Internships

Criteria for Internships

In order to qualify for credit, an internship must meet the College’s criteria for an internship experience.

An internship must:

  • Be supervised by a professional within the organization student works for
  • Serve PRIMARILY as a learning experience for the student
  • Have clearly defined duties and activities agreed upon by student and employer
  • Assist the student in progressing toward a professional or exploratory career goal
  • Comply with all relevant employment laws and statues, and students do not give up their rights as employees due to their academic status
  • If for academic credit – Is supervised by a faculty or staff member within the university (see additional criteria for college credit below)

An internship should:

  • Take place in a professional setting (allowing that professional development and learning can take place during remote arrangements as well when appropriately structured)
  • Have clear expectations and evaluation processes provided by the employer
  • Assist the student in delineating a career path from the internship forward
  • Includes an analytical or reflective component
  • Encourage the student to develop career readiness competencies, including:
    • Critical thinking/problem solving
    • Oral/written communications
    • Teamwork/collaboration
    • IT application
    • Leadership
    • Professionalism/work ethic
    • Career management

Departmental Internships

Several departments sponsor four-credit internships; students should see the individual departments for more information. Brief descriptions of the most active programs are listed here:

Department of English (Morey 404)

Sites include professional theater, UR International Theater Program, newspapers, radio and television stations, UR Public Relations Office, non-profit organizations and area businesses. See the Department of English internships page or contact Jim Memmott at jim.memmott@rochester.edu for more information.

Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology (Meliora 355)

Internships are most commonly completed in agencies involved with health care delivery, youth services, community services, or personnel services.

Department of Political Science (Harkness 334)

Public Defender and District Attorney Internships

Public Defender and District Attorney Internships are open to juniors and seniors only.

Applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Students are required to work for twelve hours per week in the Public Defender's or District Attorney's office and to write a substantive research paper (approximately 25 pages). Interns earn four academic credits (one course in political science, PSC 394).

Students interested in applying should contact  before the start of the semester in which they plan to intern. There is an application, which is due to her the first day of classes.

Course Requirements and Grading for Departmental Internships

The faculty sponsor defines the course requirements and grading procedures of the internship course. Internship courses normally involve outside reading and a research paper or critical journal as the basis for evaluation. The reading for the internship is tailored to the particular needs of the internship, and the faculty sponsor of the internship determines the amount and specific content of the reading. Normally, these internships are graded with letter grades, but the Pass/Fail grading system is possible with the approval of the department chair; no normal letter grad is submitted. The evaluation is based upon the student’s performance on the reading and written work, and may also include consultation with the supervisory personnel in the internship.

Individualized Internships

Students who, on their own, find an internship substantively different from those sponsored by the department may, depending on the nature of the internship, apply to an undergraduate advisor for consideration to sign up for an internship (PSC 394) earning four academic credits, which may be applied toward completion of the major in political science or international relations. This is permitted only when all of the following conditions are met: the internship is unpaid, comprises ten to twelve hours of work per week, takes place during the academic year (not during the summer), is substantively and strongly related to political science or law, and is accompanied by other significant academic work (generally including a substantial research paper) completed under the direction of a regular faculty member who has agreed to sponsor the academic component of the internship.

Independent Internships

There are no specific admission requirements for this type of internship, and any student may try to arrange one. These internships usually carry four credits and are taking a long with three other four-credit courses as part of a normal semester’s schedule. It is not usually advisable to overload while doing an internship.

  1. It must involve at least 10-16 hours per week in a professional setting
  2. The work performed may not be clerical. The purpose of an internship is to acquire experience at the professional level.
  3. A full-time member of the teaching faculty must supervise the academic component that complements the direct work experience. The faculty sponsor and the student determine the exact nature of the academic work. See “Course Requirements” below for information on expected content and grading.
  4. In order to register for the internship course (394), the student must submit a completed Internship Credit registration form found online at the College Center for Advising Services website.

