Internship Search Process
Students are encouraged to set up an Internship Advising appointment with a career advisor in the Career Services & Internships Office by scheduling on Handshake or calling 508-531-1328.
Students should review our Internship Search Guide that will walk you through the basics to help you begin your search process.
Handshake is BSU’s career management platform that allows you to search for jobs and internships across the country. All BSU students have a Handshake account, which can be accessed with their @student.bridgew.edu email address as their username and their corresponding BSU password.
For-Credit and Non-Credit Internship Process
Students may be eligible to complete an internship for academic credit while at BSU. Or they can do an internship just for the experience to add to their resume. The best-case scenario is that you can complete an internship for credit and get paid! Whether or not you are pursuing an internship for academic credit or non-credit, there are certain requirements and details you need to know including the required process and application forms for BSU. See the details below on both for-credit and non-credit internships.
For-Credit Internships
- Must meet prerequisites: junior or senior standing; minimum 2.5 GPA requirement (check with your academic department to see if there are additional prerequisites)
- Can be used for paid or unpaid opportunities
- Requires a certain number of clocked hours. 1 credit = 45 hours of work at the internship. Most credited internships are for 3 credits which equals out to be 135 hours at the internship. This is roughly 9-10 hours per week in the fall/spring semesters and roughly 12-14 hours per week in the summer.
- Requires approval from your academic department. Meet with the Faculty Internship Coordinator in your major to discuss approval of credits.
- Requires an academic component/assignment(s) determined by your Faculty Supervisor; varies from major to major. Some majors such as Psychology have an actual class that you must attend concurrently with your internship.
- Requires submission of the digital For Credit Internship Application which needs to be approved by the last day of add/drop for the semester in which you are interning
- Upon completion of your internship, your non-credit internship will be noted on your transcript and don’t forget to include it on your resume
Non-Credit Internships
- Does not require a minimum GPA, number of clocked hours, or approval from your major
- Can be used for paid or unpaid opportunities
- Does not require a corresponding class or an assignment, however, the experience should contribute to a student’s personal and professional development
- Requires the student to work directly with the employer on matters pertaining to training, hours, responsibilities, and supervision of the internship
- Requires completion of the digital Non-Credit Internship Application to the Career Services & Internships Office prior to your start date to ensure liability insurance coverage
- Upon completion of your internship, your non-credit internship will be noted on your transcript and don’t forget to include it on your resume
Who can do an internship?
- First years and sophomores: non-credit only, paid or unpaid
- Juniors and seniors: non-credit or for-credit if approved by major, paid or unpaid
- Graduate students: non-credit or for-credit if approved by program, paid or unpaid
What is the difference between an internship for credit vs. non-credit?
An internship for credit involves a site supervisor, a faculty supervisor, and a student intern. The student must complete the For-Credit Internship Application to get the internship site and credit hours approved by their faculty supervisor, then the registrar’s office will enroll the student in the internship credit. Both field duties and academic work are expected of the student. Clocked hours, credit, a grade, and an evaluation complete the experience.
A non-credit internship involves a site supervisor, the Career Services & Internships Office, and the student intern. Students must obtain approval from an employer for a non-credit experience. Students are encouraged to keep a weekly journal. No credit, grade, or evaluation is required.
How many hours constitute an internship for credits?
A minimum of 45 clocked hours in the field is required for each credit hour granted in an internship or practicum. Three credits equals 135 clocked hours for a 15 week semester (fall or spring) or 10 weeks during the summer. Students may work between 9-15 hours on-site each week depending on the number of weeks you intern.
Can interns be paid?
Yes, many of our current employers offer an hourly wage. Compensation is generally commensurate with experience and varies by industry and demand. Stipends are also an option that employers might consider.
An internship can be a paid or unpaid opportunity. Most of the internships that BSU students complete are funded either by a stipend and/or hourly wage. University policy allows students to seek academic credit for the internship regardless of whether it is paid or unpaid. If your internship is unpaid, you should consider applying for internship funding through BSU. Learn more about BSU’s Internship Funding options here.
