What is an Internship?

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. 

Because the internship search and application process is an essential part of the internship learning experience, obtaining the 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. Plan to begin your search three-four months before you would like to start your internship.

Internship Requirements

• Internships require a minimum of 120 hours (150 hours for Legal Studies internships) of work at the internship site. There is no maximum limit to the number of hours worked. The total number of internship hours and the work schedule are negotiated by the intern and the site supervisor. If you are doing an internship or practicum seminar for a Legal Studies major, please refer to the Requirements for Legal Studies Internships and Practicum Seminars section below.
• Interns must have a site supervisor at the internship site with whom they meet on a regular basis.
• Interns must complete academic and reflective work under the supervision of a full-time Hamline faculty member.
• Interns must complete a LEAD Learning Agreement (LLA) to outline internship objectives and supervision meetings and communications.
• Academic credit must be awarded during the term in which the internship takes place. For a typical 120 hour internship, 80 of the hours must occur during the term in which credit is sought.
• If you choose to complete the remaining 40 hours of your internship after the semester has ended, you must obtain an Incomplete Contract from Student Administrative Services (SAS) and work with your faculty supervisor to complete the contract. The Incomplete Contract must be submitted to SAS by the final grade deadline date for the semester. Any additional documentation or paperwork required by your faculty supervisor should be submitted to that individual by the agreed upon date. The remaining hours should be completed within 5 weeks of the next long term.  
• It is never possible to register an internship after the site experience is completed.

If these requirements are completed satisfactorily, students gain LEAD credit, the Hamline Plan "W", which is required for graduation.

Requirements for Legal Studies Internships and Practicum Seminars

• Legal Studies students must complete 150 hours in their internship or practicum seminar course.
• All 150 hours must be completed during the semester in which credit is sought and students may not begin their internships early.
• Students must be supervised by a licensed attorney. See your Legal Studies advisor for more details and specific departmental requirements.

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Long-term internship experiences spanning two terms and exceeding 240 hours require filing a new LLA and learning goals each term (spring, fall, summer or J-term). The position description for the second internship must reflect some new or more advanced tasks, responsibilities, or projects than the original job description. Make an appointment to discuss your plans with the Internship Program Director.

Don't assume that your current job will qualify as an internship. If you want to consider turning your current job into an internship, make an appointment with the Internship Program Director to discuss your plans and to obtain approval. Before proposing your current job as an internship site, consider the following questions:

1. How will an internship at this site help me achieve my academic, professional, and personal development goals as well as my post-college career goals?
2. What new tasks and responsibilities will I take on during my proposed internship?
   
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Credit vs. Non-Credit Internships
Internships may be registered as credit or non-credit. All academic and work related expectations for credit internships also apply to non-credit internships.  Both credit and non-credit internships satisfy the Hamline Plan LEAD requirement ("Big W"). Credit internships earn four credits toward graduation. Internships for more or fewer credits require special approval by the Internship Program Director. Up to 12 internship credits can be earned toward graduation. Summer credit internships require payment of summer school tuition.  Summer non-credit internships require a registration fee.  Consult the Summer Term Catalog for details. 

Practicum/Seminar Internship
Several departments at Hamline offer a seminar class concurrent with an internship. Consult the course bulletin or Piperline course schedule to determine whether your major provides the Practicum Seminar or Individual Internship option. A practicum/seminar internship requires you to obtain an internship, attend class, follow the course syllabus requirements and complete and submit the LLA to the CDC consistent with CDC deadlines. Your professor will be your faculty supervisor.

Individual Internship
To complete an individual internship, register for "CDC Internship" (INTD 3990) with Registration and Records, find a faculty supervisor, secure an internship site, and turn in a completed LLA to the CDC. Supervision meetings and communications procedures for the internship are detailed on the LLA. Individual credit or non-credit internships may be fulfilled through local or national work experiences.

