Overview

What Is An Internship?

An internship is an educational experience related to a student’s degree program and career plan which allows the student to apply what he/she has learned to real work situations. An Internship involves a student, an employer supervisor and a sponsor of the university.

An internship is a closely monitored work or service experience in which a student has intentional learning goals and reflects actively on what she or he is learning throughout the experience.  An internship:

• Is a time-limited experience of approximately 14 weeks and occurs during the fall, spring or summer semester
• Is generally a one-time experience
• May be part-time or full-time; paid or non-paid
• May be part of an educational program and carefully monitored and evaluated for academic credit
• May be part of a learning plan developed individually
• Is different from a short-term job or volunteer work as it includes an intentional “learning agenda” in a structured work environment.
• Includes learning objectives, observation, reflection, evaluation and assessment
• Has an existing employee working in the department/position to mentor and supervise the intern
• Seeks to establish a reasonable balance between the learning goals of the intern and the specific work tasks of an organization
• Promotes academic, career and/or personal development

How Do Internships Benefit Employers?

• A year round source of highly motivated pre-professionals
• The opportunity to have new perspectives on various processes, procedures and programs
• Quality candidates for temporary or seasonal positions and projects
• The increased visibility of your organization on college campuses
• The freedom for professional staff to pursue other important projects and tasks
• A flexible, cost-effective work force that does not require a long-term employment commitment
• Prepared and trained new employees hired from your intern pool
• A proven, cost-effective way to recruit and evaluate potential employees

Adapted from materials published by the National Society for Experiential Education