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Internships

What is an internship, and why should I complete one?

An internship is a short term, career-related experience, which includes an academically linked learning component. In today’s competitive job market it takes more than a degree to land a job upon graduation, which is why an internship or a co-op can be an essential element of your total education.

The most common reason to complete an internship is to gain "real world" experience in an academic field or area of interest. Internships can help students find career direction and/or provide valuable experience necessary to secure future employment. During an internship, you may find you don’t enjoy the area you have chosen as much as you thought you would. Or you may find an avenue you never thought you would be interested in! Many students also participate in internships to earn money during the summer or the school year, while others are looking to earn academic credit for their experiences. Not all internships are paid; however, most allow you to receive college credit for your experience through your academic department or PRE 598: Internship Exploration.

Internships:

  • help in career decision-making.
  • allow opportunities for testing classroom learning.
  • improve post-graduation job prospects by providing valuable work experience.
  • help develop a network of job search contacts.
  • assist in building job-search skills such as resume writing and interviewing.
  • develop transferable skills for preparation for future employment.

What should I consider when looking for an internship?

  1. Are you looking for experience, credit, or both?

    If you want to receive credit for your efforts, you should check with your academic department to see if you can enroll in a class to earn credit. There are typically prerequisites. If you cannot receive credit through your academic department, you can enroll in PRE 598: Internship Exploration and earn credit.

  2. Do you need to find a paid internship, or could you accept something that is unpaid?

    The University Career Center has information regarding both options. Think about whether or not you could accept an unpaid position. Some unpaid positions could provide the ideal experience, lead to potential job offers, and/or provide you with valuable networking contacts for future job searches.

  3. What kind of experience or position do you want?

    Be realistic about the kind of experience you will gain; don't set your expectations too high. However, determine the type of experience you are you looking for: Are you looking for formal training in a particular area, or do you want to see what the industry or company is like from the inside?

    Once determined, set out to find the right internship to fulfill your learning needs.

  4. Do you have geographic limitations or preferences?

    Are you willing and able to travel? Or do you need to stay in a specific area, such as Lawrence, Topeka, or Kansas City? Many exciting opportunities exist throughout the United States, as well as internationally, so explore a variety of opportunities and keep your options open.

  5. While many internships are available during the summer, consider participating in an internship during the fall and/or spring semester(s) if you have time. Employers understand students have academic commitments and usually will work with your schedule.

  6. How much time do you wish to devote to your internship?

    Internships can range from only a few hours a week to over 40 and can last a few months, a semester, or even a year or more.

How can I find an internship?

  1. Contact the appropriate Career Services office.

    UCC serves the School of Education, School of Social Welfare, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the School of Architecture and Urban Design. Internship information available from UCC includes on-line information, program descriptions, resources for seasonal and summer jobs, and books about internship opportunities. When employers send internship listings to our office, they are posted on KU Career Connections and are also available for viewing in the internship binders in the UCC resource center. In order to view on-line postings, you need to register for KU Career Connections, the FREE job and internship database for KU students. Click here for more information on Career Connections .

  2. Join the Internship Listserv to receive weekly updates of internship opportunities advertised through the UCC. Click here for more information on the Internship Listserv .

  3. Talk to friends, family, coworkers, professors and others about your desire to find a job or internship.

    Networking is a key element in finding an internship that meets your needs. These invaluable sources of information may know someone or know of an organization with the opportunities you are seeking.

  4. Remember that 80% of all jobs are never advertised! So consider browsing through the yellow pages to locate organizations that practice in the area of work you are targeting and contact them to learn about the opportunities they have to offer.

  5. Look into temporary employment agencies.

    Avoid agencies that charge you a fee.

  6. Check the public or university library for standard directories of summer jobs.