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Grading

Individual Internships are graded High Pass, Pass, or No Credit and are not calculated in your cumulative GPA. Students can request that their Individual Internship be graded on an A-F letter scale. This request will only be considered under special circumstances. You must discuss this request with your faculty supervisor and obtain his/her signature to approve this grading arrangement in the designated space on the LLA.
Note: Grade mode changes will not be accepted after the LLA due date.

Practicum/Seminar Internships may be graded on an A-F letter grade scale or High Pass, Pass, No Credit basis. Please check with your faculty supervisor to determine how you will be graded.

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Internship Registration Process

Internships seeking academic credit, including LEAD credit must be registered like any other classes during the registration or drop/add period.

1. a) Individual Internship: Register for a CDC Internship (INTD 3990) by completing a drop/add card (or Summer Session Registration Form, if applicable) and having it signed by the Internship Program Director.     b) Practicum/Internship Seminar: Register online or with an add card (obtain a signature from the course instructor) for a Practicum/Internship Seminar class. Refer to class schedule on Piperline for the course number. Summer internships may require completion of the Summer Session Registration Form (available online). Note deadlines for summer tuition discount.
2. Pick up an internship packet at the CDC, which includes the LLA and evaluation forms. If necessary, schedule an appointment with the Internship Program Director to review the packet.
3. Ask a faculty member to be your faculty supervisor and discuss your internship plans and goals with him/her before you begin applying.
4. Obtain an internship. Send your resume and cover letter to the prospective internship sites. Schedule an appointment with the Internship Program Director if you need assistance with your search. 
5. Complete the LLA and attach your internship job description.  Discuss your learning goals and objectives with both your site and faculty supervisors and obtain their signatures.
6. Bring the original LLA with attached job description to the CDC within two weeks of beginning your internship and no later than the LLA Filing Date Deadline. A $25 late fee applies after the deadline. The Internship Program Director will sign the LLA and forward copies to you, your faculty supervisor and to Registration and Records.
7. The internship registration will be complete after you turn in the LLA to the CDC and the CDC forwards the paperwork to Registration and Records.
8. International students - Please refer to Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Guidelines for Undergraduate International Students before beginning the registration process.
   
   NOTE: Registration for an Individual Internship will automatically be withdrawn if a LEAD Learning Agreement is not submitted to the Career Development Center by the last day to withdraw.
   
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Completing the LEAD Learning Agreement (LLA)

The LEAD Learning Agreement (LLA) is a document that summarizes your internship plans and includes your academic, professional, and personal learning objectives for the experience. This key document will be copied and shared with you, your faculty supervisor, Registration and Records and the CDC; therefore, it is important that the document be complete and legible. If your site supervisor would like a copy of the LLA, please encourage him/her to make a copy when he/she signs it.

LEAD Meeting Dates
To facilitate your learning and development, you should meet with your site supervisor on a regular basis throughout your internship. These meetings will allow you to ask questions, discuss expectations, share information and insights, and receive some mentoring from your site supervisor. At the begining of the internship, discuss how often you will meet and indicate that meeting schedule on the LLA. You should meet with your site supervisor at least once a week. You will arrange and indicate a regular meeting schedule with your faculty supervisor as well.

The Job Description
Obtain a job description from your site supervisor and attach it to the LLA. If your site supervisor is unable to provide you with a job description, you may work together with this individual to draft a description that accurately reflects your tasks and responsibilities for the internship.

Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives allow you to be intentional about your internship experience and focus on specific outcomes. You are required to create two objectives in each of the following categories: academic development, professional development, and personal development. Your objectives include learning objectives, a learning plan, evidence of learning and a completion date.

Effective objectives are:

1. Specific. Use specific terms to describe what you plan to accomplish during your internship.
2. Realistic. Objectives should be realistic, so be sure to review them with your site and faculty supervisors to ensure they can be accomplished during your internship.
3. Measurable. At the end of the experience you should be able to prove that you achieved your goals.

Learning Plan
Your learning plan contains the steps you will take to meet your objectives. This plan will probably involve a few steps for each objective. Each step should be specific.

