What is an internship?

Internships can provide students with real world experience to explore and gain relevant knowledge and transferable skills required to enter the working world. Internships should provide the following:

  • Designed to give students the opportunity to work in pre-professional positions and apply their academic skills to practical work-based projects.
  • Include intentional learning goals outlined to benefit the intern.
  • Foster professional development for the intern to make networking contacts in their field of interest.

Types of Internships

  • Paid Internships - A paid internship would be arranged between the intern and employer. The pay may be in the form of an hourly wage or salary. It will be up to the intern and employer to negotiate the pay and terms of agreement for this type of internship.
  • Academic Credit Internships - An academic credit internship would be arranged between the intern, employer and sponsoring faculty. The prospective intern must take the initiative to prepare the paperwork and documents necessary for academic credit. Academic credit for internships is available only as arranged on an individual basis by students and their academic department. 

Locating Internships

Career Development & Alumni Engagement provides programs, resources and services for you to learn about job/internship opportunities and interact with recruiters. It is recommended that you utilize multiple job/internship search strategies to maximize your efforts. Ultimately, internships are self-sought and secured individually by the student. As a CSUCI student, one place you can search for internships is on Handshake. We review each posting before it is approved so you know you can trust the posted jobs and internships on Handshake. Access Handshake by logging in to your myCI account and clicking the Handshake tab located under Services. Get started with Handshake today!

The following list are resources to help you secure a quality internship:

Additional Tips

  • Check with faculty in your academic department for leads to other possible internship opportunities.
  • Talk to professionals in the field (ask friends and family or networking opportunities), join student professional organizations, and tell your own personal network of family and friends about your desire for an internship.
  • Make the most of your internship. CandidCareer.com has thousands of videos from industry professionals for you to view topics such as interviewing, career pathways, resume writing, etc. 

Obtaining Academic Credit

An academic credit internship would be arranged between the intern, employer and sponsoring faculty. The prospective intern must take the initiative to prepare the paperwork and documents necessary for academic credit. Academic credit for internships is available only as arranged on an individual basis by students and their academic department. This is a contractual agreement between the prospective intern, sponsoring faculty member, and internship supervisor.

The following guideline will help students initiate Academic Credit:

  • Intern is offered a position by the internship supervisor.
  • Intern identifies a faculty sponsor within their academic discipline and completes the Self-Selected Internship Placement Site Agreement form.
  • Intern and faculty sponsor develop internship agreement for academic credit.
  • Intern presents the internship agreement to the internship supervisor.
  • Intern coordinates with sponsoring faculty and internship supervisor to complete and submit all required paperwork to earn academic credit.
Deadline to Submit Academic Internship Agreement
SemesterDate
Fall SemesterWithin 2 weeks of the first day of class
Spring SemesterWithin 2 weeks of the first day of class
Summer SemesterPrior to May 1
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