Internship Guide and FAQs

What is an internship?

Internships take place in a structured professional setting and are short-term supervised learning experiences. Internships have a specified start/end date and must be monitored by a field professional. By definition, internships are credit-bearing and administered by SUNY Geneseo.

The difference between an internship vs. a part-time job

INTERNSHIP	PART-TIME JOB
Completed for possible options: credit/no credit; credit and pay; pay/no pay	Completed for monetary purposes
Learning objectives reflect the goals of the student, the outcomes expected by the employer, and the requirements of the Faculty Internship Supervisor (if for credit)	Learn tasks of job in order to complete the work adequately but not necessarily for personal gain
Projects or ongoing work that is purposeful and of a professional nature	Assigned work that needs to be completed, not necessarily professional in nature
Duration/Hours: typically part-time (10- 20 hours/week) in a semester or a summer (2-3 months); occasionally extended into next semester or year	Duration/Hours: no specific start/end date or designated time frame
Supervisor serves as a mentor figure to aid the student in the learning process	Supervisor serves as an authority figure to whom the employee reports
Allows for learning of transferable skills that you do not yet possess.	Serves to fill a basic position within the place of employment
The opportunity to obtain “real world” experience in your field of interest and learn first-hand about companies, careers.

An unpaid internship in a for-profit company is considered legitimate by the U.S. Department of Labor if it meets all of six criteria. Learn more about The Test for Unpaid Interns and Students visit the U.S. Department of Labor's Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act fact sheet.

Must you do an internship for credit?

No, but we strongly recommend engaging in an internship for credit. All departmental and INTD internships will appear on your transcript. Also, registering for credit creates a formal agreement between your internship employer and SUNY Geneseo, which ensures a quality standard of experiential learning. Without credit, you are either an employee or a volunteer and minimal leverage regarding the value of the experience encountered.

How do I arrange for an internship to be for credit?

Students have the option of receiving departmental credit (XXXX 395) or interdepartmental credit (INTD 395). After securing an internship, the student should check with their department chair to confirm if the department will support the internship BEFORE attempting to register for an internship.

If the department has agreed to support the internship as a 395 course, the student should select "department" as the source of credit (otherwise choose INTD 395). Before filling out the job description and learning objectives on the form, discuss each with your academic and field supervisors. For more instructions on filling out the credit application, please view the Registering for Credit: Internship Guide.

When is my internship agreement submission deadline?

Students are not responsible for the time restraints posed by the internship approval process. Your initial internship agreement submission in KnightJobs should be completed before the end of the third week in the Fall and Spring semester and before the end of June in the Summer and intersession.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Internship course registration is dependent on the coordination of no less than four people in different departments and organizations. The internship approval process can take weeks to complete. Do not expect a fast turn-around to see your internship registration in Degree Works.

Can I receive credit for an internship I have already completed? 

No.  Internship credit must be arranged no later than three weeks into the Spring and Fall semesters and before the end of June for the Summer semester. (Contact the Office of the Registrar for current registration and drop/add dates.)  Retroactive credit is against College and SUNY policy. You will be charged for tuition just as you would for any other class. For example, credits for a summer internship cannot be registered on a student's fall schedule or credits reduced after the formal withdrawal date to avoid paying tuition.  Additionally, after the third week into the semester, you may withdrawal from the internship course, but will remain financially responsible for the unearned credits. These policies are strictly enforced.

Can I complete a summer internship for credit?

Yes. However, you will need to register before the end of June. You will be charged for tuition just as you would for any other class.  (See question, "Q.  Can I receive credit for an internship I have already completed?" for additional information).

Can I be paid for an internship?

Yes, you can be paid and receive credit for an internship.

Must I do an internship locally?

No. Internship opportunities are world-wide. For international internships, you should check with the Study Abroad Office.

Will I need a resume to apply for internships?

Not in every case, but resumes and cover letters are required more often than not. Please visit the Career Design Centers resume page for help with resume writing. We have well-trained career peer mentors available for resume drafting and review when classes are in session. Check out our home page for drop-in hours.

When should I look for an internship?

Internships are useful when you are looking to explore career options, or want to confirm your current career interests. When you are successfully managing both the academic and social aspects of undergraduate life, you should consider doing an internship. You should apply and arrange for your internship a semester in advance. Remember that an internship is work and may take up a large portion of your schedule. Search for internships on our internship page or drop-in to one of our Virtual Quick Chats which can be found on the Career Design Center event calendar to discuss internship opportunities with a Career Coach.

