Faculty Internship Information

Career Services Center Internships and Academic Credit

Thank you for taking the time to explore our internship program. Our unique and well-developed program provides students with the opportunity to take the principles, theories and best practices learned in the classroom and apply them to real-world situations in a structured environment. We in Career Services believe that Experiential Learning is a key component of educating our students, as well as preparing graduates to be competent and competitive upon graduation. 

As a faculty advisor for our internship program, you play a crucial role in challenging each student intern to make the most of their experience, apply classroom principles, and reflect on ways to apply integrate their experiences into their future career. Additionally, we strive to assist faculty and students in developing strong professional relations with the larger UAA and business community in order to stay current with the cutting edge ideas and trends in today's market. 

If you are interested in setting up an internship course in your department, please contact the Internship and Experiential Learning Coordinator, Stephanie N. Whaley at 907-786-4513 or snwhaley@uaa.alaska.edu.

How does our internship program work?

The Career Services Center is here to help students find jobs. We have an extensive job database, College Central Network, which assists students in finding an opportunity. Once a student has secured an internship position with a company, we ask that the student meet with the advising faculty member to determine which academic internship course would be appropriate for skills and duties provided during the internship.

With your approval, Career Services creates a learning agreement or learning contract approved by risk management between yourself, the company supervisor, the student and the CSC Internship and Experiential Learning Coordinator. In this agreement, the company agrees to provide the student with the internship in a safe environment conducive for learning, the faculty agrees to monitor the student's progress in conjunction with the Career Services Center and provide a grade upon completion of all of the internship requirements, and CSC agrees to establish the master contract between the company and the University, service and process all paperwork, ensure student and company eligibility for the internship, coordinate all progress reviews, evaluations, and paperwork collect all academic requirements, and ensure completion of internship. 

How do I create an internship in my academic department?

The creation of an academic internship requires the creation of a course following UAA's guidelines. You will work closely with the Career Service Center to establish a course with specific goals and objectives, establish a syllabus and recurring course for every semester. To begin this process, please contact the Internship and Experiential Learning Coordinator at 907-786-4513 or by email at snwhaley@uaa.alaska.edu. What are the student requirements for eligible participation in an internship?To participate in the program, students must have a declared major, maintain an approved grade point average, be enrolled in at least six credit hours (which may include the prospective internship), and be recommended by their faculty adviser.

• Must be enrolled in 1-3 academic credits for the internship
• Minimum GPA of 2.0. College of Business and Public Policy students must have a 2.75 GPA and a 3.0 GPA in their declared major.
• Must be a paid internship
• During fall and spring, only 20 hours a week will count towards your internship requirements; during summer, only 40 hours a week will count towards your internship requirements
• International students MUST meet additional requirements prior to beginning an internship
• $95 self-support fee will be assigned to your student account in addition to the course tuition
• Must be enrolled in an approved internship course
• A minimum of 225 hours is required for a 3-credit internship (1 credit = 75 hours of work)
• Must participate in a midway conference call and evaluation with supervisor, faculty member, and internship coordinator
• Must participate in a final evaluation with supervisor
• Must complete final report and any additional requirements of your faculty member
• Students are ultimately responsible for any and all paperwork being submitted in a timely fashion

Are internships limited to semester periods?

The Career Services Center's internships may begin any time during the year and are not limited to the academic calendar in progress. International and graduating students may ask that the internship be on the semester schedule to meet federal and UAA Graduation requirements. How many hours is an intern allowed to work?Students participating in an internship must meet certain hourly requirements in order to receive academic credit. For every one credit a student must have 75 hours of internship experience; the average internship is three credits for a minimum of 225 hours. During the fall and spring semester, students may only count a maximum of 20 hours per week towards their hourly requirements while school is in session. The average, 3-credit internship lasts approximately fifteen weeks during the school year. Students in summer internships may count up to 40 hours per week.

How you will be helping a student:

• Allows students to test classroom learning in the laboratory of the real world
• Enables students to pay for a significant portion of their college expenses through earnings of their internship position
• Improves job prospects after graduation by giving students valuable work experience
• Builds work history for a great resume
• Determines strengths and weaknesses
• Develop work skills and knowledge of your industry
• Network with potential employers and future co-workers
• Gain tangible experience in a student's field of study
• Improve student's professional confidence
• Possibly secure a position in a student's career field upon graduation
• Decide if this area is the right career for the student

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Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the University of Alaska. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the University, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

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