Internship & Co-op Process

Experiential education can help you learn new skills as you work alongside professionals in the field and explore your career goals. It is one of the best ways to prepare for your career.

The Isenberg Internship and Co-op Program works in partnership with the University Career Services office.  Additional information about internships and co-ops can be found here.

INTERNSHIP OR CO-OP

The term internship can mean many things to employers, students and educational institutions.  At Isenberg, however, an internship is a paid or unpaid work experience that takes place during the course of a semester or a summer/winter period; this experience may (or may not) be eligible for academic credits.

A co-op, or cooperative education experience, is a full-time (35+ hours weekly) paid work experience that takes place over a 6-8 month period.  Co-ops typically take students away from campus and classes for an entire semester.  While it may be possible to earn credits, academic credits are not automatically granted for a co-op experience.

CREDITS & FORMS

Internship credits are available for eligible students. Eligibility requires:

  • Completion of 35+ credits

  • GPA of 2.0 and good academic standing

All internship credits require sponsorship and completion of academic work for a P/F grade. Credits must be completed during the internship experience and will not be granted retroactively.

Summer/Winter Session enrollment: Internship credits sought during these periods will be registered through UMASS Continuing and Professional Education and will be charged at the current CPE rates.

Students who are Bachelor of Science candidates should check with their academic departments, Sport Management and Hospitality & Tourism Management, for degree specific internship guidelines.

Please Note: Internship credits may not be earned retroactively

TYPE OF CREDIT

UMASS 298: UMASS 298 may be used to satisfy credits toward graduation credits (sometimes referred to as “general electives”).

Departmental Credits: Declared BBA majors are eligible for one set of 3 departmental internship credits. Students are responsible for securing a faculty sponsor and determining an academic outcome for a P/F grade with the sponsor. 398/498 credits will satisfy one Isenberg business elective requirement.

The following are credit numbers for BBA Departmental credits:

  • ACCT 398Y | FIN 498Y | MGT 398 | MKTG 398 | OIM 498Y

Students must meet with academic sponsors from the academic major department prior to the start of the internship regarding academic work that is associated with earning academic credits.

NEXT STEPS

Once you have accepted an opportunity and have questions about earning credits, please meet with one of our internship coaches by selecting “internship credits & co-op process” in Navigate to determine next steps. If credits are determined to be a good option, you will enter the information online into your Handshake profile.

Students CANNOT register for practicum credits on their own. Faculty approval is required.

As you enter your information into the system, you may be required to complete specific additional forms that may be unique to your situation. Once all the information is fully entered, the staff at UMASS Career Services will ensure your faculty sponsors get notified for their approval and that credits are registered in a timely manner.

SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS FOR INTERNSHIP

You may be reluctant to accept an unpaid internship due to its financial limitation, so consider applying to UMass scholarships and awards set aside for interns. Access ACADEMICWORKS to learn more.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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