Should I apply only for advertised internships?

No! Often the best internship opportunities are those you create yourself. Talk with professors, classmates, friends, relatives, career coaches, and alumni for internship ideas. If there is an organization for which you would like to intern, contact them proactively with your resume and cover letter, rather than waiting to see an advertisement.

 Registering Your Internship for Credit

GPA Minimum

1. Students must have a minimum 2.0 GPA to register for internship credit unless they receive a GPA waiver from their department chair or from The Department of Advisement and Planning (DAPA), for INTD 395). It is recommended you first discuss your GPA with the chair or DAPA prior to submitting the form.

Registration Deadlines

Internships can be added three weeks into the Fall and Spring semesters. During the Summer, the deadline is the end of June.

 

Drop/Add

Dropping or withdrawing from internship credits is the same as any other course. If you decide to drop or withdraw, you must notify your internship supervisor, faculty director, and Rob DiCarlo (dicarlo@geneseo.edu) in the Career Design Center (Erwin 116).

 

Tuition costs

Tuition costs for any departmental 395 course or INTD 395 are the same as a traditional course. Students interning in the Fall or Spring typically register for internship credits as an overload with no additional tuition charges. During the Summer and intersession, any registered credits including internship credits, carry tuition costs and applicable fees. Tuition is required for all Summer and intersession internships, including unpaid internships. It is against SUNY and College policy to receive internship credits retroactively. You may not request Fall or Spring internship credit for internships completed during Summer or Winter. Past internships are ineligible for credit. The Zero-credit Option carries no tuition or fees.

Credits per Hour

Be sure that the internship schedule you create meets the criteria listed below.

Credits	Hours of Work
1 credit	40 minimum hours of work
2 credits	80 minimum hours of work
3 credits	120 minimum hours of work
4 credits	160 minimum hours of work
6 credits	240 minimum hours of work
9 credits	360 minimum hours of work
12 credits	480 minimum hours of work
15 credits	600 minimum hours of work

Maximum Credit

A maximum of 15 internship credits can be applied towards the graduation requirement of 120 credit hours. Academic departments set a limit of 0-6 internship credits that are eligible towards the academic majors. Full time 15 credit internships are permitted for seniors, select juniors, and students interning full-time. Underclassmen are encouraged to do multiple internships that may accumulate to 15 credits. Some departmental internships do not allow the student to exceed 6 credits. Be sure to check with your department.

Academic requirements

Department internships are assigned a letter grade based on the academic requirements outlined in your internship form. INTD  internships are graded S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) basis. Be sure to understand the academic requirements established by your faculty director.

STEP 1 Understand the expectations-Consult with your faculty advisor

Before meeting or interviewing with any field supervisors, be sure to understand the expectations of your academic department. Consult with your faculty director, adviser, or department chair about your interest in doing an internship. Individual departments may have their own guidelines and standards for approving a student for an internship.

STEP 2: Consult with your field supervisor

Meet with your with your field supervisor to understand their expectations and obtain information about the internship process.  You may find it easier to complete the online internship form with your internship field supervisor present. Required fields include a minimum of three learning objectives, internship job description (3 - 5 tasks you will be responsible for during the internship), GPA, internship or field supervisor contact and e-mail address, and departmental information.

STEP 3: Complete the online internship agreement form

Log into the Internship Registration System. If you have completed an internship agreement before, the agreement will appear on the screen. This is where you will look for internship processing updates.

Otherwise, click on the “Online Internship Agreement"  in small print on the left side menu. Click on the option tab “Other” at the top of the page.

Upon your submission of the form, the Career Design Center staff will initiate the electronic signature process which varies from department to department.

STEP 4: The Internship Approval Process

Each participant in the internship process (field supervisor, faculty internship director, etc.)  reviews and then accepts or rejects the internship agreement. Accepted forms automatically are sent via email to the next participant in the approval workflow process. Rejected forms are reviewed by the Career Design Center and routed back to be corrected if necessary.

STEP 5 Tracking the Agreement Progress

Once everyone in the process has electronically signed the form, the Registrar will formally register the course to your MyCourses account. You may monitor the progress of your internship form in your KnightJobs account by clicking My Account/Activity and then selecting the internship tab at the far right. Your internship form appears showing where the form is in the approval process. You will receive an e-mail when the process is complete and your course is registered.