What is an Internship?

An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional workplace setting (across in-person, remote, or hybrid modalities). Internships provide students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience, develop social capital, explore career fields, and make connections in professional fields. In addition, internships serve as a significant recruiting mechanism for employers, providing them with the opportunity to guide and evaluate potential candidates.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) believes that an internship should include:  

• A learning experience with a real-world opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or replace the work that a regular employee would routinely perform. 

• Learned skills and knowledge that are transferable to other employment settings. 

• A defined beginning and end that is mutually agreed upon and consistent with institutional sponsor guidelines and schedules. 

• A position description with clear responsibilities and required/desired qualifications. 

• Clearly defined learning objectives/goals supportive of the student’s academic program goals and institutional requirements. 

• Direct supervision by a professional(s) with relevant expertise and educational and/or professional experience who provides productive feedback, guidance, and the resources and equipment necessary to successfully complete the assignment. 

Schedule an appointment with an Internship Specialist to get started with your internship search:

Schedule an Appointment

Any questions? Contact the Florida Atlantic Experiential Learning & Internships team at intern@fau.edu or 561-297-3533.

Earn Internship Credit

Have you secured an internship? If so, congratulations, you are eligible to receive internship course credit through the Career Center's Professional Internship Course. This course requires that you have a secured internship before enrolling. The course requires Instrutor Permission. To gain access to register for this course, please meet with a staff member from the Career Center. To set up an appointment, log on to Handshake and select "Internship Registration" as the appointment type. 

Professional Internship Course (IDS 3949)

What is the Professional Internship course? This 0-4 credit course offers undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to gain “real-world” exposure and supervised experience related to their major, specific field of study or career interests. Students will integrate theories learned in the course with experiential activities acquired through direct involvement in on/off-campus internship opportunities. Students will develop marketable skills in preparation for future employment or graduate school studies. The Professional Internship course is offered on a semester basis: fall, spring, or summer (Full Term and Second Half Term). Students can participate multiple times with one employer or different employers.

Why should you register for the Professional Internship course?

• Learn and understand skills and attributes that employers value
• Identify the integration of academic studies with practical application outside the classroom
• Reflect on current skill set and areas for future development
• Have tangible outcomes to discuss with future internship and full-time employers
• Network and secure future internship and full-time opportunities upon graduation

How does the Professional Internship course work? The Professional Internship course is a partnership among the student, a pre-approved employer, and the Career Center. Students must secure an internship prior to enrolling in the course.

• There are three required assignments during the course:
  • Midterm Check-In 
  • Final Reflection
  • Supervisor Feedback Evaluation
• This fully online course is graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
• This course counts toward your degree requirements as a free elective
• The 0 credit option allows you to enroll for transcript notation and is tuition-free

The Career Center does not regulate the student’s work schedule, but their schedule must meet the minimum hour requirement during the academic semester the student is enrolled in. The minimum hour requirement varies based on the amount of credit the student is receiving:

• 0-1 credits: 60 hours
• 2 credits: 90 hours
• 3 credits: 135 hours
• 4 credits: 180 hours

Students must be supervised at an approved job site. Transportation to the internship site is provided by student.

Free Elective Credits

Free electives are courses not required anywhere else in your degree program that are taken to meet the minimum number of credits to graduate. The number of free elective credits needed can be determined by adding earned credits, in progress credits, and required credits, and then subtracting that number from 120. Students will be responsible for paying for credits earned through the Internship Program at the standard tuition rate, if applicable.

What is the application process?

1. Student requests a new experience on Handshake (Please note you will need the following information when capturing your internship on Handshake: Supervisor at your Internship Site’s Name, Phone Number and Email address Academic Advisor in your College’s Name, Phone Number and Email)
2. If registering for 0-4 credits (College of Engineering and Computer Science students) or 1-4 credits (students from all other Colleges), connect with a College Academic Advisor to inform them you plan on registering in IDS 3949 for the semester, as you will need approval to register in the course.
3. If your employer does not already have a Handshake account, they must create an account on Handshake for approval. They can do this by creating an account here: https://fau.joinhandshake.com
4. Once the internship supervisor approves the experience and your Academic Advisor has approved the credits (if applicable), the student must request an appointment to register for the course.

Who is eligible for the Professional Internship course?

To be eligible for the Professional Internship course, students must:

• Have an internship secured before enrolling (which cannot be the student’s full or part time job)
• Have completed at least one semester at FAU
• Be enrolling with an internship that is not being counted for credit or transcript notation in any other course
  • Students who are no longer in good standing will be unenrolled after final grades are posted for the semester prior to their internship. They can seek approval through their advising office if they still wish to enroll in IDS 3949. Approval is not guaranteed.
• Be enrolling with an internship that is not being counted for credit or transcript notation in any other course

Interested in an international opportunity?

Click here for a list of international internships.

Important Information for International Students

International students (F-1 status) must have maintained valid F-1 status and full-time enrollment for at least two consecutive semesters prior to the Internship start date. International students must also obtain an I-20 from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and meet all USCIS and/or ISSS requirements.

International students must register for an internship course during the semester they are interning. This could be the Professional Internship course or a departmental internship to comply with federal guidelines, as noted on their CPT application form. All I-20 forms must be updated prior to beginning an internship assignment. Acceptance and placement into an internship assignment is not guaranteed. All students must be approved by the Career Center before being registered for the Professional Internship course.

For more information, visit the FAU International Services page.

Owls-on-the-Job Shadow Program

Would you like to get a closer look at a career field of interest? Then participate in FAU's Owls-on-the-Job Shadow Program!

The Owls-on-the-Job Shadow Program is designed for students to participate in either a one or two-day job shadowing experience or a week-long externship during Winter Break and/or Spring Break to gain more insight into a field of interest.

To learn more about the program, please contact an Internship Specialist at 561-297-3533 or intern@fau.edu

Report Your Internship Now