Internship & Co-op Process
The Value of Field Experience
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 vs. 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 and 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 faculty 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
What kind of credits can I earn?
UMASS 298Y: UMASS 298Y may be used once to satisfy credits towards the Breadth Requirement for students in the BBA program.
- Dave Wells sponsors domestic students seeking UMass 298 credits.
- Kimberly Figueroa sponsors international students seeking UMass 298 credits for internships that require CPT.
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:
* ACCTG 398Y
* FIN 498Y
* MGT 398
* MKTG 398
* OIM 498Y
Students must meet with academic sponsors 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.
