Internships

The internship types are:

1. Extra-Curricular Internships are initiated by the student, are not required for the degree, and do not receive academic credit. Students are not enrolled in any internship course. These internships can be pursued during academic terms in which they are enrolled in other classes or during breaks between periods of enrollment. They need not be related to the student’s program of study, and no faculty supervision is needed. The University does not enter into an agreement with the Internship Sponsor. Students may list the internship on their resume, but it will not appear on their academic transcript.
2. Co-Curricular Internships relate to the student’s program of study (e.g., major, minor, certificate program) and can be paid or unpaid. Students pursuing them are enrolled in a course (which can be 0 to 6 credits), but it is not a mandated requirement for the program of study. Students must have a completed learning plan signed by an assigned faculty supervisor.  Academic credit appears on the transcript and may be offered as credit/no credit or for a letter grade.
3. Curricular Internships are a requirement for the student’s declared degree or major. These internships must be for academic credit and can be paid or unpaid.  Students must have an assigned faculty supervisor and learning plan.  These internships appear on the transcript, and the internship course may be offered as credit/no credit or for a letter grade.

• Explore potential careers
• Learn how to conduct a job search
• Build work-related skills
• Experience a “3-month interview”
• Network with people in your field
• Become more marketable for your future job search

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the University’s internship policy.

To be eligible to receive academic credit for an internship you must:

• Be currently enrolled at Miami University.
• Undergraduate students must be enrolled for a minimum of six (6) actively registered credit hours in a semester to be eligible for federal financial aid or loan deferment. 
• Be in good academic standing with Miami University and have maintained at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average prior to enrolling for an internship. Individual departments/colleges or programs may require a higher GPA.
• Completed at least two full-time semesters with a minimum of 24 GPA hours earned at Miami (for continuing students); or completed at least 12 GPA hours earned at Miami (for transfer students)
• Complete the internship form prior to starting your internship experience. The course will be added to your schedule based on academic deadlines. Internship credit cannot be retroactively approved.

• Contact your Career Advisor

Campus Resources

• International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS) for Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
  •  Assist students with federal requirements for Curricular Practical Training
• One Stop / Bursar / Registrar
  • Assists with questions regarding billing and schedules
• Internship Grants/Professional Attire Grants
  • If your internship or research experience is unpaid or underpaid, you can apply for grants to assist with personal expenses related to your internship.

Advising Resources

• Career Advisor
  • Assist in internship search by helping with resumes, cover letters, interviewing and navigating Handshake. Make an Appointment
• Academic Advisor
  • Assist in internship search by helping with resumes, cover letters, interviewing and navigating Handshake. Make an Appointment
• Assistant Director of Internships
  • Assist with starting, completing and tracking a request in Handshake
  • Answer questions pertaining to internship grant applications
  • Approves any changes in credit hours and grade mode? (credit/no credit or letter grade

Academic Department Internship Coordinator

• Assess the alignment of the internship with curriculum for the major
• Oversee Internship Experience and acts as point of contact for Employers/Site Supervisors
• See Internship Policy Expectations for Co-curricular and Curricular Internship Faculty

• Make certain Step 2 is complete
• Check in with your Academic Advisor & Internship Coordinator

• Using Handshake
• Review information needed to complete online form

• Requesting an experience does not guarantee approval
• Make sure you track progress in Handshake
• Process of Approval:
  • Request goes from Handshake to the Career Center, where it will be moved from pending to approved, as long as learning objectives are included
  • Next, Faculty Coordinator approves request
  • Then, request goes to Registrar to be added to your schedule based on Registration Deadlines
    • Confirmation will be sent to International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS) if applicable
  • Approval from internship site supervisor is the final step, but does not impede the ability of the course to be added to schedules

• Complete mid term and end-of-term evaluations for your Internship (if applicable)

Review the types of internships (see above).

• For Extra-Curricular Internship - Select “Extra-Curricular Internship” 
• For Curricular or Co-Curricular Internship - Select Your Academic Department and Internship Coordinator
• Be prepared with the following information:
  • Employer/Organization Name
  • Location
  • Industry
  • Phone Number
  • Email address
  • Internship Job Title
  • Department
  • Start/End Date
  • Employment Type (Seasonal, Full Time, Part Time)
  • Salary
  • Offer Date
  • Internship Site Supervisor First and Last Name
  • Internship Site Supervisor Title
  • Internship Site Supervisor Phone Number
  • Internship Site Supervisor Email Address
  • Other Compensation
  • Approximate number of hours you will work each week
  • Scheduled Hours
  • Number of Credit Hours you are requesting 
    • 0 (Zero) credit = less than 37.5 work hours
    • 1 credit = 37.5 total work hours
    • 2 credits = 75 total work hours
    • 3 credits = 112.5 total work hours
    • 4 credits = 150 total work hours
    • 5 credits = 187.5 total work hours
    • 6 credits = 225 total work hours
  • Where the internship will be conducted (Onsite, Virtually, Both)
  • Job Description
  • At least 3 Learning Objectives

Please note: The form for Curricular and Co-Curricular Internships is the same. Students who complete the Curricular/Co-Curricular Internship Form will be registered into the internship course by the University Registrar.

Deadline to register each semester is set by the Academic Calendar and the Office of the Registrar.  

Last Add Day for Departments - Full Term: First Friday of the semester

Last Add Day for Departments - Sprint Course: Wednesday, 9th week of the semester

Renege: to go back on a promise, undertaking, or contract. Reneging is unethical, unprofessional, and jeopardizes the reputation of fellow students and the University. Therefore, the Center for Career Exploration and Success prohibits any student from reneging on an accepted job/internship offer. To renege is to accept a new internship/job offer after already committing to a previous internship/job. 

A student who accepts any offer shall withdraw from the hiring process for any other position. A student who fails to withdraw, continues to solicit another position, or reneges on a previously accepted position may be denied future services from the Career Center and barred from future on-campus recruiting until such time that the Center for Career Exploration & Success, in their discretion, removes such ban. A student that violates this policy shall also be referred to his or her departmental chair(s) for consideration of additional sanctions at the discretion of the department chair(s).

If you are uncertain as to whether you should accept an offer, please seek guidance from a member of the Career Center staff before taking any action.

No. Regardless of the way you obtained your internship you should use Handshake to request credit for it.

You can type in the name of any company or organization. The ones in the pulldown menu are just already programmed into Handshake.

No. Zero credit hours will not accrue tuition dollars.

Each student will need to work through these expectations with the designated faculty member in their major department. (Link back to the list of internship coordinators).