Internship Guidelines

It All Starts Here.

Internships are learning based experiences with the goals of learning about a career, meeting professionals in the field, to gain skills and knowledge, and/or perhaps sample a potential employer. Opportunities can be either paid, unpaid, or for academic credit. An ideal internship provides supervisor mentorship, training, goal setting, and has a specified duration and weekly work hours. 

• Searching for Internships
• Internship Requirements
• Internship Pre-Requisites
• Level One Internships
• Academic Internships

Searching for Internships

Students should begin their search for an internship roughly three months before they are planning to start their internship. For example, if a student plans to intern during the spring semester of their senior year, they should begin their internship search in October of their fall semester. The Office of Internships & Career Development is available to all students throughout the search process.

Internship Requirements

Each academic department customizes its internship program to meet the department's goals and the student's needs. Students are encouraged to speak with their faculty advisor the semester before they plan to intern in order to learn their major's requirements.

Internships normally run for one semester; 12 to 14 weeks in duration. Some majors require a two semester internship. Typically, a student is expected to intern 12-16 hours per week for the duration of the semester. The student should work with their internship site supervisor to determine the best weekly schedule for their internship. All sick and absent time should be made up in order to complete the total time required by their faculty advisor.

If a student is doing an internship on a full-time basis, the specific logistics need to be coordinated with the faculty advisor. However, in most cases, a 30-40 hour week is expected with a major project completed as part of the learning experience.

Internship Pre-Requisites

To participate in any internship for academic credit or college recognition, students must first complete the required Pre-Internship and Career Planning Class, INT 1001. The course is run by the Office of Internships & Career Development (ICD) and is open to Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. Once a student has successfully completed INT-1001, they will be able to register for their major's internship course number and get contact information for a multitude of internship listings in the ICD Office. Please contact us for more information about INT-1001.

Additionally, each academic department may have other pre-requisites for students planning to intern. Students are strongly encouraged to speak with their faculty advisor the year before they plan to intern to ensure they complete all pre-requisites.

Level One Internships

To participate in a Level One (Exploratory) internship, students must have completed the required Pre-internship and Career Planning Class, INT 1001. This course is best taken the semester before you expect to intern. It is open to Sophomores (with 32 completed credits), Juniors and Seniors. Once you have successfully completed this Pre-internship Course, you will be able to get contact information for a multitude of internship listings in the ICD Office. Not all our contacts will allow for level one (mini) internships due to the organization's hours weekly requirement.

Level One internships cannot be awarded after-the-fact and students must register for INT-1010 by the add/drop period of the semester to be eligible.

Final approval is determined by the Office of Internships and Career Development.

Why do a Level One internship?
•To explore and evaluate your career ideas.
•To gain entrance into organizations that require student interns be affiliated with their college during an internship. Companies sometimes require this for liability purposes.

Requirements and Guidelines for Level One Internships
•Optional or Required: Level One Internships are Optional internship opportunities
•Registering for a Level One: Students must register for INT 1010 in the Registrar's Office to receive transcript notation
•Who can do them: Students who want an additional experience outside of an academic internship.
•Hours Required: Students must intern at least 60 hours during fall/spring semesters or 100 hours during summer
•Paid or Unpaid: This is decided upon by the internship site. Most are unpaid.
•Cost of Level One: Level One internships are free for all students, even if you are carrying a full courseload
•Transcript Notation: Students receive Pass/Fail and one institutional credit (does not count towards graduation)
•Doing Multiple Level Ones: Students can do more than one level one internship
•Student Requirements: Maintain contact with the Office of Internships and Career Development during their experience, fill out evaluation forms, and write a reflection paper at the end of the internship.
•Internship Supervisor Requirements: Provide career exposure to a field of the student's interest, provide training, and evaluate the student during their experience.

Academic Internships

All academic credit-bearing internships must be approved by the student's faculty advisor prior to interning. The student should present his or her faculty advisor with a detailed internship description, including duties and hours. The faculty advisor will be in touch with the site supervisor during the semester to discuss the student's progress. One or more site visits by the faculty advisor usually occur.

Most students are able to take internships for either elective or major course credit. In fact, many of the academic majors at Emmanuel require an internship to graduate.