UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC INTERNSHIPS 

What is an Academic Internship? 

According to the Council for Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (www.cas.edu) what distinguishes internships from other forms of active learning is that there is a degree of supervision and self-study that allows students to “learn by doing” and to reflect upon that learning and receive feedback in a way that achieves intentional learning goals and objectives.  

An internship at Rosemont College is a supervised opportunity to apply classroom theory to practice and it is treated like any other academic course for which students are registered to earn credit and/or experience toward graduation.  Collaborative faculty supervision and mentorship from supervising professionals in the field complements classroom learning, helps students develop critical career readiness competencies, and expands the knowledge of their discipline in an intentional learning environment. 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 

Rosemont College undergraduate students must meet the following criteria in order to participate in a credit and non-credit-bearing internship: 

• Maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 by the end of the semester immediately preceding the term for the experience. 

• Attend an Experiential Learning Experience Orientation 

• Acknowledge the requirement of an experiential learning experience by completing the Experiential Learning Acknowledgement form found on the Rosemont College website.   

• Complete Professional Development Seminars I and II 

• Exclusions may apply.  Please contact Career Services or your major advisor for additional information. 

• Register for the applicable Experiential Learning course. 

• Seek and secure an experience. 

• Whether completing an internship for credit or not, a minimum of thirty-two (32) hours at the internship site is required.   Every academic credit is equal to thirty-two (32) hours.  For example:  32 hours=1 credit, 64 hours=2 credits, 96 hours=3 credits. 

• Complete the Experiential Learning Agreement Form found on Rosemont college website   

REQUIREMENTS & DEADLINES 

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNS 

By completing an academic internship, the student is making themself more marketable to employers and graduate schools.  Getting a job and achieving long term career success increasingly depends on the ability to demonstrate real value to employers through experience and applied learning. Collaborating with faculty and professionals in their chosen field helps the student gain knowledge in an intentional learning environment supported by mentorship and supervision.   

The minimum requirements needed to earn credit for an internship experience are as follows: 

1. All credit-bearing internships are completed for a minimum of 1 credits. 

1. The internship should be conducted over a period of 1 academic semester, for at least 32 hours  

1. Students must pay tuition for credit-bearing internships. 

1. Students must earn a favorable work evaluation from the employer. 

1. If offered, students must participate in and complete all assignments in the internship Canvas course with the faculty internship supervisor establishing learning objectives, goal setting, providing progress reports, and evaluating the experience. 

1. Complete a mid-term evaluation and final evaluation, an assessment of the academic internship experience, with your Supervisor and Career Services. 

APPROVAL & REGISTRATION PROCESS 

STEPS FOR INTERNSHIP APPROVAL AND REGISTRATION 

Step 1
Receive Departmental Approval
The major advisor will meet with the student to discuss their degree audit to confirm eligibility requirements and are able to proceed with the internship registration and search process.  

Step 2
Register Your Internship
PLEASE NOTE:  When you register, you assume responsibility for paying all tuition and fees associated with your enrollment/registration. You must pay even if you did not obtain an internship unless you have dropped your course according to the deadlines published by the Office of the Registrar. Registrations outside of the DROP/ADD period ARE NOT permitted.  Before you drop or add a class, make sure you understand the rules. Your timing makes all the difference.  Students must pay tuition for registered credit-bearing internships as they would for any other credit-bearing course. Dropping or adding classes can affect your financial aid, scholarship status, or tuition cost. If you do decide to drop or add a class, be sure to talk with your academic advisor and a Financial Aid officer first. 

Students must register for an internship through the iWay as they would for any other course during preregistration or the drop/add period.  If students are unable to locate the appropriate internship course or are having difficulty registering, they must contact the Office of the Registrar. 

Step 3
Report Your Internship
The Internship Learning Agreement form (see the Career Services page on the iWay) outlines the student’s responsibilities, provides academic policy information (Academic Internship Waiver & Rosemont College Code of Ethics), documents the student’s eligibility and the department’s approval. The Internship Learning Agreement will be used to notify Career Services that the student has secured and accepted an internship. 

