All students are encouraged to complete at least one internship or practical experience prior to graduation.

An internship is an excellent way for you to become prepared for the professional world and gain the knowledge, skills, and experience to begin your career after graduation. In addition, employers are more likely to hire candidates with actual work-related experience. They also use internships as a talent pipeline, often hiring their successful interns after graduation. Your internship provides you with the opportunity to:

• Connect and apply classroom learning to the workplace
• Develop skills related to your career path
• Evaluate your career choice and industry environment – is this the right career for me?
• Learn to network and find mentors
• Build your resume with valuable work experience

It is recommended that you begin your internship search when you have declared your major and have taken at least two classes in the major. You should start looking in the semester before you want to work – at least 3 months in advance. Keep in mind that internships are learning experiences, but employers are more likely to choose candidates who have knowledge to help them understand the work being done and who can make a contribution.

Most follow a semester schedule (begin in September or January) and may last for either one or two semesters. Internships are also available in the summer and some are rolling- you may stay for a specified time agreed upon you and the employer as per your school schedule. It is difficult to find a good internship for the January intersession – many businesses have limited operations because of the holiday and the time is too short to learn much about the organization.

Many internships are unpaid, although some companies provide a competitive salary or stipend for travel and/or meals. You may receive credit with approval from an academic department.

Internships are available in all fields for all majors. Some of the most common areas are: Accounting, Business Management, Communications, Computers, Economics, Education, Environmental Affairs, Government, Health, Mathematics, Political Science, Psychology, Science, and Sociology. The work you do will vary with the field and with the individual organization. You may be asked to perform certain routine tasks such as filing or running errands, but these tasks must be a small part of the work done. The internship is intended to be instructive and to introduce the student to the work of a professional in the field.

The internship search process is similar to looking for a job, you are not “given” an internship by the Career Exploration & Development Center. Refer to the Internship Strategy Guide for a review of the process and Internship Resources. You are encouraged to utilize all CEDC resources and support services to find and secure an internship. In addition, you can research reputable websites, network and go to company sites to look for an internship. As part of the CEDC Internship Program, your resume may also be circulated to companies seeking interns with your career interest. If you are seeking credit, you must check with the academic department in your major to ensure that the internship you are considering will be acceptable.

Once you have been interviewed and offered an internship position, you must inform the CEDC Internship Specialist as soon as possible. You will be required to complete a Learning Agreement with your site supervisor. This form outlines your goals and the duties you will be expected to perform. If you are seeking credit, make sure to register for appropriate course(s) through the academic department.