Overview

In academic-credit internships, the academic component must be an integral part of the work experience. It is designed by the faculty mentor in consultation with the student and, if possible, the employer. This component might include a paper, a journal, a portfolio, or written notes from a series of interviews. Readings, assigned by the faculty mentor and by the employer sponsor, are generally also required. The academic component must be specified in the internship learning agreement.

Academic Credit and Work Hours

Students participating in academic-credit internships typically register for two or three credit hours.

It is highly recommended that students work on-site in blocks of at least four hours at a time. Variable internship credit is awarded according to hours worked. One hour of credit is awarded for every 40 hours worked per term, meaning that students working 120 total hours over the duration of the term will receive three credit hours for that term. During the fall and spring, Centre College typically offers two- and three-credit internships.  Two-credit internships require 80 total hours of work (6-7 hours per week), and three-credit internships require 120 total hours of work (10 hours per week). All work must be sanctioned by and done on behalf of the internship supervisor and must be documented on a time card provided by the college.

CentreTerm internships require registration for three credits, and the student must work full-time for three to four weeks to complete 120 total work hours.

Grades

Acceptable performance for the academic component and on-site will allow a student to earn a credit designation for the appropriate number of academic credits. This “credit” designation does not count for or against the requirements for a major program or the pass/fail option. Students who do not perform at an acceptable level in either area will be assigned a no-credit designation. This will appear on the student’s transcript.

The final grade will be based on the completion of all required internship hours, the academic components, and any paperwork required by the Center for Career & Professional Development (timecards, evaluations, etc.), as well as a satisfactory final evaluation completed by the site supervisor.

A student who wishes to enroll in an academic-credit internship must have at least sophomore status. Variable internship credit is awarded according to hours worked. One hour of credit is awarded for every 40 hours worked per term, meaning that students working 120 total hours over the duration of the term will receive three credit hours for that term. During the fall and spring, Centre College typically offers two- and three-credit internships.  Two-credit internships require 80 total hours of work (6-7 hours per week), and three-credit internships require 120 total hours of work (10 hours per week). All work must be sanctioned by and done on behalf of the internship supervisor and must be documented on a time card provided by the college.

If conducted during CentreTerm, the internship is full-time for three to four weeks for a total of 120 work hours and is not done while taking another course. If the CentreTerm internship lasts for more than three weeks, the internship will need to either begin before the actual beginning of the term or, more likely, last beyond the official end of term. Internships completed during the fall and spring terms may provide a more comprehensive exposure to the sponsoring organization, while an internship completed during CentreTerm may be more intensive and more closely resemble the eight-hour-day work schedule.

The internship must start during the first week of the term. At the beginning of the term, students will attend a required group meeting with the other students enrolled in an internship. For CentreTerm, this meeting will take place at the end of the fall term.

Identify an internship site with help from the CCPD, a faculty member, or using your own resources.  The CCPD offers many resources, including Handshake, an Internship Resources page, as well as connections to alumni and organizations around the world.

We highly recommend that you complete a resume and have it critiqued before applying for an internship. Resumes are the norm in the business world and potential sponsors will expect one. Remember that this is an educational experience. Some clerical work may be required in the position you will hold, but the major duties of the internship should be new to you and should stretch your knowledge and skills.

Other things to consider:

• The internship must be a new experience for the student (i.e., it cannot be a continuation of volunteer work or summer or part-time job).
• Internships are generally not carried over into the next term. If a student wishes to do a second internship at the same organization, the internship must be a substantially different experience with significantly different duties.
• The student cannot designate a family member as an on-site supervisor.
• The internship must be a semi-professional experience and not a typical summer or part-time job often performed by a college student (e.g., law firm runner, camp counselor, retail clerk).

1) Find a faculty mentor. This person does not need to be your advisor, but should be someone with a general understanding of the career field and will assign the readings and assignments connected to your internship.

2) Discuss your goals and objectives for this internship with the faculty mentor and, together, determine the academic component of the internship.

3) Register for INT 400. In order to receive credit for the internship, you must register for INT 400 for that academic term. (NOTE: Internships are normally for two or three hours credit. If you wish to register for more than three hours, you must petition the Academic Standards Committee with appropriate support from the faculty mentor and Career Services. Also, internships are generally not carried over into the next term. If you wish to do a second internship at the same organization, the internship must be a substantially different experience with significantly different duties.)

4) Complete an Academic-Credit Internship Internship Learning Agreement (ILA). Centre College requires that students complete their ILAs online through Docusign. This system will allow students to complete ILAs easily, both on- and off-campus, while allowing the Center for Career & Professional Development and the Registrar’s office to better manage the ILA system. You may start the ILA once you have secured your internship and know who your on-site supervisor and faculty mentor will be. Video instructions are found here.

(NOTE: Failure to submit a fully completed internship learning agreement to the CCPD by the deadline will automatically result in loss of credit for the internship.)

• Attend a pre-internship meeting.  This meeting will provide and introduction to experiential education and review the requirements for the internship.
• Midterm Evaluations. Both the student and the supervisor will complete a short evaluation at the mid-point of the internship.
• Timecards. Each student will be required to complete a timecard and submit it with the supervisor's signature at midterm and the end of the term.
• Final Assessments. Both the student and the supervisor will complete a final assessment.
• Internship Showcase Presentation. At the end of the term, the student will participate in an internship showcase.  Faculty, staff, and supervisors will be invited to attend.  Students will be expected to talk about the internship experience with the Centre community and will need to provide a visual aid.  This is an open-house format.
• Student Internship & Research Spotlight. All students will be asked to participate in our Tumblr site dedicated to highlighting our students' internship and research experiences.
• Completion of all academic requirements as assigned by the faculty mentor.
• Consistent attendance with a satisfactory final evaluation.

Fees

Academic-credit internships during the fall, spring and CentreTerm are included in a student’s tuition at Centre.

Students interested in an academic-credit internship during the summer must pay tuition (currently a reduced fee of $350 for one credit hour or $375 for three credit hours).

Reimbursement

During the CentreTerm, students who are working full-time for their internships may receive a board reimbursement or reduction. No reduction is available for room. The Business Office will handle all reimbursement requests. During the long term, reduction to a 10-meal plan may be possible. The student must discuss the particular situation with the Business office.

Students who must travel to an internship site away from Centre or for significant commuting expenses related to the internship are eligible for limited reimbursement (either mileage or plane ticket) up to $175. Those students receiving other Centre funding (Centre internship funding, Brown Foundation funds, etc.) or those students interning through the Centre-in-China or Centre-in-Washington programs are not eligible to receive travel reimbursement. To receive reimbursement, students must submit a log of miles driven and/or a copy of a plane ticket receipt. Students will be reimbursed after they have completed the internship successfully.

There are no requirements related to non-credit internships unless the student is receiving internship funding.

The student may complete an Internship Learning Agreement if needed, but does not have to do the additional academic component or end of term presentation. Centre College requires that students complete their internship contracts online through DocuSign. This system will allow students to complete contracts easily, both on- and off-campus, while allowing the Center for Career & Professional Development and the Registrar’s office to better manage the contract system. You may start the contract and save it at any time. For complete instructions, see instructions here.

There is no fee associated with a non-credit internship.