Students

Majors & Careers

Internships

An internship is a pre-professional career training experience with intentional learning goals. Internships give you the opportunity to explore and apply academic theory in the professional world.

Essentially, internships combine learning and work. It is your chance to take the knowledge that you have gained and put it into action. It's also your time to develop new skills and explore possible career choices. Internships can be paid or unpaid, taken for academic credit or not, short or long-term, part or full-time.

Because organizations define internships in a variety of ways, it's your responsibility to discuss the "learning agenda" and structure of your internship before you start working. Some organizations have structured learning environments for their internships, others can be created to meet your specific needs. Your internship may include some clerical or departmental support, and time spent should relate to your goals.

You may job shadow, work on a team project, receive on-site training, participate in staff meetings, etc. Remember, you are there to acquire knowledge, learn new skills, and network. It should be a win-win opportunity.

"Internships are what you make them. Employers can tell when you are passionate about what you want to do. My enthusiasm helped me make a strong impression in the interview and gave me the opportunity to gain experience doing what I love with Jet Propulsion Laboratory." - Kien Nguyen, Management Information Systems