Internships
What is an internship?
An internship is a supervised, purposely educational and sustained work experience that supports your career development by providing the opportunity for the following:
- Applied Learning. Apply the academic knowledge you've 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 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, increased confidence and self-esteem about your career goals and the path you will take to achieve them.
Though facilitated by your Faculty Internship Advisor, a professional in the employment community, and the Internship Coordinator, you are the primary director of this learning experience, aimed at exploring the intersection of your academic and professional interests.
Why pursue an internship?
- Explore connections between your major and professions of interest to you
- Develop the skills and awareness employers and graduate programs require
- Make professional contacts to ease the transition into your career field or graduate studies
- Gain a competitive edge for entering a challenging profession
- Build your résumé and compile a collection of work samples and experiences
Eligibility and Guidelines
- Must be of Junior or Senior standing for academic credit based internships
- GPA of 2.70 unless otherwise specified under the requirements for your chosen major
- The duration is typically full-time or part-time for one semester
Gaining Academic Credit
- 40 hours of work = 1 semester hour of credit
- 14 credits = maximum amount in one semester
- 17 credits = total number of credits that can be counted toward graduation
Where have Pacific Students interned?
- Adidas in Germany
- Ballys Total Fitness
- Bank of the West
- Beyond Words Publishing
- City of Portland
- COESIDA in Oaxaca, Mexico
- CoHo Productions
- Family and Cosmetic Dentistry of Dr. Vaughn Tidwell
- Forest Grove High School
- Fred Meyer
- Jones & Roth CPAs and Business Consultants
- KPTV Fox 12/KPDX UPN 49
- The Mark Wooley Gallery
- Natural Science Foundation
- NW Documentary
- Oregon Environmental Council
- Oregon State Legislature
- Pacific University - (University Relations, MFA Program, Oregon Holocaust Resource Center)
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Print Arts Northwest
- Sports Unlimited
- Talbot, Korvola & Warwick
- TriQuint Semiconductor
- Waggle Dancer Media, Inc.
- and many more organizations world wide!
Steps to Obtaining an Internship
- Discuss your goals with your advisor. Develop a list of learning objectives for the experience.
- Meet with the Internship Coordinator in the Career Development Center to discuss a plan for your search.
- Look for internship opportunities by consulting with your Faculty Advisor and the Internship Coordinator to generate ideas. This will include researching organizations and identifying places to apply.
- Complete and submit application materials, applications, résumés and cover letters.
- Prepare for interviews by seeking assistance from Career Center staff.
- Interview with interested organizations and secure offers.
- 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 you receive academic credit. Download the Internship Learning Contract (Adobe PDF). *ALL LEARNING CONTRACTS ARE DUE BY THE DROP/ADD DATE OF EACH SEMESTER.*
- Work hard, learn a lot, and enjoy the experience!
Can’t seem to find the right opportunity? CREATE YOUR OWN!
The Career Center strives to provide a wide range of opportunities for students. However, we understand that students have interests that may span beyond the available resources. We encourage students to be creative and think outside the box to find an experience that meets their needs, and we are prepared to support students in locating the best fit possible. If you are interested in creating your own internship opportunity, contact the Career Development Center staff at careerdc@pacificu.edu.