Internship Application and Requirements:
Contact Career Services for further internship information: (608) 796-3828
WHAT IS AN INTERNSHIP?
An internship provides an opportunity for a student to gain work experience related to their academic major or career field, explore career options while in school, and earn academic credit for the experience. It is important to note that while clerical and administrative duties can be a part of the internship experience, they cannot be the main focus.
Benefits of an internship include:
Acquire resume building experience essential to obtaining full time employment.
Develop and/or increase your marketable skills.
Observe the work place and see if it matches your expectations.
Begin to develop your network of professional contacts.
Develop mentor-type relationships.
Ease transition from student to work world.
The opportunity to integrate classroom theory with practical work experience, which makes the classroom more exciting.
Viterbo University offers both lower division and upper division internships for credit. Parameters surrounding these internships are outlined below:
287 is an introductory internship – it requires a 2.0 cumulative GPA and is geared for freshmen and sophomores.
487 is an advanced level internship – it requires a cumulative GPA of 2.3 and is geared for juniors and seniors.
Most internships are off-campus and may be unpaid.
Students are allowed to apply up to 15 credits of internship towards graduation requirements. The maximum number of credits allowed in a regular semester is 12, and a maximum of 9 credits is allowed during the summer.
WHO CAN DO AN INTERNSHIP?
All majors at Viterbo University may participate in an internship provided they meet the minimum GPA requirement(outlined above). Some academic programs require an internship for graduation. Internship credit may be registered for in the department in which you major (i.e., PSYC 487), or it may be taken as a general elective (i.e. EXPL 487). It is very important to understand academic requirements for your department. Check with your advisor, the Career Services Office (Murphy Center 374, 796-3828), or your college catalog for information.
APPLICATION PROCESS
As early as possible during the semester prior to the time you wish to intern, discuss your plan with your academic advisor. Then, make an appointment with the Career Services Office to pick up the Internship Interest Form. Complete the form and submit it to the Career Services Office.
The Career Services Office maintains information on internship sites and also posts available internship opportunities through the on-line job bank as well as via targeted emails to students. The staff is available to work with you one-on-one as you go through the process of identifying potential sites, making contacts, and securing an internship site.
The steps for securing an internship may vary from site to site. However, it is advisable to have a current resume and cover letter prepared and to brush up on your interview skills. It is important to note that the selection of an intern is made by the organization, not by the Career Services Office.
Once a site has been identified, the student is required to file a Pre-Registration/Advisor Approval Form. This form must be signed by the student’s academic advisor. After this has been received in Career Services, the student will be allowed to register for credit with the Registrar’s office.
HOW MANY HOURS ARE REQUIRED?
The minimum number of hours required at the internship site is determined by the number of credits requested and granted. The following chart may assist you in your planning:
|
Fall and Spring Internships
(12 credits maximum per semester) |
Summer Internships
(9 credits maximum) |
| Credit Hours |
Hours required to work/week |
Total semester
hours-14 week semester |
Hours required to work/week |
Total semester hours-10 week semester |
| 1 |
3 |
42 |
4 |
40 |
| 2 |
6 |
84 |
8 |
80 |
| 3 |
10 |
140 |
14 |
140 |
| 4 |
13 |
182 |
18 |
180 |
| 5 |
16 |
224 |
22 |
220 |
| 6 |
20 |
280 |
28 |
280 |
| 7 |
23 |
322 |
32 |
320 |
| 8 |
26 |
364 |
36 |
360 |
| 9 |
30 |
420 |
42 |
420 |
| 10 |
33 |
462 |
- |
- |
| 11 |
36 |
504 |
- |
- |
| 12 |
40 |
560 |
- |
- |
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Interns meet once as a large group at the beginning of the semester for orientation to the internship experience. In addition to working the required number of hours to receive the academic credit, interns must submit documentation of their experience. Documentation includes the following:
Student/University Contract
Student/Site Learning Contract developed by you and your site supervisor
Self-Evaluations submitted each month
Participation in Blackboard discussion group
Summary Report of your internship experience (and information release)
Interns who are taking from 6 through 12 credits need to complete a special project in addition to their final report. The main criterion is that your special project be a visual or verbal representation of your internship experience (details provided)
Participation in an on-site evaluation meeting (or conference call)
Log sheets documenting hours
Fulfillment of any additional requirements set forth by the student’s academic department and articulated on the Pre-Registration/Advisor Approval form.
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