Evidence of Learning
Evidence of learning is the tangible proof that you met your learning objectives. The evidence of learning will also include specific academic and reflective work that you complete for the internship. Be sure to discuss this evidence with your faculty supervisor as he/she may have specific expectations and assignments for you. All evidence, academic, and reflective work should be turned in to your faculty supervisor upon completion of your internship to assist him or her in determining your grade.

Utilize the tips in the Questions and Examples to Help Complete the LEAD Learning Agreement section, example LLAs, the final evaluation form, and input from your faculty and site supervisors to help you draft your learning objectives. When your objectives are complete, be sure to discuss them with your site and faculty supervisors.

Signatures
After you have obtained a job description and completed your objectives and the remainder of the LLA, obtain final signatures from your faculty and site supervisors and turn the completed LLA in to the CDC. 

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Internship Timeline and Evaluation Process

Internship Begins
When you have accepted an offer, obtain a job description from your site supervisor.  Complete the LLA and return it with the job description to the CDC.
After Two Weeks or 20 hours
Have your site supervisor complete Two-Week Evaluation. Meet with the him or her to discuss internship expectations, performance, and feedback. Discuss how the internship is proceeding with your faculty supervisor. This is the time to decide whether or not the internship should continue.  Return the Two Week review to the CDC.
Midterm (or after 60 hours)
Have your site supervisor complete the Midterm Evaluation. This is a more formal evaluation between the student and the site supervisor. Return the Midterm Review to the CDC.
Last Day to Withdraw from Class
You must file the LLA in the CDC, or withdraw from the internship by this date.  Otherwise an “N” grade will be issued.
Internship Ends
Have your site supervisor complete the Final Evaluation form with your site supervisor and return it to the CDC. Turn in your academic and reflective materials as outlined in the LLA to your faculty. The faculty supervisor sends your grade to Registration and Records. Send thank you notes to your site and faculty supervisors! If appropriate, ask your site supervisor to serve as a reference and/or networking resource.

At the end of your internship you are required to fill out the Self Evaluation and Evaluation of Site form available on Piperline.

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Resources for Interns

The Faculty Supervisor is a full-time CLA professor who helps you develop learning goals, supervises the academic components, evaluates the internship and submits grades to Registration and Records.  The faculty supervisor provides guidance and feedback when needed or when problems arise. Your should meet with your faculty supervisor on a regular basis during your internship.

The Site Supervisor should be a knowledgeable professional who can mentor, provide guidance and introduce you to the profession and organization. The Site Supervisor helps you develop goals, orients, trains, and supervises you on a daily or weekly basis, and reviews your work performance and assesses professional and personal development. You should meet with your site supervisor on a weekly basis during your internship.

The Internship Program Director supports students throughout the internship process by providing information resources and individual assistance. The Internship Program Director serves as an information and problem solving resource for interns and supervisors.

The Lead Director, Kari Richtsmeier, directs all LEAD activities and can be a helpful resource in explaining LEAD and considering options.

CDC Career Counselors are available to assist you with resumes, cover letters, and interviewing. They can guide you through the internship search process.

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How to Find the Perfect Internship

Begin at least three months before you plan to start the internship. You will need a resume, cover letter and a plan. Resume and cover letter samples are available at the CDC. Develop answers to the following questions:

• What kind of internship experience do you seek?
• What skills do you hope to acquire or enhance during the internship?
• What are your academic and personal goals for an internship?
• What are the characteristics of your ideal internship site?

If you find it hard to answer these questions, schedule an appointment with the Internship Program Director. Then follow the steps below:

1. Check the internship listings regularly by logging in to your NACElink account as new listings are posted daily.  
2. Contact prospective internship sites directly. Most internships (and jobs) are never posted at the CDC or anywhere else.  For ideas about who to contact consult these CDC library or web resources:
3. • The Twin Cities Gold Book: Annual Guide to the Creative Services Industry
   • The Twin Cities United Way’s First Call for Help: Directory of Community Services
   • The Business Journal Book of Lists (profiles the largest Twin Cities employers in many categories)
   • Handbook for MN Artists
   • MN Guidebook to State Agency Services
   • MN Education and Community Services Directory
   • The MN Women’s Directory
   • Findlaw, a searchable database of law firms
   • Directory of MN Law enforcement contacts, MN State University, Moorhead 
4. Develop a personal network. Networking is a simple and powerful internship and job search tool. Most people are eager to help sincere, motivated college students explore interests or launch careers.   
5. Ask for help at the CDC.  A typical internship search in the metro area requires at least 15-20 site contacts and two-three interviews with different employers.  Make an appointment with the Internship Program Director if you:    

