Internships

An academic internship is a form of experiential education that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skill development in a professional setting.  Students earn academic credit, or there is some other connection to a degree-granting, educational institution.  This work/learning arrangement is overseen by a faculty or staff member of an educational institution and by a designated employee of an organization.  The internship is usually the length or equivalent of an academic term, may be part-time or full-time, paid or unpaid.  An integral component of the experience that distinguishes it from other types of work is one or more forms of structured and deliberate reflection contained within learning agendas or objectives.

Compensation for internships varies - wage, stipend, travel reimbursement, cash, or academic credit -- and may be industry specific (eg. engineering positions are usually paid; media internships are usually unpaid)

Credit-bearing internships require a faculty sponsor.

Responsibilities of a faculty sponsor

  • Review and approve the internship description and learning objectives.
  • Determine the number of credits that will be awarded for the internship and the departmental designator. (your dept or EXT 488).
  • Set clear expectations of the written work assignments (journal, mid-term, and final reports).
  • Have at least four (4) contacts with the student during the internship term.
  • Submit the final grade.

Responsibilities of the Career Center

  • Work with student to identify appropriate internship opportunities, and submit complete applications (eg. resume, cover letter, essay, etc).
  • Distribute mid-term and semester evaluations to student and agency sponsor.
  • Collect and distribute completed evaluations to faculty sponsor.

Responsibilities of the student

  • Identify a faculty sponsor and submit all necessary paperwork on time.
  • Register with the Career Center on line.
  • Make at least four (4) contacts with the faculty sponsor during the internship.
  • Complete all assignments on time.

Key internship terms:

Journal: A weekly account of the student's experience on the job. Not a verbatim rerun of a week's activities. The journal write must reflect on the scope of responsibilities of the internship, career possibilities, and acknowledge strengths and weaknesses that might influence future options.

Term report: The final report. Not a research paper. Faculty sponsors have accepted strategic plans, cash flow summaries, or program samples in lieu of a paper. Some faculty sponsors have asked students to compare an internship sponsor with its competitors. Faculty member and student should decide the length, content, and scope of the term report in the beginning weeks of the internship.

For additional information on internships for credit, click here.

For any questions regarding internships, please e-mail Alfreda James at alfreda.james@stonybrook.edu