INTERNSHIP FAQs   

Why should I do an internship?

If I want to do a non-credit internship, what is required of me?

How do I find a faculty supervisor?

How many internships are required to graduate?

How are internships graded?

How will an internship appear on my transcript?

How many hours of work must I complete at the internship site?

Do I have to complete the entire 120 hours during the semester that I am receiving credit?

How can I do an internship during summer?

Do I have to work the same number of hours every week?

Can I turn an existing job into an internship?

Are all internships unpaid?

Does my faculty supervisor have to be my advisor?

Does my internship have to be related to my major?

I had a great job this summer. Can I claim it as an internship?

What if I don't see any internships related to my major in the CDC internship listings?

Will the CDC get my internship for me?

When should I start looking for an internship?

What if I don't know what I am interested in?

Q: Why should I do an internship?
A: There are a number of excellent reasons to do an internship. A few of these reasons are listed below:

• Try out a potential career to see if you like it.
• Gain professional work experience and develop both transferable and job-specific skills.
• Apply skills and knowledge gained in the classroom to the world of work.
• Develop networking relationships.
• Take a sneak peek at the world of work. Learn how organizations operate and what you can expect after graduation.
• Get a jump start on a job offer. Some employers see internships as an excellent way to recruit employees.
• Make yourself more competitive when applying for jobs after graduation or to graduate school. Employers prefer to hire candidates with experience. Graduate schools like candidates who have demonstrated an interest in the field through work or volunteer experiences.
• Fulfill your Big “W” requirement.
  
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Q: How do I register for an internship?
A: Registering for a credit-bearing internship is a two-part process. First, you must register for the experience as either an Individual Internship (CDC Internship) or as part of a Practicum Seminar (internship with class) through Registration & Records. If you are doing an Individual Internship, you must complete a drop/add card and have it signed by a Career Development Center (CDC) representative to register the class with Registration & Records. If you are doing the internship as part of a Practicum Seminar, you can register for the class online. Second, you must submit a completed Lead Learning Agreement (LLA) to the Career Development Center (CDC).

If you are doing a non-credit internship, you register by submitting a copy of your LLA to the CDC. Once the CDC processes your LLA and submits a copy to Registration and Records, the internship will be added to your schedule and your academic record.

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Q: If I want to do an internship for credit what is required of me?
A: First, it may be helpful to understand how internships are classified. There are two types of internships, an Individual Internship and a Practicum Seminar (internship with class). To qualify for credit for either type of internship, you must have a faculty supervisor and a site supervisor, your internship must be registered with Registration & Records (see question #2 for registration information) and you must submit a completed LLA to the CDC. During your internship, you also must complete 120 hours of work at the internship site and 80 of those hours must occur during the semester you are receiving credit. If you are doing a Practicum Seminar you must also meet any additional requirements determined by your instructor.

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Q: If I want to do a non-credit internship, what is required of me?
A: The non-credit option might be appealing to someone who wants to do an internship but finds herself in a course overload situation. The academic, reflective, and work requirements of a non-credit internship are essentially the same as a credit bearing internship, however the registration process is simpler. You must have a faculty supervisor and a site supervisor, and you must submit a completed LLA to the CDC. During your internship, you also must complete 120 hours of work at the internship site and 80 of those hours must occur during the semester that the internship will appear on your transcript. To register for the internship, you simply turn in your completed LLA to the CDC. Once the CDC processes your LLA and submits a copy to Registration and Records, the internship will be added to your schedule and your academic record. You do not need to complete a drop/add card to register for a non-credit internship.

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Q: How do I find a faculty supervisor?
A: To identify a potential faculty supervisor for an Individual Internship, consider faculty members in your major and/or faculty members who have an interest in the subject area or career field of your internship. When you have identified a potential faculty supervisor, ask that individual if s/he would be willing to serve as your faculty supervisor. S/he will likely ask you some questions about the type of internship in which you are interested and your overall goals for the internship. Be prepared to answer the following questions: 

• How will this internship support my academic learning goals?
• How will this internship support my life or career goals? 
• What skills do I hope to gain or strengthen during this internship?

If you are taking a Practicum Seminar along with your internship, your instructor is your faculty supervisor.

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Q: How many internships are required to graduate?
A: Although internships are not required to graduate, you are required to earn LEAD credit (Big W) to graduate and completing an internship is an excellent way of earning LEAD credit. You may complete a total of three internships for credit.

The CDC recommends that students do at least two internships during their time at Hamline: an exploratory internship sophomore year and a more structured internship junior or senior year.

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Q: How are internships graded?
A: Generally, Individual Internships are graded High Pass, Pass, or No Credit. Internships completed as part of a Practicum Seminar may be given a letter grade. You may request that your faculty supervisor assign a letter grade to your internship, however, the decision to assign a letter grade is up to your faculty supervisor.

Q: How will an internship appear on my transcript?
A: Credit-bearing internships will appear on your transcript under their course number with the position title of the internship (which you enter on the LLA under "Experience Title"), the grade assigned and the number of credits earned. Non-credit internships are listed under their course number. The entry will just read “internship.”

