Internships

On This Page

Internship Approval Criteria

Stetson University embraces internships as a powerful means to prepare students for post-graduation success and enhance on-campus learning.

An internship is a form of faculty-guided experiential learning that empowers students to integrate knowledge and theory learned throughout the curriculum with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. It is a partnership between Stetson University and an internship host site, collaboratively defined and guided by the student, a Faculty Internship Course Instructor, and an on-site supervisor from the host site, which provides the student the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths.

To ensure that an experience is educational and can be considered a for-credit internship by the student’s academic department or school/college, the following criteria are recommended as best practices:

  • The experience must be an extension of the curriculum: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained through the curriculum. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the host site.
  • The internship must have a defined beginning and end.
  • The functions and expectations of the internship must align with the student’s course of study and/or career path.
  • There are developed learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.
  • There is regular feedback from the intern’s on-site supervisor.
  • There are resources, equipment, and/or facilities provided by the host site that support learning.

Hour Requirements

A full unit of internship credit requires a minimum of 140 hours, and a half unit requires a minimum of 70 hours. These hours can be achieved through work hours and time spent on reflective assignments.

Internship Orientation

Any student who registers for an academic internship must complete an Internship Orientation before they begin working at their internship site. Failure to do so may result in a student being administratively withdrawn from the internship course. Multiple Internship Orientation sessions, including an online option, will be offered each semester.

The learning outcomes for Internship Orientation are:

  • Students will develop an understanding of the acumen and skills needed to conduct themselves professionally in the workplace (i.e., attire, communication, punctuality, and dependability).
  • Students will develop an understanding of the current legal considerations affecting internships.
  • Students will develop a strategy for maximizing the internship experience, such as networking and informational interviews.

Academic Internships in the College of Arts and Sciences

A relevant internship is a powerful way for students to wed their passion for learning with world issues and challenges. Through internships, students in majors across the arts and sciences can enrich their classroom education while also building resumes and employment networks to support their candidacies for admission to graduate and professional schools and entrance into professions.

To encourage reflection on the connections between liberal learning and the professions, the College has established internship course 397 across its fields of study. (Under separate numbers, the program in Elementary Education similarly requires a student-teaching “block” of courses leading to certification). These internship courses follow guidelines for experiential learning and academic reflection to ensure that students have meaningful opportunities to explore the value of liberal education in professions and occupations. Typically, as part of the internship, the student is asked to keep a journal, write a reflective essay or report, or prepare a portfolio. An on-site supervisor provides a letter of evaluation, and the Faculty Internship Course Instructor determines the course grade.

Internship courses may be offered for a unit or half-unit of academic credit. For a full unit of credit, an internship requires 140 hours achieved through a combination of hours worked at the site and time spent on reflective assignments. In each discipline, the Catalog listing 397 notes prerequisites, such as a minimum grade-point average or required class standing, specific expectations for the internship, and intellectual reflection. Each department also determines whether the internship course is letter-graded or pass/fail.

The Faculty Internship Course Instructor and the Department Chair must approve all internships for academic credit. The department may limit the use of internship credit for a major, but additional credits may be approved for elective credit.

Students are encouraged to work with the Office of Career and Professional Development for assistance with searching and applying for internships.

Academic Internships in the School of Business Administration

The School of Business Administration encourages students to seek professional experience through academic internships in their field of study. An academic internship is a faculty-guided experiential learning opportunity that helps students integrate the knowledge and theory learned throughout the curriculum with practical application and skills developed in a professional setting. Students may earn course credit for these experiences by registering for the internship courses available to all majors and minors in the School with the 397 designation. Academic internship courses taken during the Fall and Spring semesters are included in the regular tuition price. In the Summer, students may register for internships at a reduced rate.

The following conditions must be met for students to be eligible to receive academic credit for internship experiences in the School of Business Administration:

  • Students must have majors or minors within the School of Business Administration.
  • Students must have an overall and major GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • Students must have completed the following course in their area of internship:
  • Individual departments may impose specific additional requirements for internships.
  • A maximum of two internship courses for credit (i.e., two 1-unit, one 1-unit, and one 1/2-unit, or two 1/2-unit internships) may be applied as elective credit towards the BBA degree requirements, though more than one internship course may be taken.
  • Stetson University guidelines require that for a full unit of academic credit, an internship requires at least 140 hours (70 hours for a half unit of academic credit) achieved through a combination of hours worked at the site and time spent on reflective assignments. Many departments in the School of Business require a higher number of total hours ranging from 180 to 240 hours for a full unit of academic credit and 90 to 120 hours for a half unit of academic credit.
  • The 397 designated internship courses for academic credit may be taken for a grade or on a pass/fail basis, depending upon department policy and the instructor's preference. The instructor of the course should decide on the grading policy before the start of the internship.

Students are encouraged to work with the Office of Career and Professional Development for assistance with searching and applying for internships.