of Bible “practicum.”

A practicum is broadly defined as any project outside the BBC classroom which will deepen your own understanding of Scripture or will force you to find practical and creative ways to share Bible truths with others. The following pages will describe in detail the expectations and requirements for each of these.

View Biblical Studies Practicum and Bachelor’s Thesis Handbook Here

View Biblical Literature Handbook Here
View Greek Minor Handbook Here

Faculty Supervisor | Vance Russell

Christian Education

The Christian Education Internship Handbook applies to all students who are Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Adult Ministry, Family Ministry, Small Group Ministry, Early Childhood Education, and Christian Education majors. The details for Christian Education Interns are explained clearly in this handbook and will guide you through the process required to successfully complete your internship responsibilities. This internship handbook does NOT apply to students who are pursuing Christian Teaching as a strong minor.

All Christian education majors must earn four credit hours of internship. This can be accomplished by doing internships during the fall or spring semesters for one hour each semester. Semester internships completed while you are taking a full-time class load at BBC will require you to work for your internship site approximately fifteen hours per week. This time includes actual time spent at the internship site and time spent preparing for responsibilities at the church. This requirement can also be accomplished through summer internships where you can receive two hours of credit working at your internship site. Internships during the summer will require an investment of around thirty to forty hours a week for your internship responsibilities. A two-hour internship can also be done during the fall or spring semester if the student does not have a class load which would limit them from the weekly internship hours required.

View Christian Education Internship Handbook here

Faculty Supervisor | Russell Grove

Christian Teaching

The Christian Teaching Internship Handbook applies to all students who are earning a strong Christian Teaching Minor. The details for Christian Teaching Interns are explained clearly in the handbook and will guide you through the process required to successfully complete your internship responsibilities.

All Christian Teaching minors must earn 2 credit hours of internship. This can be accomplished by doing a total of two internships during either the fall or spring semesters. Christian Teaching internships are included in the three hour morning and afternoon blocks of both the Fall and Spring semesters.

Each internship credit will require you to spend six hours a week working in an actual classroom for a period of six continuous weeks. The six hours does not include the preparation or travel time needed outside of the classroom.

View Christian Teaching Internship Handbook Here

Faculty Supervisor | Amber Grove

Christian Psychology

Each Christian Psychology student must complete two (2) semester credits of internship/observational hours. One hour credit will be awarded for a part-time internship experience during the semester that the course is taken. You can be awarded 2 credit hours for a full-time internship experience completed during the summer break. Below are various options for completing these requirements. All options must be preapproved by your faculty supervisor, prior to arrangements.

View Christian Psychology Observation Handbook Here

Faculty Supervisor | Lisa Ruhl

Intercultural Studies

Our Intercultural Studies Internship Program strives to challenge, guide, and support you in becoming an effective cross-cultural servant. Four-year bachelor students will earn two of their four required internship credits through a significant overseas ministry experience of 8-12 weeks. Students seeking Associate degrees or Intercultural Studies Minors will also complete two credit hours in cross-cultural settings. Mr. Harrod will help you develop your internship goals and connect you with a field mentor that can guide your cross-cultural ministry development.

View Intercultural Studies Internship Handbook Here

Faculty Supervisor | Danny Harrod

Preaching Ministry

Being a preaching minister involves a wide variety of skills, not just preaching. Your internship is designed to give you the opportunity to gain experience in a number of these skills. But at the same time, we believe strongly in the priority of preaching, so we want you to gain as much guided preaching experience as possible also. In order to accomplish this, we use a two-pronged approach. Three of the four required internship credits will be earned for pastoral ministry experience. The final credit will be earned for preaching experience.

View Preaching Ministry Internship Handbook Here

Faculty Advisor | Dr. Ben Williams