OPS Newsletters
Q: What is an Internship?
A: A supervised, purposely educational and sustained work experience that supports your student's career development by providing the opportunity for the following:
-
Applied Learning. Apply the academic knowledge your student has gained in the classroom to a professional setting.
-
Career Exploration. Learn about the qualifications and duties associated with a position or profession while exploring, identifying and confirming or disconfirming your student's career interests.
-
Skill Development. Gain skills and knowledge required in particular work environments and cultures.
-
Personal Development. Engage decision-making and gain critical thinking skills and increased confidence about your student's career goals and the path your student will take to achieve them.
Steps to Obtaining an Internship
1. Discuss goals with Academic Advisor. Develop a list of learning objectives for the experience.
2. Meet with the Internship Coordinator in the Career Development Center to discuss a plan for your search.
3. Look for internship opportunities by consulting with both your Faculty Advisor and the Internship Coordinator to generate ideas. This will include researching organizations and identifying places to apply.
4. Complete and submit application materials, applications, resumes and cover letters.
5. Prepare for interviews by seeking assistance from the Career Development Center Staff.
6. Interview with interested organizations and secure offers.
7. Complete the 'Internship Learning Contract' collaboratively with your Faculty Internship Advisor, Site Supervisor and Internship Coordinator. This will clarify the responsibilities of each party and ensure that you will receive academic credit. Remember: All Learning Contracts are due by the Add/Drop date of each semester.
8. Work hard, learn a lot and enjoy the experience!
Eligibility and Guidelines
-
All students with Junior or Senior standing are eligible for academic credit-based internships.
-
Students must have a GPA of 2.70, unless otherwise specified by their major.
-
The duration is usually full-time or part-time for one semester.
-
40 hours of work equal 1 semester hour of credit
-
14 credits equal the maximum amount of internship credits per semester
-
17 credits equal the total number of credits that can be counted toward graduation.
Internships can be tremendous learning opportunities for students. It is recommended that parents encourage students to pursue out of the classroom experience, such as internships in the student's area of interest. This kind of experience benefits most students personally and professionally. What better gift for a parent as well?!