Internships

An internship is a structured, credit-bearing field experience in which a student acquires and applies knowledge and skills while working within a community, business, or government setting.  Internships can be paid or unpaid and should contribute to the student’s academic learning goals.

Internships help students integrate theory and knowledge gained in the classroom with real world applications to develop professional skills, increase confidence, better understand interests, and build valuable networks.  In some cases, an internship experience can lead to a job offer with the organization.

Internships are opportunities that students participate in with an organization (nonprofit, business, or government agency) that provide an experiential learning opportunity aligned with their learning goals.  Depending on the academic department’s internship guidelines, this could include a current place of employment when new learning occurs.  Many organizations have internship programs developed with existing position descriptions while others may develop an internship experience specifically for a Metro State student.

• Earning credit for your internship contributes to your degree completion.
• It is an opportunity for a faculty member to get to know you and your work beyond the classroom experience. 
• It is easier to commit the required time to complete the internship if it is built into your course load and schedule.
• Many employers prefer their interns earn credit because they have greater confidence the student will be more reliable and engaged.
• You will have the support of the Career Center and a faculty member, so if problems arise, we are able to help resolve them.

Metro State students have several resources available to them to identify internship opportunities that align with their learning goals and major/minor.  Please note that Metro State University does not place students in internships, but rather provides resources to identify an internship opportunity that is right for you.  Students should plan to begin their internship search at least one semester before they start the experience, and often sooner.  For example, many companies hire summer interns in September or October of the previous year.