Program-based Internships

Washington Semester

The ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é, in cooperation with The Washington Center (TWC) and the Center for Community Engagement, offers semester-long study programs in Washington, D.C., that combine a credit-bearing internship with a course taught by faculty from area universities. Undergraduate students gain an immersive experience in professional fields, unique academic opportunities, and an opportunity to explore life and work in the United States capital. See the Washington Semester page for more information.

Art New York

The Art New York program, administered by the Department of Art and Art History (Morey 424) is a spring-semester residency program of study in New York City open to all second - fifth year undergraduate students interested in learning about aspects of contemporary art. Interested students should contact Professor Elizabeth Cohen. The program integrates internships in art, media and cultural institutions, direct involvement in many art fields and academic courses on contemporary art. Students complete one four-credit course at a local institution, participate in a four-credit colloquium with other Art Core students, and earn eight credits for the internship. See the Art New York page for more information. 

Independent (full semester programs)

Full-semester programs (with the exception of the Washington Semester and Art New York programs) require the prior approval of the Internship Committee. Interested students should make arrangements with an appropriate faculty sponsor. The Internship Committee should be presented with the following documents well before the start of the semester for which the internship is proposed:

  • An Independent Internship Form completed with and signed by the faculty sponsor
  • A detailed description of the proposed internship, elaborating upon the summary description on the Internship Form, in the form of a letter submitted by the student.
  • A letter from the faculty sponsor outlining his or her expectations for the internship and criteria for evaluation
  • Other materials that may be required by the specific program, for example, letters of recommendation or a transcript.

Note: The Internship Committee does not usually approve full-semester programs unless a student is in the upper-half of her or her class, and can relate the work experience to her or her academic program.

Course Requirements and Grading

The faculty sponsor defines the course requirements and grading procedures of the internship course. Internship courses normally involve outside reading and a research paper or critical journal as the basis for evaluation. The reading for the internship is tailored to the particular needs of the internship, and the faculty sponsor of the internship determines the amount and specific content of the reading. Normally, these internships are graded with letter grades, but the Pass/Fail grading system is possible for 4-credit internships with the approval of the department chair. The evaluation is based upon the student’s performance on the reading and written work, and may also include consultation with the supervisory personnel in the internship.

College Internships

Special Internship – CAS 394i

Available year-round

This course carries a .5 credit and is graded Pass/Fail upon completion of the internship and an evaluation. This course satisfies the requirements for international students applying for Curricular Practical Training allowance (additional steps through the International Services Office required), as well as for students being asked to register for credit by their employer, including the ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é Medical Center. Internships can be paid or unpaid, and there is no tuition charged for the .5 credit, regardless of academic term.

College Internship – CAS 394

Available during academic year only

Similar to department independent internships, there are no specific admission requirements for this type of internship, and any student may try to arrange one. These internships usually carry four credits and are taken along with three other four-credit courses as part of a normal semester’s schedule. Registering for College Internship credit may be advisable when a student’s internship is outside of their major academic department, or if a suitable faculty sponsor cannot be found.

  1. It must involve at least 10-16 hours per week in a professional setting
  2. The work performed may not be clerical. The purpose of an internship is to acquire experience at the professional level.
  3. A full-time member of the Career and Internship Center staff must supervise the academic component that complements the direct work experience. The sponsor and the student determine the exact nature of the academic work. See “Course Requirements” below for information on expected content and grading.
  4. In order to register for the internship course (394), the student must submit a completed Internship Credit registration form found online at the College Center for Advising Services website.

Course Requirements and Grading

The Career and Internship Center sponsor defines the course requirements, which may include additional reading, analytical journals, student and site supervisor evaluations. The reading for the internship is tailored to the particular needs of the internship, and the sponsor of the internship determines the amount and specific content of the reading. CAS 394 is graded Pass/Fail, no letter grade is submitted. The evaluation is based upon the student’s completion of all on-site hours, readings, reflective journals, and a student evaluation at the end of the semester.

Summer Internships

If you need to earn credit for a summer internship, you can register for CAS 394i – Special Internship. This internship carries .5 credits, and tuition is not charged. It will be noted on your transcript, and is graded Pass/Fail upon completion of the internship and an evaluation.