If required to participate in an internship course, students will find the course on Canvas.  Students must complete all required Canvas work to earn credit for the internship experience.   

• If a student has previously completed a credit-bearing internship and would like to receive credit for an additional semester(s) they MUST complete an additional Internship Learning Agreement, showing increased and/or different responsibilities, in order to receive academic credit for the additional internship experience(s). 

Recommendations for a Successful Internship Experience 

An internship is an excellent opportunity to try out a career field, build skills, and potentially become employed at a company full-time after graduation. Here are a few tips to make the most of the experience: 

1. Meet your coworkers

Introduce yourself to everyone in your department. Try to have contact with each person and get a sense of what they do. You never know when someone else in the company is doing something that might interest you. You may not want to work for your company in the long term, but you will definitely want to get a recommendation from them. The better job you do and the more familiar your supervisor and other employees are with your personality and your work, the stronger the recommendation. 

2. Set goals 

It is always a good idea to meet with your supervisor at the beginning of the internship to find out what their expectations are for you. If your supervisor doesn’t set a meeting with you, you should ask for some time to meet. What are you expected to accomplish every day? Every week?  Make sure to request feedback from your supervisor to make sure you are on the right track. Finally, keep in mind what your own goals are for your internship and what you would like to learn. Discuss your interests with your supervisor and co-workers and ask if there are opportunities to get involved in those areas. 

3. Watch and learn 

Understanding and acting in accordance with the culture of an organization is important whenever you start working somewhere new.  Watch and seek guidance from your colleagues and peers. What are the routines of the organization? Of the people? Read all organizational material, policies, and procedures, etc. If it’s appropriate, ask to sit in on meetings or shadow other employees so you can learn the ins and outs of the business. 

4. Be professional

Be mindful of how you present yourself to your co-workers and supervisor. What is the appropriate attire for your workplace? What is appropriate email etiquette for the person you are addressing? If you have a concern or there is an issue you are not sure how to handle, who is the most appropriate person to talk to?  And don’t forget the basics of common courtesy – be punctual, say thank you, follow up and follow through.  

5. Keep busy 

If things are slow for you, make sure your supervisor knows it. And then if things are still slow read some trade magazines or see if it’s OK to ask another employee if they need help. Or generate ideas about what you might be able to work on as a longer-term project to fill down time, and present it to your supervisor. Everyone must do grunt work at one point or another and the more enthusiastic and willing you are to do it — the better the chance of you’re being hired full-time and/or getting a strong recommendation. Plus, maybe there’s a better or more organized way to finish the grunt work.  

6. Stay organized 

Take notes during all meetings and keep to-do lists of tasks and deadlines. Keep your workspace neat so that your work is organized and out of the way when you are not around. Take care to observe data storage processes—if your organization keeps files in central locations, take note and observe and maintain records in accordance with policy. 

7. Manage your time wisely 

Always complete projects on time, and when one task is done ask for another. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with projects, talk to your supervisor about prioritizing your work. 

8. Keep track of your projects 

Start a list of all the projects you have worked on so that you can discuss your progress with your supervisor. It will also help you remember everything you’ve worked on to update your resume, add to a portfolio, or talk about in a future interview. Ask if you can keep examples of projects you have worked on for a portfolio. Remember that some of this information will be confidential, so always get approval before taking any copies of work with you. 

9. Reflect on your experience

If there’s no formal review process, be sure to ask your supervisor and coworkers for feedback on your performance so you can learn what you’ve done well and what areas need improvement. Reflect on the skills you’ve gained during your internship and update your resume with your experiences and accomplishments. Even if you decide that this career field is not right for you, the experience is still a valuable one. Meet with a CCE counselor to discuss what you’ve learned and what steps you can take to move forward on your career path.  

