Classes at COA are as rigorous and real as possible. But there’s no substitution for getting out into the world and learning by doing. Internships give you a chance to do just that.

All COA students complete either a 450-hour, or a 320-hour, off-campus internship. This lets students explore career options, network and make connections, and learn skills that cannot be learned through coursework alone. Students do internships at businesses and companies, non-profits and schools, and in research labs in the US and around the world. You will work with faculty and staff to find an internship that is a good match for your educational and career goals.

Most students do their internship during the summer after their second or third years, but you can elect to do your internship during the school year if you wish.

More information about internships, including help finding and applying for work experiences, can be found on the Internships and Career Services page. The internship office maintains an active database of organizations, alumni mentors, and contacts to help students find internships.

 

Student internships at COA:

  • NEWS
    Field Opportunities Abound on Wildlife Biology Internship
    A three-month stint within the rich natural landscapes of Arkansas’ Cache River National Wildlife Refuge takes Ekaterina Khadonova ’21 on a deep dive into environmental fieldwork.
  • NEWS
    Changemaker Internship Highlights Social Action
    An internship with Ashoka Japan, a branch of the world’s largest and oldest social entrepreneurship network, puts College of the Atlantic student Yoichiro Ashida ’20 on the forefront of social action in his hometown of Tokyo.
  • NEWS
    Internship Fosters Up-Close Experience with Marine Mammals

    Grace Leary ’22 identifies and describes whales for hundreds of eager tourists, rescues injured seals, and works 25 miles out to see on remote Mount Desert Rock island as part of a research internship with the Bar Harbor Whale Watch and College of the Atlantic Allied Whale.