51ÉçÇø

Ready to host an intern for credit? Review the following sections:

• EMPLOYER ELIGIBILITY

  A “for credit” internship, or also known as an academic internship, is an educational experience in which a student participates in the internship while enrolled in an academic course which complements the internship, earning credits from the College while gaining work experience. Credit does not replace compensation; for-credit internships can be paid or unpaid.

  How do you know if the experience you are offering meets the educational requirements for academic credit? There are three types of opportunities that you can offer:

  1. For-credit (academic) internship
     • A for-credit internship is a paid or unpaid learning opportunity that is focused on professional development and career experience that meets the educational requirements for credit.
  2. Paid opportunity
     • A paid position or job is a career-oriented experience that does not meet the educational requirements for an academic internship but provides compensation for work performed.
  3. Volunteer experience
     • A volunteer opportunity is an experience that does not receive academic credit and is unpaid. These service-based opportunities may help boost a student’s resume or portfolio, and do not displace employees. If offering an unpaid experience, please review the Department of Labor’s before proceeding to ensure you are in accordance with compensation laws.

  To be approved for credit the internship must meet the educational standards of 51ÉçÇø and the Department of Labor. At 51ÉçÇø, the following criteria are used to determine if an internship meets the educational requirements for an academic internship:

  • They apply to both paid and unpaid internships.
  • The internship, even though it includes actual-operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment.
  • The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern.
  • The intern does not displace regular employees but works under close supervision of existing staff that have more experience than the intern in the field of student the internship falls under.
  • The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern and on occasion, its operations may actually be impeded.
  • The intern is given hands-on experience.
  • The intern is provided regular mentorship by a professional with more experience than the intern in the industry of the internship
  • Internships meet the minimum hour requirements based on the desired course.
  • The Supervisor is willing to sign the Internship Agreement and complete the Supervisor Evaluation of the Intern by the deadlines. 
• STEPS FOR APPROVAL

  For each academic internship in which you host a 51ÉçÇø student, the following steps will need to be taken for academic internship status approval and internship completion.

  1. Student submits an internship credit application form with information about the experience including the supervisors name and email, start and end date, and hours per week.
  2. A Career Advisor will automatically receive their application and review it to ensure it meets guidelines for credit. They may reach out to the supervisor if additional information is needed. 
  3. Career Advisor will inform the student if the opportunity is approved.
     • If it is not approved, this does not bar the student from participating in the opportunity. It means that the opportunity cannot be registered for academic credit.
  4. When approved, the Career Advisor will send an electronic Internship Agreement to be signed by the student, the internship supervisor, the international student services office (for international students only,) and the Career Advisor.
     • This agreement lists the expectations of the experience. You can find a copy of it here.
     • It can take several days for everyone to sign the agreement.
  5. Once the agreement is signed and returned to the Career Advisor, they will reach out to the student to confirm course selection and provide them with steps for registration. There are options for tuition-free courses and the choice of course is up to the student. Internship hosts cannot dictate the number of credits or a specific course the student must take to participate in the experience. 

  Please note that internships must be registered by their deadline. It can take a few days to get the internship approved and agreement signed depending on the student and supervisor’s timeliness. So, student should be encouraged to apply for registration early. We appreciate your timely responses throughout the process to avoid delays.

   

• INTERNSHIP AGREEMENT & ASSIGNMENTS

  When students are in an academic internship, the supervisor has several responsibilities that must be completed. Each affects the student’s final grade in their internship course.

  • An internship agreement must be signed before the course can be registered.
  • A Supervisor Evaluation of the Intern must be filled out by the deadline at the end of the semester.
  • A minimum number of hours (typically 75) must be available for the student to participate in the internship.

  The Internship Agreement ensures that the mentorship and experience are valid and reviewed by the Career Center. Students agree to committing to the internship and the guidelines for receiving credit. Both the student and the site supervisor must sign the agreement and return it to their Career Advisor before the student can be registered in the course.

• SUPERVISOR EXPECTATIONS

  In addition to completing the Supervisor Evaluation at the end of the semester and providing the minimum hours of internship participation, 51ÉçÇø expects internship supervisor to fulfill their promise of an educational experience. This will also ensure the success of your internship program.

  Engaged and supportive supervisors are key to an intern’s satisfaction and success. We have found the greatest level of success with supervisors who commit to:

  • Meet with their intern one-on-one once a week and provide constructive feedback.
  • Provide a list of responsibilities/expectations and training at the beginning of the internship.
  • Communicate with the intern each day of their internship.
  • Introduce interns to company leaders.
  • Give interns creative, hands-on projects to contribute to.
  • Encourage interns to join for a variety of meetings and networking event.
  • Are flexible when considering an intern’s course responsibilities.
  • Conduct an exit interview – reviewing the intern’s strengths and areas that need improvement.
• INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE - SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

  If you are offering an interior architecture internship, please know that their internship requirements are different than 51ÉçÇø’s general elective internships.  Students in the Interior Architecture program must complete an internship that follows the guidelines below in order to complete their graduation requirement. Opportunities that fall outside of these guidelines could still be accepted for elective credit.

  Requirements for Interior Architecture Internship Sites:

  • All educational requirements for general elective internships apply.
  • Firm must provide interior architecture or interior design services.
  • Showrooms, kitchen and bath, cabinet makers, furniture dealerships are acceptable for major credit. The department will not accept direct-to-consumer or retail positions for major credit.
  • Firm must have an office location (not a home office) and employ at least two professional staff.
  • Direct supervisor must have a degree in Interior Architecture, Design, or allied discipline.
  • Firm must have a company email address and website.
  • Students need to be involved with design related tasks.
  • Internships can be paid or unpaid. Note that unpaid internships produce a smaller applicant pool.
  • Student must complete a minimum of 225 hours within the semester they receive credit.