This course requires students to reflect upon their work or internship experience in relation to their UD education in order to help them become more valuable contributors in their chosen field. Students will earn credit based on the documentation of their internship experience, observations, and results, number of hours worked, and satisfactory evaluation from their supervisor. The student must have already secured an approved opportunity, wherein the student will be supervised by an employee of the organization. Students must be working during the semester term in order to qualify to receive course credit. Course credit cannot be awarded for past work experiences. Graded Pass/No Pass.

Community Volunteer Services will integrate meaningful community service with reflection to enrich the student’s learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. The student must identify an organization for which he/she will serve and will earn credit based on combined organization participation and the student’s documentation of service experience, observations, and results. The student must complete 30 hours of service during the semester. Students may not earn retroactive credit for past service experiences. Graded Pass/No Pass.

This course is online and asynchronous (Spring only). This course is designed primarily for freshman and sophomore students who want to explore the opportunities available to them with various majors and careers. Class instruction encompasses decision-making and goal setting; self-assessment and advising; connecting personal profile with majors and careers; evaluating graduate school for various professions; and exploring various career settings. This class is particularly helpful for “undeclared” students. Graded Pass/No Pass.

This course is online and asynchronous (Fall only).This course aims to enable the student to develop techniques and strategies for identifying fields of interest, building a personal brand, and conducting an effective job search. Students will discern and identify their own unique skills, interests and values. Students will also be guided through the job/internship search process which includes researching the job market, developing a network of contacts, writing a resume, building an online presence, and completing an interview. Graded Pass/No Pass. 

Business Practicum vs. Business Internship Flowchart

Business Practicum is required for Business Majors.

To satisfy the requirements of the Business Practicum Experience, students must complete a minimum of 400 hours of work. The course is instructed under the College of Business by Dr. Dale Fodness. To sign up, you can fill out the form here. 

Business students can double dip and receive internship credit and Business Practicum credit if they wish for upper-level elective credit towards their degree plan. The internship course is instructed by Career Development under Christina Nguyen. To sign up, please complete your registration on Handshake. 

Business Internship is required for Business Minors.

Business minors need to sign up for before they begin their internship for BUS3v57 facilitated by Career Development under Christina Nguyen. To sign up, please complete your registration on Handshake. This is the only registration process for the course. 

Purpose of Learning Objectives: 

Learning objectives are designed to clearly state what a student will learn during the internship. The objectives should reflect on what the student hopes to achieve by the end of internship. 

Learning objectives are goals that you are trying to achieve in your internship. Goals must be specific, measurable, time-bound, and be able to be evaluated by a supervisor. For example: 

Objective: Learn and implement a social media marketing plan. 

Measured/evaluated by: Increase of followers. 

Examples of past learning objectives from students: 

• Analyze and research data
• Book an average of 4 appointments each day 
• Collect and analyze data to produce reports for management 
• Demonstrate efficiency in management of legal records, client files, and storage systems. 
• Learn about different business operations.  Measured by group projects/completing cross-training.
• Learn and complete the onboarding process
• Learn and excel in Google SEO 
• Learn how to create a formal marketing strategy plan
• Learn how to fill out a tax form without help from the partners, as well as what each document means. 
• Learn how to operate a front desk with greeting guests and transferring them among other duties simultaneously. 
• Learn how to program one product in a team 
• Learn more about the financial services industry and create good relationships with my associates. 
• Make at least 30 sales calls each day 
• Plan, execute, and lead once/twice a month events
• To learn how to interact with clients on a professional daily basis. 

What are you looking for in my midterm and final report? 

We want to know what you are learning in your internship and how it is shaping your professional development. Provide us with specific details about the projects that you're working on, the skills that you are acquiring and/or honing, and how your experience is shaping your own professional development. 

What kind of content should I include in my reports?

At the beginning of your internship think about...

• What are your initial reactions to your first few days? What are you looking forward to? Is there anything that is unexpected?
• What is going to be your biggest challenge in this internship?

In the middle of your internship...

• What goals have you met so far?  What goals do you still need to meet?  Have you changed any of your goals?
• How has your perception of the internship/organization changed since you started the internship?
• What steps have you taken to address the challenges and disappointments that you identified in your early journal entries?
• What is surprising you about this internship?
• What have you done that has made your supervisor’s life easier?
• What do you think are your strongest attributes as an intern?
• In what ways do you feel like you can improve your performance?
• How are you reacting to a bad day or disappointment?  How would you like to react?

At the end of your internship...

• How did you accomplish your goals for this experience?
• What did you learn about yourself through this experience?
• Were your expectations for this experience realistic?  Why or why not?
• What was your biggest success in this internship? 
• How did you change as a result of this experience?
• What have you done that you didn’t ever think you would be able to do?
• What changes would you make if you had the chance to do this over again?
• How are you different than you were when you started this experience?
• What was your biggest success or contribution to your organization?
• What did you learn from your challenges in this experience?
• What recommendations would you give to other students doing an internship at this location?

Does my experience count for internship credit? 

To ensure that an experience is educational, and thus eligible to be considered a legitimate internship by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, all the following criteria must be met:

1. The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
   
   
2. The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.
   
   
3. The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.
   
   
4. There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.
   
   
5. There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience.
   
   
6. There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor.
   
   
7. There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals.
   
   

How do I register or can I sign-up for major-specific credit for my internship? 

Please contact the department chair to see if you are eligible to receive course credit for your internship. 

How long does the registration process take? 

All supervisors and instructors should be able to approve your internship experience within 2 business days. Once approvals are obtained, please allow an additional 5 business days for your registration to be processed.

How long does an internship have to be to qualify for course credit? 

Minimum of 6 weeks.

In order to get internship credit, do I go to the Registrar first? / I tried registering on Banner, why can I not register? 

No, please stop by Career Development in Farrell Hall Room 204 with any questions. You will register for the course via Handshake and Career Development will process your registration.

I did an internship last semester. Can I still get course credit? 

No. The course requires that you be working while registered for the course. The university cannot award retroactive credit for an internship you completed in the past. 

I got an internship after the add/drop date. Can I still sign up? 

In rare cases, yes. If you think you will receive an internship offer after the add/drop date, you must notify Career Development BEFORE the add/drop deadline. Email Christina Nguyen at mnguyen1@udallas.edu.

What is the process for an undergraduate international student completing an internship in the United States?

In addition to registering for course credit through our office, you will also have to follow the CPT application steps as highlighted by the International Student Services Office.

When is 3V57 Internship offered?

The course is offered during the fall, spring, and summer terms.

When can I begin interning for credit?

You must be a sophomore (at least 30 credit hours have been completed).

Can I decline an internship? 

Yes, you can. We ask that you provide information as to why it is not approved or provide steps that the student needs to take in order to be approved. 

Can I change the assignments or syllabus? 

Yes, you can. In the approval process, please dictate which assignments you want to assign or add comments in the approval process so that OPCD staff can make adjustments. 

Do I need to sign a form for the student to receive course credit? 

No, all approvals will be completed electronically via Handshake. Students will provide OPCD with your email address so that you may receive the approval request in your email inbox. If you do not receive the email, please contact Christina Nguyen at mnguyen1@udallas.edu. 

Do I need a Handshake account to approve internship applications?

No, the email will contain a link to approve the request. 

How much time do I have to approve the internship and learning objectives? 

We ask that you provide approval within 2 business days. 

Where will the Handshake email come from?

The email will come from handshake@notifications.joinhandshake.com.