Accounting, Finance, Economics and Political Science

Accounting internships with businesses, government agencies and accounting firms may be available by arrangement. Students may receive up to 9 hours credit in ACCT 480, 6 hours of which may be used to fulfill degree requirements. Students must have at least junior standing, and individual assignments must be approved by the accounting faculty.

Students must have the following skillsets:

• Knowledge of the accounting information system and the accounting cycle
• Preparation of journal entries for a wide variety of transactions
• Preparation of adjusting and closing entries
• Preparation of basic financial statements
• Inventory-related calculations, e.g., FIFO, LIFO weighted average, dollar-value LIFO
• Fixed asset related calculations related to acquisition, use and disposal
• Depreciation calculations for a variety of methods
• Basic payroll calculations and journal entries
• Preparation of journal entries for both accounts receivable and accounts payable

Contact Dr. Richard Williams, associate professor of accounting, at rwillia@utm.edu for more information.

Economics internships with businesses, governmental and nonprofit entities may be available by arrangement. Students may receive up to 9 hours credit in FIN 480, 6 hours of which may be used to fulfill degree requirements. Students must have at least junior standing, and individual assignments must be approved by the finance faculty.

Students must have the following skillsets:

• Basic knowledge of spreadsheets and database applications
• Basic quantitative and analytical skills
• Basic understanding of financial statements and financial statement analysis
• Basic understanding of security valuation and portfolio management

Contact Dr. Chris Baxter, interim department chair, at cbaxter@utm.edu for more information.

Economics internships with businesses, governmental and nonprofit entities may be available by arrangement. Students may receive up to 9 hours credit in ECON 480, 6 hours of which may be used to fulfill degree requirements. Students must have at least junior standing, and individual assignments must be approved by the economics faculty.

Students must have the following skillsets:

• Good oral and written communication skills
• Some level of analytical reasoning ability (particularly on economic topics)
• Some level of data analysis/interpretation
• Knowledge of economic terminology
• An understanding of economic policy formulation

Contact Dr. William Davis, professor of economics, at wdavis@utm.edu for more information.

Internships in political science (POSC 410) or public administration (POSC 420) may be available by arrangement. Students can receive up to 9 hours of academic credit, and positions vary in terms of location and pay. Opportunities are available both locally and in Washington, D.C. Past Washington assignments include the American Security Project (ASP), the Heritage Foundation and various offices in the U.S. Congress.

Students must have the following skillsets:

• Basic knowledge of American government and the policymaking process at all levels (e.g., completion of POSC 220)
• Strong written and oral communications skills
• Ability to interact with constituents in a cordial and professional manner; in person and via telephone and e-mail
• Ability to review and summarize information in a clear and concise manner
• Ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced office environment

Contact Dr. Chris Baxter, professor of political science, at cbaxter@utm.edu for more information.

Students chosen for TLIP spend the spring semester in Nashville interning for a leadership or committee office in the Tennessee General Assembly. Students receive 12 hours of academic credit for this paid position. Local and state interviews are conducted in the fall; applicants must have at least junior standing at the time of application and a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher. The deadline for submitting applications is in early October. For more details, visit the Legislative Internship Program page at http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Intern/Index.html or contact Dr. Chris Baxter, faculty representative, at cbaxter@utm.edu.

The UT Martin TISL delegation meets year-round to prepare for the annual TISL event held each November at the Tennessee State Capitol Building. TISL consists of (1) the General Assembly, a four-day mock legislature in which participants serve as legislators, lobbyists and members of the media; and (2) the Appellate Moot Court Collegiate Challenge, an intercollegiate moot court competition. Participation in the TISL delegation is open to all majors, and delegates are chosen through a competitive screening process. Anyone interested in participating should visit the organization’s website through UT Martin’s Org Sync system or contact organization advisers Dr. Chris Baxter at cbaxter@utm.edu or Dr. Anderson Starling at astarlin@utm.edu.

Internships with law firms and judicial offices may be available by arrangement. Students may receive 3 hours credit in POSC 393, and they typically must have at least junior standing when applying. Past placements have included local law firms, and judges’ and public defenders’ offices. Contact Dr. Chris Baxter, professor of political science, at cbaxter@utm.edu for more information.

International security studies is a concentration under the political science major. This area offers a once-a-year, one semester paid internship with the American Security Project think tank in Washington, D.C. Participating students must be familiar with writing policy papers and be able to practice these skills in both political science and international studies. Nearly all the content encountered will be international. Students can earn 6 hours of academic credit in POSC 490 and must apply in the semester preceding the internship. Departmental and university travel funds may be available to help cover some expenses. Contact Dr. Malcolm Koch at mkoch@utm.edu for more information. Students should have a recommendation from Dr. Koch before submitting application materials.