Internships are carefully designed and monitored educational experiences that provide students the opportunity to integrate academic knowledge with practical work experience in a professional setting. Students are supervised, mentored, and evaluated as part of their internship. Internship experiences help students test interests, develop new skills, and learn first-hand about the workplace in their field of study.

Internships are designed to benefit both students and employers. Students receive real world experience in positions related to their academic major and career goals while employers benefit from their skills and assistance. Employers recruit students to work on special projects, assist with daily tasks, or provide support during times of higher demand. Students earn academic credit, pay, or in some instances, both for the work they provide to their employer.

An important element that distinguishes internships from short-term jobs is the intentional “learning agenda” structured into each experience. Students have specific learning objectives and supervisors serve as mentors, providing opportunities to meet the objectives as part of or in addition to the specific duties of the internship.

Learn more about internships.