Guidelines for Internships

Students can earn academic credit for internships in the profit and non-profit sectors. We believe that a supervised work experience can provide a valuable educational experience that augments the regular academic program of students. Please note that that students can now received payment for their work at an internship, while concurrently receiving academic credit.

Combining Academic Inquiry with Work Experience

A full-time member of the University’s teaching faculty or the Career and Internship Center supervises the academic portion of the internship, and the academic work to be completed is determined by mutual agreement between the student intern and the faculty sponsor. The academic credit awarded ranges from four to sixteen hours.

The direct work experience portion is supervised by the staff where the internship takes place, and the amount of work varies from the equivalent of a full-time job, such as in the full-semester programs, to 10-16 hours a week in four-credit internships undertaken during the semester as part of a student's regular academic program. Special options are available for students wishing to register for internships during the summer.

GUIDELINES FOR INTERNSHIP ADMISSION

Internships for credit are part of the Independent Studies Program. The following guidelines exist for admission to these programs:

  1. They require the agreement of a faculty sponsor, the Dean's Office, and the supervisory personnel of the agency or office where the internship is to occur.
  2. Credit arrangements are subject to the regulations of the individual department in which the faculty sponsor teaches or the internship is located.
  3. A student may take no more than one four-credit Independent Studies course (including an internship) per semester.
  4. A student may take no more than eight credits of Independent Studies courses (including internships) with the same faculty member.
  5. All internships for more than four credits, with the exception of the Washington Semester Program and Art New York programs, require the approval of the Internship Committee, which should be requested prior to the start of the semester in which the internship is proposed.

Internships (394)

Students may work as interns in the profit and non-profit sectors for academic credit ranging from four to sixteen credit hours. These internships are based on the belief that a work experience under supervision can provide a valuable educational experience that would augment the regular academic program of many students. Internships for credit combine an academic component along with the direct work experience. The direct work experience is under the supervision of the staff where the internship takes place, and the academic portion of the program is under the supervision of individual faculty of the College. This part of the program is determined by mutual agreement between the student intern and the faculty sponsor.

Normally, internships are graded using regular letter grades. With the approval of the department chair, however, individual faculty members are able to supervise internships that lead to mandatory Pass/Fail grades. This determination is made at the time the student and instructor complete the Independent Studies Form. Also, all CAS 394/i courses are graded Pass/Fail.

Internships are part of the Independent Studies program of the College. See above for registration procedures.

Internships are subject to the discretion of the faculty sponsor, and students must seek such a sponsor if they wish to engage in an internship for credit. Students proposing four-credit internships are expected to be on site for 10-16 hours a week. No more than eight hours of internship and/or independent study credit may be applied toward degree requirements. Students requesting eight credits for one internship experience must secure the approval of the Internship Committee well in advance of the start of the internship.

All internship programs carrying between 8 and 16 credit hours (with the exception of the Washington Semester and Art N.Y. programs) require the prior approval of the Internship Committee. Interested students should make arrangements with a faculty sponsor. No more than 16 hours of internship credit may be applied toward degree requirements. Students pursuing an academic-year credit-bearing internships away from the ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é area complete a Change of Status form in the College Center for Advising Services, and are registered for the internship course.

Students who wish to register for an internship during the summer can register for CAS 394i in consultation with the Career and Internship Center.

Several formalized internship programs are sponsored by individual academic departments and the College. See the Internship Guidelines handout for overview information.

Special Internship (0.5 credit): CAS 394i

CAS 394i is designed for students who would like to or are being required to register for credit by an employer or immigration requirement (such as CPT). Consultation with the Career and Internship Center is necessary to obtain the registration permission code. Once registered, you will complete an academic learning agreement, end of term reflection, and your on-site supervisor will complete an employer’s evaluation.

International students seeking Curricular Practical Training allowance (CPT) on their student visa will also need to complete the CPT process through ISO PRIOR to starting their internship, and should follow these instructions.