• have applied at 10-15 sites and haven't received any offers that interest you.
• are interviewing but not converting the interviews to internship offers.
• are having trouble locating the right type of internship opportunities.
• are overwhelmed and experiencing difficulty getting started on the search.
  
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Instructions for Independent Lead

LEAD Practicums/Seminars and individually supervised internships are the most popular methods of acquiring LEAD credit.  Independent LEAD, including apprentice teaching, collaborative research, student-designed LEAD and Internships Abroad are also available. Independent LEAD will involve the LEAD Director, Kari Richtsmeier, 651-523-2606.

Think about the kind of experience that makes sense for your academic and work interests.

If college teaching or professional research are your interests, consider a faculty member who might be willing to be your “site supervisor” for the experience. Talk with her/him about the possibilities. Then: 

• Complete the Apprentice Teaching or Collaborative Research form (available at Registration and Records). 
• Talk with the LEAD Director, Kari Richtsmeier.  Complete the LLA. Return the completed LLA to Kari Richtsmeier, and the completed Apprentice Teaching or Collaborative Research form to Registration and Records.

If you are thinking about a student-designed LEAD, talk with LEAD Director, Kari Richtsmeier and find a faculty supervisor. Complete the LLA and return to Kari Richtsmeier.

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Instruction for Internship Abroad

An internship abroad may or may not fulfill LEAD credit.  Approval must be obtained in advance from Kari Richtsmeier, LEAD Director.

1. Work with the Study Abroad and Off-campus Programs Office and your advisor to determine a program that suits your academic and career interest.
2. Complete paperwork and gain acceptance into the program.
3. Complete Prior Approval for the Acceptance of Transfer Credit from an Overseas Instituition form (available in the Off-campus Program Office). Obtain the required signatures and return the form to Registration and Records.
4. HECUA and EPA internships automatically receive LEAD designation, all other international internships must be approved by the LEAD Director before you apply to study abroad.
5. To get the LEAD Director's signature on the Prior Approval Form, talk with her about a process for completing the LLA and internship evaluation forms once you are in your overseas internship.
6. From your international location, complete and fax the LLA to your Hamline faculty supervisor and the LEAD director.
7. Maintain contact with your Hamline faculty supervisor and LEAD Director through fax and e-mail as agreed upon the LLA.
   
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Curricular Practical Training Guidelines for Undergraduate International Students

It is important that you begin the internship search early so that USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) work authorization is obtained by the time the internship is scheduled to begin.

Eligibility Requirements
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is employment that is an integral part of an established curriculum and must be related to the major field of study. CPT is available to CLA international students (F-1) who have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for at least nine consecutive months.

CPT cannot exceed 20 hours per week during the academic terms, however during breaks you may work up to 40 hours per week.
Please note: Participation in part time CPT does not affect OPT (Optional Practical Training) eligibility, but if you accumulate 12 months of full time CPT you will not be eligible for OPT.

Application and Authorization Procedures
Meet with the Internship Program Director to discuss your internship plans.

Follow the Registration Process

After CDC has approved and signed your LLA, bring a signed LLA and your I-20 to the the Multicultural and International Student Affairs (MISA) office. MISA will update the USCIS online database system (SEVIS) with the CPT information.

Once the CPT is approved by USCIS, you will be given an endorsed CPT authorization that will be attached to your current I-20. The I-20 will be returned to you. Make a photocopy of your signed I-20 and give it to your site supervisor. 

Under no circumstances may you begin working before the final USCIS authorization. The CPT authorization is not retroactive. Please consult with the MISA office if you have questions or concerns about this.

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