MAJOR REQUIREMENS 

Internship requirements vary by major as follows: 

Major	Course #	Credits
Accounting, B.S.  Finance, B.S.  International Business, B.S.  Management, B.S.  Marketing, B.S.  Sport Management, B.S.	BUS-0455	1 – 6 credits
Biology, B.A.	BIO-0460	3 credits
Chemistry, B.A.	CHE-0460	3 credits
Communication, B.A.	COM-0495	3 credits
Criminology, B.A.	SOC 0455	9 credits
Education, B.S.	EDU-0455	6 – 12 credits
English, B.A.  English & Communication, B.A.	ENG-0420	0 – 3 credits
Environmental Studies, B.A.	ENV-0480	3 credits
History of Art, B.A.	ARH-0480	1 – 6 credits
Political Science, B.A.	PSC-0455	3 credits
Psychology, B.A.	PSY-0461	3 credits
Sociology, B.S.	SOC-0455	9 credits
Studio Art and Design, B.A.  Studio Art & Design, B.F.A.	ARS-0496	3 credits
0 credit internship	ECR-0400	0 credit
Elective Credit Experiential Learning	ECR-0405	1 – 12 credits

 

No internship is required for the following majors. However, students must complete an experiential learning requirement (Internship, Study Abroad, Service Learning or Research). 

Major	Course #
History, B.A.	HIS-0482
Mathematics, B.A.	ECR-0405
Philosophy, B.A.	PHI-0485
Sociology, B.A.	SOC-0455
Theology & Religious Studies, B.A.	RST-0480
Spanish, B.A.	ECR-0400

 

 

INFORMATION FOR FACULTY 

FACULTY ROLES IN THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 

Faculty members are key partners in the internship program – as faculty internship supervisors, as departmental internship coordinators, and as overall advocates for academic internships.  Your support directly contributes to the success of the students and of the internship program here at Rosemont College.  

Internship experiences at Rosemont College are considered academic courses. As such, there are specific responsibilities expected from all parties involved. As internships are reciprocal experiences, it is important that all parties (faculty, Career Services, students, and employers) understand their roles and responsibilities. 

INTERNSHIP FACULTY 

Every student’s internship is supervised by a faculty member in the student’s academic department. 

As a student’s faculty supervisor, you are the vital link between the employer and the College, and the key academic mentor for the student regarding their internship. 

Effective supervision is an important key to a student’s internship success—both academically and professionally. Faculty supervisors assist students with developing learning goals and objectives, help structure academic reflection for the internship and monitor the student’s growth and learning. 

Roles and Responsibilities of Internship Faculty Supervisor: 

• Approve the conditions of student assignments (internship location, duration, work function and responsibilities.) 

• Maintain a Canvas workspace to be used as a repository for documentation such as learning objectives/goals, progress reports/hour logs, site visits, and evaluations. 

• Complete mid-term reviews, including a rating/review of the student’s work performance in consultation with the student and their immediate employer supervisor.  Encourage the intern to share what they learned; to explain to you and the employer supervisor the processes and work products within the organization, demonstrating what was learned and accomplished in the internship. Guide the student to see the professional roles assumed in the industry.  With the help of the employer supervisor, how can the student assume the roles and responsibilities that reflect the vision, mission, goals, messaging, and identity of their organization?  Do not hesitate to connect with the employer supervisor separately from the student to receive the most honest assessment of the experience.   

• Collect all student assignments and evaluations, and, based on this material and student contact, determine and report the student’s grade at the end of the term. 

• Whenever possible, initiate new or expanded contacts for the development of additional internship experiences. 

• Whenever possible, assist the student with the internship registration and other liaisons with campus offices. 

• Administer the departmental internship program, collaborating with Career Services in matters pertaining to the internship program. 

• Approve potential internship job sites in conjunction with Career Services. 

• Whenever possible, initiate new or expanded contacts for the development of additional internship experiences.