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Q: How many hours of work must I complete at the internship site?
A: Internships require a minimum of 120 hours of work at the internship site. There is no maximum limit to the number of hours worked. Legal Studies inernships are on exception: they require 150 hours of work at the internship site.

Q: Do I have to complete the entire 120 hours during the semester that I’m receiving credit?
A: No. You must complete at least 80 hours of your internship during the semester that you receive credit. The remaining 40 hours may be completed before or after the semester in which credit is given to allow some flexibility. However, since an internship is a student planned and directed learning experience that integrates academic, professional, and personal skills, it is important that the process of planning the internship, developing the objectives, and completing the LLA occur before or shortly after the internship begins. If you complete the 40 hours after the semester ends, you will need to file for an Incomplete with your faculty supervisor. Once you complete your hours and turn in your academic and reflective work, your faculty supervisor will change your grade.

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Q: Can I do an internship during the summer?  
A: Yes.  In order to do a credit-bearing internship during the summer, you must register for the summer internship course with Registration and Records, pay the summer tuition, and submit your completed LLA to the CDC. If you plan to do a non-credit internship during the summer, you must register for the course with Registration and Records, pay a registration fee, and submit your completed LLA to the CDC.

Q: Do I have to work the same number of hours every week?  
A: No.  To receive credit you must work 120 hours at the internship site.   We recommend that you work 8 to 10 hours per week. You negotiate your schedule with your site supervisor. Internships that occur over J-Term and Summer usually involve working more hours per week.

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Q: Can I turn an existing job into an internship? 
A: It is possible to turn an existing job into an internship, however you need to put some thought and consideration into this proposal before pursuing it.  For an existing job to become an internship you must submit a LLA that proves that your work in the internship will be different and more sophisticated than your work in the regular job.  Your work as an intern should also reflect academic, personal, and professional skill development goals.  Your faculty supervisor and the CDC will evaluate the LLA and determine whether the experience would qualify as an internship.  You should talk with your faculty supervisor and the Internship Program Director prior to arranging such an internship. 

Q: Are all internships unpaid? 
A: No.  The employer determines whether an internship is paid or unpaid.  Internships in the nonprofit, social service, and government sectors are often unpaid.  Corporate internships are often paid. You will want to clarify this particular question with the employer. 

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Q: Does my faculty supervisor have to be my advisor? 
A: No.  Any full-time faculty member can serve as your faculty supervisor.  You must ask a faculty member to be your supervisor and s/he must agree. (See question #4 for more information on choosing a faculty supervisor).

Q: Does my internship have to be related to my major? 
A: No.  Most Individual Internships are considered interdisciplinary.  In other words they are not affiliated with any particular major.  Internships offer students an opportunity to explore a possible career field or gain experience in a career field of interest while applying knowledge gained in the classroom to the world of work. The career you choose to explore or pursue may or may not be related to your major, therefore an internship does not have to be related to your major. If you are completing a Practicum Seminar, however, your internship will need to reflect work in your major because it is a requirement for your major.

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Q: I had a great job last summer.  Can I claim it as an internship?
A: No.  An internship is a student planned and directed learning experience that provides an opportunity to integrate academic, professional and personal skill development. The internship program provides students with supervised, meaningful work in a professional setting. Given these features of an internship, it is critical that students plan internships in advance with careful consideration of their objectives and desired outcomes.

Q: What if I don't see any internships related to my major in the CDC internship listings?
A: The internship listings posted on the CDC website are only one resource for finding an internship. To conduct an effective internship search, you will want to utilize as many resources and strategies as possible. These additional strategies include posted job/internship listings from other sources and publications, networking with people you know to find potential opportunities, identifying and contacting potential internship sites, and attending internship fairs. If you need assistance finding an internship, please do not hesitate to make an appointment with a CDC career or internship counselor to discuss strategies and develop a plan of action.

Also, keep in mind that depending on your overall interests and objectives, your internship may not need to be directly related to your major. It can also be helpful to take a broad approach when looking at internship listings that are categorized by field. Some internships don’t fit neatly into existing categories so they might be listed under headings you are not initially considering.

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Q: Will the CDC get my internship for me?  
A: No. Because the internship search and application process is an essential part of the internship learning experience, obtaining an internship is the responsibility of the student. The CDC can help at every step by providing the preparation, guidance, information, and resources you will need to be successful.  Begin your search early. Visit the “How to Find the Perfect Internship” section of the CDC website for ideas on how to start searching. If you need assistance, please contact the CDC to schedule an appointment with the Internship Program Director by calling 651-523-2302.

Q: When should I start looking for an internship?
A: We encourage you to start looking for an internship at least three months prior to when you would like to start the position. The amount of time it will take to find an opportunity will vary depending on your area of interest. Start early! Some employers have formal internship programs with predetermined deadline dates for each semester. These deadlines can sometimes be 3-5 months before the internship begins. Therefore, it is never too early to start exploring internship opportunities.

Q: What if I don't know what I am interested in?
A: You are not alone. Many students are uncertain of their career interests. Fortunately the CDC has a variety of resources that can help you identify your interests. Make an appointment with a career counselor to discuss some strategies and resources that can help you answer these questions. You can do this by calling 651-523-2302.  

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