Students will need to: 

1. Complete a prerequisite check and review course requirements.* Determine if your internship will be eligible for course credit. You can register for a general studies, business, or major-specific course. Major-specific internships will have to be approved through the department head. For eligibility requirements, please review the course syllabus.
2. Initiate the registration process. Request to enroll in the course via Handshake. Instructions can be found here or view our video below. 
   1. OPCD will approve, deny, or return the request for correction. If the student is seeking major-specific credit, the academic department will process the request.
   2. Secure approvals. Supervisors will be sent a request via email from Handshake to approve your internship once the registration is approved by OPCD. 
3. Start internship. Once approved, OPCD will register you to receive academic credit and will email your personalized syllabus to you. All assignments will be submitted via Handshake. See your syllabus for details.

*Are you an undergraduate international student completing an internship in the United States?

In addition to registering for academic internship credit through our office, you will also have to follow the CPT applications steps as highlighed by the International Student Services Office. 

Supervisors will need to: 

1. Approve the internship via Handshake (no account registration required) by confirming the information below:
   1. You are the student’s direct supervisor.
   2. You agree to complete a brief performance evaluation survey at the conclusion of the internship.
   3. The three learning objectives submitted by the student are correct.
   4. The weekly work schedule (hours worked per week) is correct.
2. Complete the supervisor (performance evaluation) survey. A survey will be emailed to you via Handshake near the end of the semester. Please complete by the deadline date so that the student will receive full credit for the course. 

If the student seeks major-specific credit, instructors and/or academic chairs will need to:

Approve the internship via Handshake (no account registration required) by confirming the information below:

1. You agree to serve as the student’s instructor of record for the course and will submit a final grade for the student in Bannerweb at the conclusion of the semester.
2. The three learning objectives submitted by the student are correct and qualify for major-specific course credit.

What is an internship?

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.

When is 3V57 offered?

3V57 is offered during the fall, spring, and summer terms.

How long does the approval process take? 

All supervisors and instructors will approve your internship experience within 2 business days. 

In order to get internship credit, do I go to the Registrar first? 

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.

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

Minimum of 6 weeks.

When can I begin interning for credit?

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

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 mnguyen1@udallas.edu.

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. 

What are you looking for in a learning objective? 

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. 

Can I receive major-specific credit for my internship? 

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

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. If you do not receive the email, please email mnguyen1@udallas.edu. 

Where will the Handshake email come from?

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

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. 

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. 

What are you looking for in a journal entry? 

We are looking for substantive content reflecting on critical thinking skills, reflections, predictions, and insights.

What kind of questions should I be answering in my journal entries?

At the beginning of your internship:

• 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?