RCT Internships (TF 810)

Integration Option with Contextual Education

In 2022, the RCT Director and Contextual Education Director determined to shift the RCT Internship to the Contextual Education Department so students could earn both RCT credits while simultaneously completing Contextual Education. In this case, there would no longer be a separate seminar for the RCT Internship, as students are enrolled in a weekly Contextual Education group. 

The RCT Director will approve the Contextual Education placement for additional credit as an RCT Internship if it meets the following criteria. The internship must: 

  • Provide opportunities for the student to learn to become a resource for peace.
  • Provide opportunities for the student to practice the skills of conflict transformation.
  • Provide opportunities for the student to practice in either a multi-cultural or multi-faith setting.
  • Enable the student to explore the relationship between religion and conflict transformation, or values/worldviews and conflict transformation.

Students must complete the required Contextual Education steps for enrollment in the program and the following steps to apply for the RCT internship credit:

  • Students must have already taken the core RCT course, The Spirit and Art of Conflict Transformation, or be enrolled in this course during their internship.

  • Arrange at least two interviews with RCT site supervisors and communicate your interest to the RCT Director by completing:

        • A one-page document with the following information. Please email this to the RCT Director (rct@bu.edu), cc-ing the Contextual Education Director (approval will be based on this information):

          • Supervisor Name, Title, email, and phone number
          • One paragraph describing the work you will do at this internship
          • One to two paragraphs describing how the placement fits with the RCT internship criteria
          • Length of Internship – include the tentative start date and end date (usually, RCT Internships are all year – both semesters — see below)
          • Include confirmation that you have interviewed at this site and the supervisor has offered you the internship
          • Include the Year, Semester that you completed The Spirit and Art of Conflict Transformation, or that you plan to take it while completing the internship

     

    RCT Internship

    Students whose program does not require Contextual Education may still elect to complete an RCT Internship.

    These students should apply for an RCT internship by completing the online Internship Application Form, then review the RCT Internship Sites (2022-2023) and meet with the RCT Director by emailing rct@bu.edu. See below for more information.

     

    Timelines for Both Options

    For a Contextual Education/RCT Internship (Combined):

    • January: Complete the RCT Internship Form
    • February: Meet with the Contextual Ed Director and RCT Director to explore combined sites for the following academic year (see criteria above)
    • April: Identify two sites and arrange interviews. Register for both Contextual Education and the RCT Internship (TF 810)
    • May: Submit a one-page document to both the Contextual Ed Director and the RCT Director to describe your combined setting (see outline above)

    For an RCT Internship only:

    • January: Complete the RCT Internship Form
    • February: Meet with the RCT Director to explore possible RCT internship sites for the following academic year (see criteria above)
    • March: Identify two sites and obtain supervisor contacts from the RCT Director. Contact the RCT Director to register for the RCT Internship  (TF 810).
    • April: Complete interviews and inform the RCT Director of your choice/acceptance by the organization
    • May: submit your Fall starting date, supervisor name, and their contact information to the RCT Director 

    Approved RCT Internship Sites

    Click here to review the list of approved RCT Internship Sites (2022-2023).

    Alternative Sites

    If students find a site that is not on the approved list of Internship sites, they can meet with the RCT Director to see if it would meet the criteria. Please set up a meeting with the RCT Director by emailing rct@bu.edu. The student will have to provide the name and contact information of the Site Supervisor so the RCT Director may contact them.  

    Summer placements

    Both domestic and international placements can be explored with the RCT Director.

     

    History

    Practical experiences in conflict transformation have been offered by a variety of organizations in the greater Boston area. Developed and coordinated by the RCT Director, these internships were strong in the early years of the program and students received a substantial stipend due to grant funding. In later years, fewer students participated (about four per year), but learning was strong with excellent field supervisors. The RCT Director held a bi-monthly seminar for reflective practice. The internship was for the entire academic year, and students worked at their organizations for 10-12 hours per week. Some summer internships were also available.

    An RCT “Clinic” model was also explored, with the intent to offer conflict transformation services in the community. However, RCT did not have the staffing to support such a model. Instead, an “apprenticeship model” was developed by the RCT Director, and several professionals currently facilitating dialogue in conflicted faith communities were recruited to “apprentice” students. The hourly consulting fees of the mentors were, unfortunately, prohibitive. Soon after, the COVID-19 pandemic required all programming to be moved onto Zoom and only a few of the RCT Internship sites had the capacity to continue online.