Internships

Purpose of an Internship

Internships give students an opportunity to apply lessons learned in the classroom to a real-world experience in a professional environment, with the intern’s work overseen by a professional mentor.  An internship enables students to develop skills specific to a potential career field and allows students to develop professional skills such as teamwork, communication, networking, and business practices.

Definition of an Internship

An internship is a guided learning experience offered by an organization with the student’s education and preparation for future employment in mind. An internship is a temporary practical assignment, usually lasting only 1-2 academic terms, with no guarantee of ongoing employment. Typically, internships: 

  • Consist of a part-time or full-time work schedule that includes no more than 25% clerical or administrative duties.
  • Provide a clear job/project description for the work experience.
  • Orient the student to the organization, its culture and proposed work assignment(s).
  • Helps the student develop and achieve learning goals.
  • Offers regular feedback to the student intern.

Two Components of the Internship

  1. Internship at organization
  2. Academic coursework as determined by PPEL Internship Coordinator

Concurrent Enrollment is Required.  

Work at an internship for credit must take place during the term in which the student will receive credit and be completed on or before the last date of the same term. No retroactive internship credit can be granted.

Eligibility Requirements

To receive academic credit for a PPEL internship, you must be a PPEL major.  Students must have:

  • a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher

  • completed at least one semester at UA
  • earned 30 or more credits (freshman are not eligible for internship credit)
  • To receive PPEL Internship credit, the internship must be related to the PPEL major. If the internship is not related to your  major or minor, you  may receive internship credit through the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Internship program.

Find an Internship

Finding an internship is similar to the process for securing employment. Plan ahead. Depending on location, apply 2-12 months before your planned start date.

  •  Understand internship eligibility and requirements, see above.
  • Prepare a resume and cover letter (UA Career Development can help.)
  • Research internship options and apply to multiple organizations. UA’s Career Services offers tips for finding an internship

How to Enroll in Internship Credits

  • Find an internship with substantial responsibilities directly related to your major.
  • Complete the Internship Work Plan  with your internship supervisor. Scan the Work Plan as one document and save as a PDF file. Send your Work Plan to the PPEL Internship Coordinator, Dr. Vanderschraaf, at pvanderschraaf@email.arizona.edu

Tuition, Fees, and Registration Deadlines

Internship credit is regular academic credit. Therefore, all regular university tuition rates, fees, and deadlines apply.