Internships

Definition of an Internship

An internship is a student-motivated, employer-planned, and directed learning experience that provides an opportunity to integrate academic, professional, and personal skill development. Students have the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and to enhance skill development in a professional setting. The internship experience involves an academic relationship between the student, faculty advisor, and the employer. Internships generally span an academic term, may be paid or unpaid, and are for academic credit.

Philosophy & Objectives

The benefit of doing an internship is experiential learning. Internships are designed to accomplish as many of the following objectives as possible:

• Extend the student’s learning through direct experience in a related job or profession.
• Experience the demands and opportunities essential to success in the workplace.
• Sample a career path to explore alignment with the student’s interests and abilities.
• Begin networking in the profession in ways helpful for the future.

Academic Policy

• Internships are available to any student with a minimum of 60 earned credits and should be in the student’s area of academic study.
• Students applying for an internship must have a minimum 2.0 GPA and have the approval of a faculty advisor within their major of study. If a students current academic advisor is not within the major, they must obtain approval from a professor who teaches in the major. 
• Interns must have a site supervisor at the internship worksite with whom they meet on a regular basis. Site supervisor cannot be an immediate relative of the intern.
• One academic credit is earned for every 45 hours per semester. For example, one academic credit equates to approximately 3 hours of work per week during the fall and spring semesters, or approximately 4.5 hours of work per week during the summer term.
•  Academic credit must be awarded in the term in which the internship takes place. The semester listed on the Internship Registration Form should reflect the term in which a majority of internship hours will occur. 
• A completed Internship Registration Form must be in place before the internship begins.
• Student interns are required to meet with the Bethany faculty advisor midway through the internship to assess the progress.

Tuition for Credit

Tuition for internship credits is the same as for other credits earned at Bethany Lutheran College. Students applying for summer internships will be invoiced $75 per credit for the number of credits registered for during the summer months.

Learning Experience

An internship is a learning experience. Certain things are learned more effectively through experience, and internships provide that opportunity. A grade for an internship is based on what you can show you learned during the internship, not solely on the evaluation of your performance. Your Bethany faculty advisor evaluates the quality of the learning experience.

Professional Experience

An internship can be a great start to your professional experience. Since your internship will be supervised by a professional within your field, you will have the opportunity to gain real world experience. Many employers value hiring someone who has had an internship experience; therefore, when you are competing for a particular position in a given field, your internship may prove beneficial. A good way to maximize your internship experience is to begin to build a professional network.

Workload

Most students report working just as hard if not harder on their internships as they do for classes on campus. Pursuing an internship along with several other classes creates a demanding schedule and requires a lot of time and energy. It is recommended to plan for a lighter class load when participating in your internship.

Representation

When participating in an internship you are representing yourself, your department, and Bethany Lutheran College as a whole. Since you are representing more than just yourself, it is important to demonstrate the values and mission of the college in a professional manner.

• Academic credit will be granted upon successful completion of the internship.
• In order to receive credit, the internship must be related to your academic major.
• Credits cannot be retroactively applied. An internship should not begin until after the internship has been approved. Any hours worked by the intern prior to the approval of the internship do not apply toward the internship requirements.
• Academic credit is awarded by participating departments. The total amount of credit varies based upon the nature of the work, the academic projects, and the amount of time spent on the job. A minimum of 45 hours of work for each credit earned is required.
• Letter Grades are earned based on the final evaluation from the site supervisor and the final assessment(s). The final internship grade is assigned by the students’ internship academic advisor.
• A maximum of 12 credit hours obtained through internships may be applied toward graduation requirements. Check with the individual department as to the maximum number of credits allowed for application towards each major.

Bethany Lutheran College seeks to provide interested students with experiential learning internship opportunities that complement their academic preparation with direct practical experience that leads to academic, personal, and career growth. Organizations sponsoring Bethany interns provide an invaluable service to student development. Bethany grants academic credit for these internship experiences; however, Bethany makes no other assurances about the experience, the site, or the arrangements that the student may make in connection with this opportunity.

Students interested in obtaining an internship must meet with their faculty advisor to discuss opportunities and begin résumé preparation prior to the start of the internship search. It is best to begin this a minimum of two semesters prior to the intended internship semester.

Steps to Beginning an Internship

The initiative for all of these steps lies with the student.

1. Situate an internship in the development of your academic plan.
2. Locate a potential internship site. Your Handshake account is an excellent place to begin.
3. Prepare a résumé, cover letter, and portfolio (if necessary). Use resources on campus, such as the Writing Center or the Career Development Center, to fine-tune these. Have your faculty advisor approve these and then proceed to apply for the internship through the employer.
4. Interview for the internship, if necessary, and secure a list of responsibilities from the employer.
5. In consultation with the faculty advisor, develop learning objectives and fill out the Internship Registration Form.
6. The Internship Registration form will be electronically sent to your faculty advisor, your internship site supervisor, and the Career Development Center Director for approval.
7. The Registrar’s office will enroll you in the appropriate course for the internship (1–12 credits). The Registrar will not accept student registration for any internship course without the fully-approved registration form.

Note: All of the above must be completed before the internship is actually begun. Any hours worked by the intern prior to the approval of the internship do not apply toward the internship requirements.

During the Internship

The student is responsible for representing Bethany Lutheran College in a professional manner. This can be accomplished when the student adopts the following guidelines:

• Report to the internship site/workplace on time and when scheduled.
• Dress professionally.
• Behave in a professional and ethical manner during the entire process.
• Show initiative; set goals and prioritize.
• Observe confidentiality.
• Learn everything possible about the position and the worksite.
• Contact your faculty advisor throughout the internship to discuss progress toward attaining learning goals and completion of academic activities.
• Communicate all problems that arise during the internship to your faculty advisor.

Communication

Clear communication is key to an effective internship. The following guidelines suggest how to establish a good communication network during the internship experience:

• Understand the job description as discussed with the site supervisor and know the learning objectives as formulated with your faculty advisor to prepare you to get the most out of your internship.
• Schedule regular meetings with your site supervisor to discuss new and past assignments, answer any questions, and discuss the dynamics of the organization.
• Communicate all problems that arise during the internship to your faculty advisor, who will guide you in the proper means to handle the situation.
• Inquire about opportunities to attend meetings, corporate events, or networking events, if possible.
• Discuss career entries and long-term career paths in the field.

We strongly encourage students to submit internship registration forms as early in the semester as possible to ensure sufficient time for approval and planning. Although the official deadline is midterm, exceptions may be granted under certain circumstances. These exceptions are contingent upon the student’s ability to complete all required hours within the remaining weeks of the semester and approval from the students internship academic advisor, internship site supervisor, career development, and registrar.