Internship Requirements and Proposals

An internship is a requirement for all COA undergraduate degree candidates. Internships are site-based or remote, on- or off-campus, supervised work experiences in a field compatible with a student’s academic and/or career interest. The goals of the internship program are for students to gain work experience, make professional connections, and see human ecology in practice. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisor and the director of internships and career development as they begin planning for their internship. Internships allow students to apply their knowledge and skills to the job market, develop new skills, clarify future goals, and establish important career contacts.

Internships offer students opportunities to engage in identifying and seeking employment, developing resumes and cover letters, interviewing successfully, and making informed decisions. Interns are encouraged to take part in onboarding, training, meetings, and workshops held at the worksite or remotely.

Ready to submit your internship proposal? Submit proposals here.

First-year students may complete an internship during the summer between their first and second year of college. Transfer students should consider meeting with the director of internships and career development as soon as they arrive on campus since prior work experiences may be used to count for the internship for the degree requirement.

Students should strive to complete the internship requirement before their final term of enrollment. If you are graduating within the next year and the internship requirement is not completed, please check in with the director of internship and career development as soon as possible regarding your internship intentions. Internships may only be completed as one’s last degree requirement with the approval of the director of internships and the registrar.

Start here to get your internship search jumpstarted.

The career development team does their best to keep a list of organizations, alumni mentors, and job contacts to help students find internships that are appropriate to their career needs and interests. The director is available to help students take advantage of the resources of the office, including resume and cover letter writing, portfolio development, seeking and contacting employers, and for support during internships. Faculty advisors also have contacts that may produce internships in their academic fields.

After accepting an internship, students submit a proposal (link below), which includes:

• Your resume
• A letter of commitment from the internship supervisor (usually your offer letter)
• And information regarding the internship site, experience, and emergency contacts

Submit internship proposals here.

Students may elect to do an internship for credit (three COA credits) or not for credit (zero COA credits): Both options satisfy the degree requirement.

Students complete 440 hours for the for-credit internship or 320 hours for the no-credit internship. Up to 40 hours may be recorded for time spent researching internship opportunities, writing the proposal, preparing for the internship, and writing the post-internship report.

No-credit and for-credit internships may be completed over multiple terms. For-credit internships may be completed over the entire year with one credit per term, or split over two terms with two credits in one term and one credit during the other. Experiences must meet the minimum 320-hour requirement to count towards the COA internship requirement, however, if students find experiences with fewer hours, they should reach out to the director of internships and career development about the possibility of completing an “industry-based” independent study for one or two COA credits.

Students may complete up to two for-credit internships (six COA credits). There is no limit on the number of no-credit internships a student may complete or add to their transcript. Students wishing to take a second for-credit internship should discuss the opportunity with their advisor and the director of internships and career development before submitting a proposal.

Student teaching may be used to fulfill the internship requirement. Students choosing this option must meet the standards set for both the student teaching practicum and the internship requirement.

After the completion of the internship, you will submit an internship report and an evaluation from your supervisor (see the guidelines and link to submit both to the right) by Monday of week four the term following the experience. 

Students should plan to review the evaluation with their supervisor and submit both the evaluation and report together to the director of internships. A narrative is written for the student’s transcript, which includes excerpts from the proposal, report, and the sponsor’s evaluation. All internship documentation is filed in the Internship Office.